Characteristic | Acute exacerbation | No acute exacerbation | p-value# |
Subjects n | 75 | 361 | |
Age years | 63.7±8.4 | 62.8±7.9 | 0.29 |
Females | 17 (23) | 74 (20) | 0.67 |
Smoking status | |||
Never | 26 (35) | 89 (25) | |
Former | 32 (43) | 177 (49) | 0.20 |
Current | 17 (22) | 95 (26) | |
FVC % predicted | 69.3±17.7 | 78.1±17.6 | <0.001 |
DLCO % predicted | 62.5±19.3¶ | 67.1±19.2+ | 0.11 |
Prednisone | 56 (74.7) | 202 (56.0) | 0.003 |
GORD treatment§ | 57 (76.0)ƒ | 192 (53.2) | <0.001 |
Data are presented as mean±sd or n (%), unless otherwise stated. FVC: forced vital capacity; DLCO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; GORD: gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. #: overall tests of heterogeneity; ¶: n=58; +: n=338; §: proton pump inhibitor or histamine 2 receptor (H2)-antagonist; ƒ: 11 out of 57 on proton pump inhibitor, 46 out of 57 on H2-antagonist.