[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as frequent secondary diagnosis at medical department]

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often suffer from comorbidities. This study evaluates the need for hospitalization due to comorbidity in COPD patients and the diagnoses these patients have, and it investigates whether COPD comorbidity prolongs the hospital stay.

A cross-sectional study performed at a department of internal medicine. A total of 66 of the 101 possible participants were included. They performed a spirometry and filled-in a questionnaire. Furthermore, patients' case records were studied for evaluation of final diagnoses and length of stay.

39% (26/66) suffered from COPD. 54% (14/26) were diagnosed at our examination. 35% had moderate COPD, 26% severe COPD and 19% very severe COPD. 43% (6/14) of the patients with no former knowledge of their COPD had severe or very severe COPD. The COPD patients had accumulated significantly more pack years (p < 0.005) and there were significantly more smokers (p = 0.05) among them compared with patients with no COPD. 38% (10/26) had several concurrent chronic diseases. The admission period was not significantly longer for patients with COPD than for those with no COPD (p = 0.07).

The need for hospitalization due to comorbidity in COPD patients significantly exceeded the 20% expected to suffer from COPD in comparative age-groups of the general Danish population (p < 0.05).