Observational studyBMJ open respiratory research2025
Frequency and severity of COPD exacerbations and future risk of exacerbations and mortality: an observational cohort study in Canada.
Observational study in BMJ open respiratory research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Development and Internal Validation of a Prediction Model Incorporating Respiratory Muscle Function for CAT Score Deterioration in Stable COPD.The clinical respiratory journal · 2026Article
- Equivalent of Carbon Dioxide at the Anaerobic Threshold Predicts Acute Exacerbations in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo estimate the risk of subsequent exacerbations, in relation to history of exacerbations, in a cohort of older chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in Canada.
methodsUsing provincial claims data from Ontario, Canada, patients with COPD aged≥65 years (identified between 2004 and 2018; followed up to 2020) were categorised into one of four mutually exclusive groups: no exacerbation; only one moderate; only one severe; or two or more exacerbations of any severity (moderate or severe) during the baseline period. The index date was the first documentation of a COPD diagnosis code; the subsequent 12 months served as the baseline period. Adjusted risks of subsequent exacerbations (any severity and severe exacerbation, separately) by the end of postbaseline year 1, 2 and 3 were estimated, accounting for differences in patient and disease characteristics and competing risk of death.
resultsA total of 591 686 patients were included. The majority (89.8%) had no exacerbation at baseline, 3.1% had one moderate exacerbation only, 3.6% had one severe exacerbation only and 3.6% had two or more exacerbations of any severity. Adjusted risks of a subsequent exacerbation of any severity by the end of year 3 were 28.6% (95% CI, 28.5% to 28.7%) with no baseline exacerbation; 56.6% (95% CI, 56.1% to 57.1%), one severe; 58.4% (95% CI, 58.0% to 58.8%), one moderate; and 77.5% (95% CI, 77.2% to 77.8%) two or more exacerbations. Adjusted risks of a subsequent severe exacerbation by the end of year 3 were 20.1% (95% CI, 20.0% to 20.2%) with no baseline exacerbation; 34.9% (95% CI, 34.5% to 35.4%), one moderate; 46.7% (95% CI, 46.2% to 47.2%), one severe; and 59.6% (95% CI, 59.3% to 60.0%) two or more exacerbations.
conclusionsHaving a history of a single severe or two or more exacerbations of any severity is associated with a higher risk of future exacerbations, with observed exacerbation rates and severity that are constant over time. Even one moderate exacerbation over a year is associated with poorer outcomes, compared with the absence of exacerbation, and moderate exacerbations should be managed accordingly.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.