Overweight is a predictor of long-term survival in hospitalised patients with exacerbations of COPD.
Although hospitalisations due to an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with increased risk of mortality, there is little information on long-term survival after severe COPD exacerbations.



The 5-year and 8-year overall survival after hospitalisation due to a COPD exacerbation was explored. In addition, potential predictors of survival were analysed.



The 57 patients with COPD included in this analysis had a median age of 70 years, a median smoking history of 30 pack years and a median forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) of 41.6% predicted at the time of COPD exacerbation. The majority of the patients had either normal weight (body mass index, BMI 18.5-24.99 kg/m(2): 42%) or overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2): 54%). The 5-year overall survival after exacerbation was 54%, the 8-year overall survival 42%. The presence of cardiac comorbidities, a FEV1 <50% predicted, an age >70 years and a BMI <25 kg/m(2), but not smoking history or current smoking, were associated with decreased overall survival. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that only BMI, age and FEV1 were independent predictors of long-term survival. Overweight patients (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) had a substantially higher 5-year overall survival (74%) than patients with a BMI < 25 kg/m(2) (31%).



Nearly half of the patients hospitalised due to an exacerbation of COPD die within 5 years after the event. Overweight is a positive predictor of long-term survival in these patients.
Department of Pneumology and Critical Care, University of Rostock, Germany.
Paul
P
Stoll
Department of Pneumology and Critical Care, University of Rostock, Germany.
Saskia
S
Foerster
Department of Pneumology and Critical Care, University of Rostock, Germany.
J Christian
JC
Virchow
Department of Pneumology and Critical Care, University of Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: marek.lommatzsch@med.uni-rostock.de.
Marek
M
Lommatzsch
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D020445:Hospitalists; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014797:Vital Capacity
COPD; Exacerbations; Mortality; Survival