Chronic Obstrctive Pulmonary Diseases (COPDs) produce significant morbidity and mortality in human lives. COPD is a progressive disease that coexists with emphysema and chronic brochitis. The critical episodes depend on inciting or aggravating
factors
which can be classified into 3 ways. First, disease related aggravation. Second, Patient related aggravation. Third, Physician related (Iatrogenic)> The authors reviewed 102 COPD patients who came to Korea University Hospital Emergency Medical
center
from March of 1992 to February of 1993.
1) Males were more frequently affected than females, and the male to female ratio was 2.64:1
2) The average age of the patients were 62.8 years old.
3) The average number of hospital admission was 2.5 times and one patient was admitted 9 times for the same disease.
4) On an average, the patients had dyspneic symptoms for 15.6 years and the symptoms had developed since they were 47.8 years old.
5) The ratic between smokers and nonsmokers were 2.1:1, the smokers had smoked for 36.3 years and the average amount of smoking was 1.5 pack per day.
6) After admission sputum culture and sensitiveity test were done and the results were as follows : nonspecific organims 47 cases (46.0%), streptococcus 23 cases (22.5%), Pseudomonas 15 cases (14.7%), Hemophilus influenza 7 cases (6.8%),
Klebsiella 5
cases (4.9%), Actinomycosis 3 cases (2.9%), Staphlococcus 2 cases (1.9%)
7) Aggravation factors for dywspnea were as follows : Upper Respiratory Tract Infection 40 cases (39.2%), Smoking 25 cases (24.5%), Pneumothorax 11 cases (10.8%), Pneumonia 7 cases (6.8%), Unknown origin 19 cases (18.6%)
8) Prognosis after hospital admission were classified into 6 groups : 1. completely recovered 2. almost recovered 3. no improvement 4. hopless discharge 5. expired within 48 hrs 6. expired after 48hrs. The results were as follows : 87.3% (87
cases)
discharged in almost recovered stated state, 1.9% (2 cases) discharged with no improvement, 4.9% (5 cases) were hoplessly discharged, 2.9% (3 cases) expired within 48 hrs, 2.9% (3 cases) expired after 48 hrs.
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