title: Impact of Comorbid Ischemic Heart Disease on Short-Term Outcomes of Patients Hospitalized for Acute Exacerbations of COPD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with COPD. The contribution of IHD to acute outcomes in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is not known in detail. The present study assessed the effect of comorbid IHD on length of stay (LOS), risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death as indicators of the short-term outcomes for patients hospitalized for AECOPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of patients hospitalized for AECOPD from September 2008 to March 2014 were reviewed. Data extracted from patient records regarding the presence of comorbidities and the markers of disease severity were analyzed using logistic regression for ICU admission and mortality, the Kaplan-Meier method, log rank test and Cox regression for LOS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 507 separate admissions, 146 episodes (28.8%) occurred in patients with IHD. The median LOS was 7 days [interquartile range (IQR) 6, 11] in patients with IHD versus 6 days (IQR 5, 8) for patients without IHD. After adjustment for confounders, LOS was found to be 26% longer (p=0.033) for patients with IHD. The adjusted odds ratio for the risk of ICU admission and death in patients with IHD was 2.97 and 3.86, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients hospitalized for AECOPD with comorbid IHD had longer LOS, greater risk for ICU admission and death. It seems that this group is a particular COPD subtype with a more severe degree of COPD and poorer acute outcomes that may influence optimal management.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Masoud
authors: M
authors: Aliyali
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Mehravaran
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Siavash
authors: S
authors: Abedi
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Sharifpour
authors: Departments of Biostatistics, Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Jamshid
authors: J
authors: Yazdani Cherati
keywords: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Comorbidity; Myocardial Ischemia