Table 1 Characteristics of the COPD and asthma patients
|  | Subjects with acute exacerbation of COPD (n = 402) | Control COPD (n = 80) | p-value (compared acute exacerbation and stable COPD) | Subjects with asthma exacerbation of (n = 100) | Control asthma (n = 21) | p-value (compared acute and stable asthma) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender (Male) | 367 (91.3%) | 78 (97.5%) | 0.03* | 34 (34.0%) | 12 (57.1%) | 0.04* |
Agea | 77.4 ± 8.6 | 73.2 ± 7.4 | 0.00* | 64.8 ± 17.7 | 48.0 ± 14.6 | 0.00* |
Influenza vaccination in the last 12 months | 150 (37.3%) | 33 (41.2%) | 0.50 | 26 (26.0%) | 2 (9.5%) | 0.15 |
Types of residence | Â | Â | 0.00* | Â | Â | 0.12 |
 Live alone | 39 (9.7%) | 4 (5.0%) |  | 11 (11.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |  |
 Old age home resident | 42 (10.4%) | 0 (0.0%) |  | 3 (3.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |  |
 Live with family | 321 (79.9%) | 76 (95.0%) |  | 86 (86.0%) | 21 (100.0%) |  |
Current smokers | 68 (16.9%) | 18 (22.5%) | 0.20 | 4 (4.0%) | 2 (9.5%) | 0.291 |
Medications before admission | ||||||
 any ICS | 317 (78.9%) | 68 (85.0%) | 0.14 | 76 (76.0%) | 19 (90.5%) | 0.12 |
 ICS with LABA | 286 (71.1%) | 66 (82.5%) | 0.02* | 65 (65.0%) | 18 (85.7%) | 0.05* |
 LABA+LAMA | 199 (49.5%) | 75 (93.8%) | < 0.001* | 30 (30.0%) | 4 (19.0%) | 0.23 |
Comorbidities | ||||||
 Old tuberculosis | 67 (16.6%) | 9 (11.3%) | 0.22 | 4 (4.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1.00 |
 Bronchiectasis | 21 (5.2%) | 2 (2.5%) | 0.39 | 4 (4.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1.00 |
 Congestive heart Failure | 36 (8.9%) | 4 (5.0%) | 0.24 | 9 (9.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.35 |
 Ischaemic heart disease | 38 (9.4%) | 5 (6.2%) | 0.35 | 7 (7.0%) | 1 (4.7%) | 1.00 |
 Hypertension | 211 (52.4%) | 29 (36.2%) | 0.00* | 39 (39.0%) | 4 (19%) | 0.08 |
 Hyperlipidaemia | 65 (16.1%) | 9 (11.2%) | 0.26 | 17 (17.0%) | 1 (4.7%) | 0.19 |
 DM | 79 (19.6%) | 12 (15.0%) | 0.33 | 19 (19.0%) | 2 (9.5%) | 0.52 |
 Osteoarthritis | 8 (1.9%) | 2 (2.5%) | 0.67 | 4 (4.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1.00 |
Lung function | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Post-brochodilator FEV % predicted (%)a | 45.8 ± 20.5 | 46.7 ± 17.6 | 0.71 | 73.8 ± 20.2 | 80.3 ± 22.6 | 0.23 |
 Post-brochodilator FEV1/FVC ratio (%)a | 50.4 ± 15.5 | 47.1 ± 12.9 | 0.08 | 69.1 ± 11.6 | 74.9 ± 11.8 | 0.06 |
During Admission | ||||||
 Symptoms | ||||||
  Cough | 347 (86.3%) |  |  | 81 (81.0%) |  |  |
  Wheeze | 192 (47.8%) |  |  | 62 (62.0%) |  |  |
  Fever | 133 (33.1%) |  |  | 32 (32.0%) |  |  |
  Runny nose | 15 (3.7%) |  |  | 9 (9.0%) |  |  |
  SOB | 380 (94.5%) |  |  | 88 (88.0%) |  |  |
  Sputum production | 344 (85.6%) |  |  | 74 (74.0%) |  |  |
  Sore throat | 31 (7.7%) |  |  | 18 (18.0%) |  |  |
  Chest pain | 48 (11.9%) |  |  | 9 (9.0%) |  |  |
  Hemoptysis | 6 (1.5%) |  |  | 1 (1.0%) |  |  |
Use of Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation | 70 (17.4%) | Â | Â | 5 (5.0%) | Â | Â |
Use of invasive mechanical ventilation | 1 (0.2%) | Â | Â | 0 (0.0%) | Â | Â |
Intensive care admission | 2 (0.5%) | Â | Â | 1 (1.0%) | Â | Â |