title: Length of Stay and Outcome of Hospitalized Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients, Differences between General Medical Ward and Intensive Care Unit: A Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (ECOPD) are a major problem worldwide and usually a leading cause for hospitalizations and in some cases, indication for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the length of stay in hospital and outcome of ECOPD patients. We compared the length of hospital stay in the medical ward, intensive care unit (ICU) departments and discharges during a period of six months.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational, longitudinal prospective study of 242 COPD patients that were admitted with COPD exacerbation. In each patient, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score and serial arterial blood gases (ABG) were measured upon and during admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty per cent (194) of 242 COPD patients were admitted to the medical department and most of them were discharged within five days. Forty-eight needed IMV and stayed in hospital more than ten days; overall mortality rate was about 5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the hospitalized patients with COPD exacerbation (60%) were discharged within five days, 20% needed IMV and stayed in hospital more than ten days.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya, Israel.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Makhoul
authors.affiliation: Clalit Health Service, Western Galilee, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khamisy-Farah
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine B, Ziv Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel. Raymond.F@ziv.health.gov.il.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farah