[Characteristics and management of acute exacerbations of COPD in hospital. EABPCO-CPHG study by the college of general hospital respiratory physicians].

Introduction: A cohort was formed to explore the evolution of COPD patients treated in general hospitals for acute exacerbations (AE). The present article describes and compares patient characteristics according to whether COPD was diagnosed before the AE or not.

Methods: Data were analyzed for 1,824 patients admitted between October 2006 and June 2007 to 68 departments of respiratory medicine.

Results: Population characteristics were: male, 77%; mean age, 70.3+/-11.3 years; current smokers, 33%; baseline grade 3-4 dyspnoea, 47%; FEV1
Conclusion: When an AE precedes the diagnosis of COPD, the morbidity of the COPD and the AE is far from negligible, justifying efforts to achieve an earlier diagnosis of COPD.