Characterization of COPD Admissions During the First COVID-19 Outbreak

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline and Laboratory Characteristics of the Hospitalized COPD Population (n=228, 10.8%) Classified According to Presence (COPD+) or Absence (COPD–) of COVID-19 Infection

Variable	COPD– (n=176; 77.2%)	COPD+ (n=52; 22.8%)	Sig. (p-value)
Age; mean ±SD	71.98±10.96	72.96±10.75	0.568
Male/female; (n, %)	142 (80.7)/34 (19.3)	48 (92.3)/4 (7.7)	0.048*
Smoking index (pack-years); mean ±SD	55.37±26.03	60.29±32.56	0.558
Co-morbidities; (n, %)	148 (84.1)	45 (86.5)	0.667
Days of hospitalization; mean ±SD	9.01±10.76	11.49±8.24	0.220
ICU admission; (n, %)	8 (4.5)	3 (5.8)	0.704
Medications; (n, %)
LAMA	6 (3.4)	7 (13.5)	0.028*
LAMA/LABA	18 (10.2)	6 (11.5)	0.158
LABA/ICS	9 (5.1)	5 (9.6)	0.193
Triple therapy	42 (23.9)	6 (11.5)	0.110
Roflumilast	6 (3.4)	0 (0)	0.195
Baseline oxygen therapy	33 (18.8)	3 (5.8)	0.012*
Baseline NIV	14 (8)	0 (0)	0.113
Baseline spirometry:
FEV1% predicted	46 (31–60)	71 (52.75–82.75)	<0.001*
FEV1 (mL)	1170 (910–1650)	1745 (922.5–2300)	0.004*
FEV1/FVC	44 (36–58)	60 (43.5–67)	0.028*
Laboratory data:
WBC (cells/uL)	9830 (7432.5–13425)	7460 (5660–10200)	<0.001*
Lymphocytes (cells/uL)	1250 (822.5–1895.0)	830 (630–1200)	<0.001*
Neutrophils (cells/uL)	7780 (5312.5–11402.5)	5800 (3875–8085)	0.007*
Eosinophils (cells/uL)	80 (30.0–177.5)	20 (0.0–70.0)	<0.001*
LDH (U/L)	193 (155.75–287.0)	328 (267.25–475.75)	<0.001*
Ferritin (ng/mL)	191 (92.0–646.5)	776 (340.5–1729.0)	0.003*
D-dimer (ng/mL)	406 (199–1026)	785 (397.25–2354.25)	0.021*
CRP (mg/L)	4.42 (0.45–22.69)	28.84 (10.97–69.5)	<0.001*
Advanced treatment for COVID-19
NIV; (n, %)	22 (12.5)	2 (3.8)	0.02*
MV; (n, %)	3 (1.7)	2 (3.8)	0.497
ECMO; (n, %)	1 (0.6)	0 (0)	0.628

Notes: Data are presented as median (interquartile range) unless otherwise stated. Statistics: χ² test, Mann–Whitney and Student’s t-tests were used as appropriate. *Significant p-value <0.05

Abbreviations: COPD–, COPD with negative PCR-SARS-CoV-2; COPD+, COPD with positive PCR-SARS-CoV-2; SD, standard deviation; n, number; ICU, intensive care unit; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist; LABA, long-acting beta 2 agonist; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; NIV, noninvasive ventilation; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in first second; FVC, forced vital capacity; mL, milliliter; WBC, white blood count; LDH, Lactic acid dehydrogenase; CRP, C-reactive protein; MV, mechanical ventilation; ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Figure 1 (A) Flow chart of the studied population. (B) Kaplan–Meier survival analysis of whole COVID-19 population in relation to the presence or absence of COPD as comorbidity.

Table 2 Multivariate Logistic Analysis of the Predictors of Mortality Among Whole COPD Population

	OR	95%CI for OR		Sig. (p-value)
		Lower	Upper
Age	1.89	0.86	4.19	0.116
Male gender	3.18	0.35	28.95	0.304
Comorbidities other than respiratory	1.23	0.18	8.53	0.835
COVID-19 infection	4.99	1.30	19.17	0.019*
D-dimer	1.27	0.81	1.97	0.300
CRP	1.14	0.74	1.75	0.548
Eosinopenia	2.11	1.08	4.16	0.030*
WBC	1.12	0.66	1.90	0.673
Lymphopenia	1.52	0.87	2.65	0.141
Intercept	0.002			0.005*

Note: *Significant p-value <0.05.

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.