Hospital admissions and exercise capacity decline in patients with COPD

摘要: Exercise capacity declines with time and is an important determinant of health status prognosis in patients chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesised that hospital admissions are associated exercise decline these patients. Clinical functional variables were collected for 342 clinically stable COPD patients. The 6-min walk distance (6MWD) was determined at baseline after a mean±sd 1.7±0.3 years. Information on hospitalisations during follow-up obtained from centralised administrative databases. Linear regression used to model changes capacity. Patients mostly male (92%), age 67.9±8.6 years, post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume 1 s 54±17% predicted 6MWD 433±93 m. During follow-up, decreased by 21.9±51.0 m·year−1 153 (45%) hospitalised least once. Among admitted only COPD-related causes (50% those ever admitted), the proportion presenting significant loss higher than nonrespiratory conditions (53% versus 29%, p=0.040). After adjusting confounders, annual greater (26 m·year−1, 95% CI 13–38 m·year−1; p<0.001) more one all-cause hospitalisation per year, as compared no hospitalisations. Hospitalisations related COPD. Hospitalisations