Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Predictors of outcome after exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The outcome after hospitalization for an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unfavorable and uncertainty exists about factors predicting short and long-term prognosis. ⋯ In this study, MRC scale and BMI predicted outcome after COPD hospitalization. Pending further validation, this predictive model may contribute to identify patients with poor outcome even when spirometric data are unavailable.