Abstract
Caxechia is known to be a deteriorating factor for COPD patients' survival but obesity is rarely studied. We hypothesized that, obesity cause better outcomes than normal weight COPD's with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) regarding using long term noninvasive ventilation (NIV) at home.
A retrospective observational cohort study. Patients were treated at the Thoracic Diseases Training Hospital between 2008 and 2013. All were prescribed with NIV for CRF secondary to COPD. Grouped according to the BMI. Between 20 and 30 and the other group above 30. Parameters (age, gender, comorbid diseases, smoking history, pulmonary function test, 6 minute walk test, arterial blood gas values) are recorded at the first visit (first month control with the NIV device). Hospital admissions are recorded before and after NIV. Mortality is searched from the electronical database at the time of recruitment (November 2014).
Overall 118 were enrolled. Thirtyeight had BMI between 20 and 30 and 80 had over 30. The mean age was 65.9 and 81 % is male. All the parameters and mortality were compared in the two BMI groups.
The median follow up time is 26 months (6-84 months) and during this period, mortality for obese patients was 32% and 34% for nonobese. Six minute walk distance increase had a protective effect on our patients' mortality. Every one meter increase , decreases the mortality 90%.
As a conclusion the survival of obese patients seem to be better than the nonobese ones and the more a COPD patient walks the better his survival is.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015
