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Table 2 Characteristics of patients taking or not taking timely action measures

From: How do COPD patients respond to exacerbations?

  

Planning periods of rest, breathing techniques, and sputum expectoration

  

Increased inhalation medication

  

Contact with healthcare provider

  
  

yes

no

p

yes

no

p

yes

no

p

 

N

53 (70.7)

22 (29.3)

 

47 (62.7)

28 (37.3)

 

13 (17.3)

62 (82.7)

 

Patient

characteristics

Sex, male

34 (64.2)

13 (59.1)

0.68

28 (59.6)

19 (67.9)

0.47

10 (76.9)

37 (59.7)

0.24

 

Age

66.8 (66.1-71.5)

66.2 (62.1-70.3)

0.80

67.4 (67.4-70.3)

65.4 (61.8-69.0)

0.39

63.0 (57.2-68.8)

67.4 (64.9-69.8)

0.15

 

Living alone

35 (66.0)

14 (67)

0.96

32 (68.1)

17 (63)

0.65

6 (46)

43 (71)

0.09

 

FEV1-%pred

41.7 (38.4-44.0)

49.8 (41.5-58.1)

0.07

43.3 (38.0-48.6)

45.3 (39.4-51.2)

0.63

35.5 (27.5-40.8)

45.8 (41.4-50.2)

0.04*

 

Current smoking

11 (20.8)

9 (42.9)

0.04*

8 (17.4)

12 (43.9)

0.02

2 (15.4)

17 (27.9)

0.35

 

Hospital admissions in previous year

1.0 (0.6-1.4)

0.4 (0.1-0.7)

0.07

1.0 (0.6-1.4)

0.5 (0.2-0.8)

0.09

1.9 (1.5-2.3)

0.6 (0.4-0.8)

0.001**

 

Charlson's comorbidity score

1 0 [1, 2]

1 0 [1, 2]

0.85

1 0 [1, 2]

1 [0-1.8]

0.42

1 [0-2.5]

1 0 [1, 2]

0.99

Event

characteristics

Episode length, days

10.4 (8.7-12.2)

6.5 (3.6-8.6)

0.04*

10.2 (8.0-12.4)

7.8 (5.1-10.5)

0.20

11.6 (7.5 -15.7)

8.8 (6.9-10.7)

0.22

 

Severity

  

0.32

  

0.31

  

0.42

 

- Anth. I

- Anth. II

- Anth. III

- Anth. IV

21 (39.6)

15 (28.3)

11 (20.8)

6 (11.3)

5 (22.7)

5 (22.7)

8(36.4)

4 (7.6)

 

16 (34.0)

10 (21.3)

15 (31.9)

6(12.8)

10 (35.7)

10 (35.7)

4(14.3)

4(14.3)

 

6 (46.1)

4(30.8)

3(23.1)

0(0.0)

20 (32.3)

16 (25.8)

16 (25.8)

10 (16.1)

 
 

Symptom count at onset

2.7 (2.3-3.1)

2.2 (1.7-2.7)

0.16

2.5 (2.1-2.9)

2.6 (2.1-3.2)

0.72

2.7 (2.0-3.4)

2.5 (2.2-2.9)

0.66

 

Major symptoms at day 1

         
 

- dyspnea

- sput purulence

- sput volume

43 (81.1)

17 (32.1)

15 (28.3)

18 (81.8)

4 (18.2)

5 (22.7)

0.95

0.22

0.62

42 (89.4)

9 (19.1)

10 (21.3)

19 (67.9)

12 (42.9)

10 (35.7)

0.02†

0.03†

0.17

10 (76.9)

5 (38.5)

3(23.1)

51 (82.3)

16 (25.8)

17 (27.4)

0.65

0.35

0.75

  1. Data are expressed as Mean (95%CI), Median [Interquartile range] or count (percentage).
  2. FEV1-% pred: Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second-percentage of the predicted value; Anth: Anthonissen;
  3. * p ≤ 0.05 Student T-test, ** p ≤ 0.01 Student T-Test, † p ≤ 0.05 Chi-square test
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