PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ines Zayani
AU  - Fatma Chermiti Ben Abdallah
AU  - Amel Chtourou
AU  - Sofia Taktak
AU  - Ridha Mahouachi
AU  - Ali Ben Kheder
TI  - Comorbidities in the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p4067
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4067.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4067.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic airflow limitation and frequent co-morbid conditions.Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of comorbities in patients with COPD and assess correlations between Body Mass Index (BMI) and exacerbations.Methods: Retrospective study including 120 patients with COPD. Symptoms, spirometry, peripheral oxygen saturation, BMI and comorbidities were obtained from patients records.Results: The mean age was 63,3±23 years. All patients were smoking for more than 10 years. 65,8% of patients had comorbidities and the most frequent ones were: systemic hypertension (52,5%), diabetes (32,5%), heart failure (20,8%), renal failure (8,3%), anaemia (8,3%), lung cancer (7,5%) and sleep apnea syndrom (SAS) (3,3%). Mean rate of exacerbations was 1,6/year. Patients with comorbidities had more exacerbations (2,4/year) than those without comorbidities (0,8/year). Considering their BMI, patients were divided into three groups: 17.5% had BMI > 25 kg/m2, 67,5% had 20 kg/m2 <BMI< 25 kg/m2 and 17% had BMI< 20 kg/m2. Those with higher BMI (>25 kg/m2) had more exacerbations (p=0,046).Conclusion: Comorbidities are very common in COPD. They are associated with more severe exacerbations. Results indicate a relation between BMI and rate of exacerbations.