Table 1 Characteristics of the studied population and univariate comparisons between age- and FEV1-matched (3:1 ratio) men (n = 458) and women (n = 177)

N

177

458

Age (years)

62 [56–70]

63 [57–71]

0.4171

BMI

23.2 [20.2–27.1]

25.5 [22.1–29.0]

< 0.0001

Malnutrition (BMI < 18 kg/m2)

25 (14.1%)

31 (6.8%)

0.003

Smoking (Pack-years)

38.0 [24.8–57.0]

41 [27–56]

0.4080

FEV₁ (%)

54 [37–69]

53 [36–67]

0.4257

Number of moderate to severe exacerbations in the previous year

1 [0–3]

1 [0–2]

0.1209

mMRC

2 [1–3]

1 [1–2]

0.0014

mMRC ≥ 2

100 (56.5%)

212 (46.3%)

0.021

BOD index

3 [1–4]

2 [1–4]

0.0831

SGRQ

46 [32–57] ^a

43 [28–59] ^a

0.5776

Asthma history

28 (15.8%)

52 (11.4%)

0.128

Rhinitis

29 (16.4%)

42 (9.2%)

0.010

Chronic bronchitis

118 (66.7%)

302 (65.9%)

0.862

Hypertension

59 (33.3%)

159 (34.7%)

0.742

Left heart failure

16 (9%)

54 (11.8%)

0.321

Ischemic heart disease

11 (6.2%)

79 (17.2%)

0.0001

Diabetes mellitus

16 (9%)

58 (12.7%)

0.202

Obstructive sleep apnea

4 (2.3%)

40 (8.7%)

0.004

HAD total score

15 [11–21] ^b

12 [8–17] ^b

< 0.0001

Anxiety HAD A ≥ 10

65 (44.5%)^b

92 (27.6%)^b

0.0001

Depression HAD D ≥ 10

34 (23.6%)^b

0.136

3-year mortality

19 (10.8%)

51 (11.2%)

0.896

Age at death

72 [66–79]

68 [63–76]

0.1691