Table 1 Characteristics of 161 patients with a GP’s diagnosis of COPD, but with a post-dilatorory FEV1/FVC ratio > 0.7, divided in those with MEF₅₀ < vs ≥ 60 % of predicted

Demographics

Male sex, %

34.8

30.2

37.6

0.40

Age, years

72 (67; 76)

73 (69; 79)

71 (66; 74)

0.002

Pack years smoking, years

2.3 (0; 28)

10 (0; 38)

0.6 (0; 20)

0.026

Body mass index, kg/m²

27.0 (24.7; 30.0)

26.9 (24.7; 30.7)

27.1 (24.7; 29.7)

0.87

LVEF in %

60 (58; 60)

60 (56; 62)

60 (59; 60)

0.88

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

154 (142; 164)

154 (144; 164)

153 (142; 165)

0.60

Comorbidities

Hypertension; %

53.4

46.0

46.9

1.0

Atrial fibrillation, %

5.0

3.2

6.1

0.48

Diabetes, %

9.9

6.3

12.2

0.29

A history of asthma, %

12.4

14.3

11.2

0.63

Heart failure, %

20.5

28.6

15.3

0.048

Obesity

24.8

28.6

22.4

0.45

Symptoms

Dyspnoea uphill, %

93.2

95.2

91.8

0.53

Dyspnoea while walking on level ground, %

43.5

58.7

33.7

0.002

Coughing >3 months, %

27.3

36.5

21.4

0.046

Wheezing, %

59

71.4

51.0

0.014

Phlegm production, %

42.9

49.2

38.8

0.20

Laboratory findings

Hemoglobin, mmol/l

8.9 (8.3; 9.4)

8.9 (8.3; 9.2)

9.0 (8.4; 9.6)

0.24

Leucocytes /nl

7.3 (6.1; 8.7)

7.6 (6.8; 9.5)

7.0 (5.9; 8.2)

0.004

C-reactive protein, mg/l

3 (3; 6)

3.0 (3.0; 7.0)

3.0 (3.0; 5.8)

0.24

NT-proBNP, mg/dl

14.3 (8.1; 25.5)

16.8 (10.1; 29.3)

13.9 (7.0; 24.9)

0.078

Pharmacotherapy

Diuretics

23.6

28.6

20.4

0.2

ACEi or ARB, %

23.6

25.4

22.4

0.71

Beta-blocker, %

13.7

11.1

15.3

0.49

Aspirin, %

23.0

27.0

20.4

0.34

Inhaled beta-2agonist, %

41.6

49.2

36.7

0.14

Inhaled anticholinergic, %

36

47.6

28.6

0.018

Inhaled corticosteroid, %

58.4

61.9

56.1

0.30

Chronic oral corticosteroid, %

1.9

4.8

0

0.058