title: Occurrence and impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in elderly patients with stable heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The coexistence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart failure (CHF) increases with age. The occurrence, prognosis and therapeutic implications of concurrent COPD in elderly patients with CHF were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighteen consecutive patients, ≥ 65 years old with ≥ 10 pack/years of smoking and with a verified diagnosis of CHF in stable condition, were enrolled. They were followed for a mean of 1029 (range 758-1064) days. All patients had spirometry and the diagnosis and classification of COPD were made according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean occurrence of COPD was 30% (90% confidence interval: 24-37%). At baseline in patients with CHF and COPD, there was a shorter 6-min walk distance, lower arterial oxygen tension, glomerular filtration rate and higher N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (all P < 0.05). The prescription of CHF therapies, including β-blockers, was similar in the two groups. After follow up, the presence of COPD in patients with CHF did not appear to influence survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COPD is relatively frequent in elderly patients with CHF. COPD did not alter survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. bsp@unife.it
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boschetto
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fucili
authors.forename: Mariarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stendardo
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malagù
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parrinello
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casimirri
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potena
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ballerin
authors.forename: Leonardo M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ceconi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013147:Spirometry