Prognostic factors, clinical course, and hospital outcome of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admitted to an intensive care unit for acute respiratory failure

Abstract

Physiologic abnormalities at admission to an intensive care unit and development of nonrespiratory organ failure are important predictors of hospital outcome for critically ill patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who have acute respiratory failure. Improved outcome would require prevention and appropriate treatment of sepsis and multiple organ failure.