Prevalence of anemia and its impact on mortality in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a developing country setting.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is going to be the third most common cause of death worldwide. The natural course of COPD is interrupted by acute exacerbations (AECOPD) with an overall mortality rate of 10%. Anemia is a well-known independent predictor of mortality in several chronic diseases.