Up-to-date on mortality in COPD - report from the OLIN COPD study

Abstract

Abstract Background The poor recognition and related underdiagnosis of COPD contributes to an underestimation of mortality in subjects with COPD. Data derived from population studies can advance our understanding of the true burden of COPD. The objective of this report was to evaluate the impact of COPD on mortality and its predictors in a cohort of subjects with and without COPD recruited during the twenty first century. Methods All subjects with COPD (n = 993) defined according to the GOLD spirometric criteria, FEV1/FVC 1 % predicted) and reported heart disease. Results The mortality was significantly higher among subjects with COPD, 10.9%, compared to subjects without COPD, 5.8% (p 1 % predicted in the multivariate model resulted in the decreasing level of FEV1 being a significant risk factor for death, while heart disease was not a significant risk factor for death in any of the models. Conclusions In this cohort COPD and decreased FEV1 were significant risk factors for death when adjusted for age, gender, smoking habits and reported heart disease.