TY - JOUR T1 - COPD Comorbidity Network: Connecting the dots JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 42 IS - Suppl 57 SP - 1806 AU - Miguel Divo AU - Victor Pinto-Plata AU - Carlos Cabrera Lopez AU - Ciro Casanova AU - Jorge Zagaceta AU - Juan Pablo De Torres AU - Jose Maria Marin AU - Javier Zulueta AU - Pablo Sanchez Salcedo AU - Claudia Cote AU - Bartolome Celli Y1 - 2013/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/1806.abstract N2 - Comorbidities are frequent in COPD and a known subset of them influences mortality. However, the relations between them are poorly understood. In this study, we describe the COPD comorbidity network in the BODE cohort by exploring co-occurrence clusters using system network graphic analysis.Methods: We included 1659 COPD subjects and comorbidities were recorded systematically. Spearman’s coefficient were calculated between comorbidities, and those with significant correlation (p<.05) were selected to construct the network: each comorbidity is represented by a node, the size of which relates their prevalence. The edges represent a paired correlation, and the thickness of the edge its strength, which is proportional to ρ (rho). We calculated the relation between comorbidity connections and prevalence, and also explored the mathematical unbiased clustering of correlated diseases.Results: The network is composed of 79 comorbidities with prevalence ranging from 0.5 to 52% and 568 edges. We found a quadratic relation between prevalence and degree of connection = 7.5 + 160.3*prev - 324.0*(prev-0.06)^2, R2=0.75 (p<.0001). Three modules were identified: behavioral/substance abuse, lung cancer and cardiovascular/metabolic modulesConclusion: Certain COPD comorbidities are interconnected and the degree of connection follow a quadratic pattern with their prevalence. In this complex network, particular motifs were identified perhaps amenable to specific interventions. ER -