Modification of COPD presentation during the last 25 years

During the last decades progress has been made in the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). We compared a random sample of patients admitted for an exacerbation in the period 2001-2005 (n = 101), with a random sample of patients hospitalized for the same reason in the period 1980-1984 (n = 51). Patients of the 2001-2005 cohort had a lower FEV1 (48 ± 3 vs. 41 ± 2% predicted, p = 0.01) for similar mean age, gender and body- mass index when compared to the historical sample. Co-morbidities, according to the Charlson's index, were more prevalent in the 2001-2005 cohort compared to the 1980-1984 cohort, with a reduction of hemoglobin (13.9 ± 0.2 gr/dl vs. 14.9 ± 0.2, p < 0.01) and higher prevalence of anemia in the most recent cohort. We found an increase in the use of cardiovascular drugs and respiratory medications over time with exception for the long-term use of oxygen. Despite lower FEV1 and more prevalent co-morbidities, no difference in length of hospitalization (13.6 ± 1.4 days vs. 12.7 ± 0.7 days, p = 0.52) and 30 months survival post-exacerbation was noted (66.6% vs. 69.3%, p = 0.85). Over the course of 20 years, the presentation of COPD patients admitted for an exacerbation seems to be changed towards a more severe phenotype with lower FEV1 and more co-morbidities. As the length of hospitalization and the overall survival were not different between the two samples, a currently improved management of COPD can be hypothesized.