CLINICAL AND LABORATORY CHARACTERISTICS OF COPD PATIENTS AFTER EXACERBATION AT THE RESPIRATORY CENTER IN BACH MAI HOSPITAL IN 2018

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical and laboratory features of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after their exacerbations. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 122 patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) after the exacerbations by the Respiratory center at Bach Mai Hospital in 2018. Results: The mean age of study patients was 68,8 ± 9,23; the male/female ratio was approximately 14/1. Patients with GOLD D accounted highestly for 86%. After exacerbation, the two most common symptoms were sputum producing (73%) and excessive coughing (80,3%). In terms of physical manifestations, 63,9% COPD patients reduced vesicular breath sounds; 31,2% had coarse crackles and fine crackles; 76,25 had a high pulmonary artery pressure and 50,8% patients had the P pulmonale in ECG. Conclusion: After the exacerbation, COPD patients still had some respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production. Therefore, self-management prorams and re-examination to prevent patients from exacerbations is necessary.