Impacts of COPD exacerbation history on mortality and severe cardiovascular events among patients with COPD in China: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations are associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular events. However, there is limited evidence on the relationship between COPD exacerbations and mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in China.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included Chinese patients with COPD aged ≥ 40 years from the Yinzhou regional electronic health records database. Patients were screened for eligibility between 1 Jan 2014 and 1 Mar 2022, with the index date being the first identified COPD diagnosis within this timeframe. Patient characteristics and frequency and severity of COPD exacerbations were collected during the 24-month baseline period prior to the index date. Outcomes included all-cause mortality and severe cardiovascular events. The incidence of death and first severe cardiovascular event was reported overall, and by baseline exacerbation history. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to identify the association between baseline COPD exacerbation history and all-cause death.

Results: A total of 14,713 patients with COPD were included, with a median follow-up duration of 41.3 months. During the follow-up period, 20.1% of patients died, with a crude incidence rate of 5.17 (95% CI: 4.98, 5.36) per 100 person-years. Additionally, 20.1% of patients experienced severe cardiovascular events. The incidence of severe cardiovascular events numerically increased with higher frequency and severity of baseline COPD exacerbations. Patients with history of severe COPD exacerbations exhibited an increased risk (adjusted HR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.14, 1.38) of all-cause death compared with patients with no exacerbations.

Conclusions: This study found that severe COPD exacerbations significantly increased mortality risk in Chinese patients with COPD. Patients with a history of severe exacerbations also reported a higher incidence rate of severe cardiovascular events. These findings emphasize the need for improved exacerbation prevention strategies in COPD management.