Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients stratified by exacerbation risk.
Total | Low risk of exacerbation (LR) | High risk of exacerbation (HR) | p-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | 62 | 28 | 34 | ||
Age, years | 61.5 ± 9.4 | 64.2 ± 9.2 | 59.4 ± 9.0 | 0.021 | |
Male | 36 (58.1%) | 22 (78.6%) | 14 (41.2%) | 0.003 | |
BMI, kg/m² | 25.7 ± 5.6 | 26.3 ± 5.1 | 25.3 ± 6.0 | 0.235 | |
Sputum samples | |||||
Spontaneous | 57 | 26 (92.9%) | 31 (91.2%) | > 0.999 | |
Induced | 5 | 2 (7.1%) | 3 (8.8%) | | | |
Smoking history | |||||
Current smoker | 21 (33.9%) | 8 (28.6%) | 13 (38.2%) | 0.299 | | |
Former smoker | 41 (66.1%) | 20 (71.4%) | 21 (61.8%) | ||
Pack-years | 43.6 ± 19.2 | 45.5 ± 21.2 | 42.1 ± 17.6 | 0.246 | |
Maintenance treatment | |||||
Long-acting beta agonist | 38 (61.3%) | 16 (57.1) | 22 (64.7%) | 0.614 | |
Long-acting muscarinic antagonist | 11 (17.7%) | 3 (10.7%) | 8 (23.5%) | 0.102 | |
Inhaled corticosteroid | 21 (33.9%) | 8 (28.6%) | 13 (38.2%) | 0.426 | |
Oral corticosteroid | 2 (3.2%) | 1 (3.6%) | 1 (2.9%) | 0.643 | |
Long-term macrolides | 5 (8.1%) | 2 (7.1%) | 3 (8.8%) | 0.714 | |
Recent antibiotic and corticosteroid use | |||||
Antibiotics (last 6 months) | 35 (56.5%) | 6 (21.4%) | 29 (85.3%) | < 0.001 | |
Antibiotics (last month)a | 2 (3.2%) | 1 (3.6%) | 1 (2.9%) | > 0.999 | |
Oral corticosteroids (last 6 months) | 21 (33.9%) | 4 (14.3%) | 17 (50.0%) | 0.003 | |
Exacerbation history | |||||
Exacerbation (previous year) | 41 (66.1%) | 7 (25.0%) | 34 (100%) | < 0.001 | |
Nb exacerbations (previous year) | 2.5 ± 1.5 | 1 ± 0 | 2.8 ± 1.5 | 0.001 | |
Symptoms | |||||
Dyspnea mMRC ≥ 2 | 47 (75.8%) | 22 (78.6%) | 25 (73.5%) | 0.769 | |
Chronic bronchitis | 31 (50.0%) | 10 (35.7%) | 21 (61.8%) | 0.037 | |
CAT score | 18.0 ± 7.4 | 16.2 ± 8.0 | 19.6 ± 6.6 | 0.045 | |
Lung function | |||||
FEV1, % pred | 46.5 ± 18.7 | 53.1 ± 20.1 | 41.1 ± 15.8 | 0.006 | |
FEV1/FVC | 47.0 ± 10.9 | 49.5 ± 10.7 | 44.9 ± 10.7 | 0.048 | |
RV, % pred | 217.4 ± 88.8 | 183.5 ± 73.7 | 244.1 ± 91.5 | 0.004 | |
TLC, % pred | 129.8 ± 26.4 | 118.5 ± 20.3 | 138.7 ± 27.6 | 0.001 | |
DLCO, % pred | 46.2 ± 23.5 | 45.9 ± 22.9 | 46.4 ± 24.3 | 0.471 | |
GOLD 1–2 | 26 (41.9%) | 17 (60.7%) | 9 (26.5%) | 0.010 | |
GOLD 3–4 | 36 (58.1%) | 11 (39.3%) | 25 (73.5%) | | | |
6-minute walking test* (AA), | 52 | 21 | 31 | ||
Desaturation, n | 24 (46.2%) | 9 (42.9%) | 15 (48.4%) | 0.351 | |
Distance, meters | 359 ± 117 | 388 ± 126 | 340 ± 108 | 0.028 | |
CT-scan*, | 58 | 25 | 33 | ||
Emphysema, n | 52 (89.7%) | 21 (75.0%) | 31 (93.9%) | 0.213 | |
Emphysema score | 9.0 ± 4.7 | 9.2 ± 4.6 | 8.9 ± 4.9 | 0.394 | |