title: Second Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour for the Treatment of Muscle-invasive Bladder Tumours.
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: Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhengzhou Central Hospital, Zhengzhou 450007, China
authors.forename: X A
authors.initials: XA
authors.lastname: Cai