Table 1 Characteristics of patients at the beginning of the study and description of variables associated with acute exacerbation during the 3-year follow-up

Age^a

65.62 (11.90)

68.94 (11.50)

0.001

68.38 (11.60)

COPD History (years)^a

2.86 (3.50)

3.69 (4.40)

0.001

3.55 (4.30)

Num. of visits (2009)^a

18.01 (14.30)

25.96 (18.70)

0.001

24.63 (18.30)

FEV1

66.38 (23.20)

62.80 (24.40)

0.004

63.38 (24.30)

Gender (female)^b

79 (18.76 %)

547 (26.30 %)

0.001

626 (25.03 %)

23-valent Pneumococcal^b

242 (57.48 %)

1520 (73.08 %)

0.001

1762 (70.45 %)

2009 influenza vaccine^b

242 (57.48 %)

1544 (74.23 %)

0.001

1786 (71.41 %)

Exacerbation 2009^b

20 (4.75 %)

486 (23.37 %)

0.001

506 (20.23 %)

Number of comorbidities^c

0.34 (0.70)

0.45 (0.70)

0.002

0.43 (0.70)

Smoking^b

178 (42.28 %)

666 (32.02 %)

0.001

844 (33.75 %)

Gold (Severity)^b

0.062

Mild COPD

223 (52.97 %)

1048 (50.38 %)

1271 (50.82 %)

Moderate COPD

157 (37.29 %)

726 (34.90 %)

883 (35.31 %)

Severe COPD

27 (6.41 %)

209 (10.05 %)

236 (9.44 %)

Very Severe COPD

14 (3.33 %)

97 (4.66 %)

111 (4.44 %)

Hospital Admission^b

62 (14.73 %)

750 (36.06 %)

0.001

812 (32.47 %)

Death^b

39 (9.26 %)

275 (13.22 %)

0,025

314 (12.55 %)