Hospitalization and mortality for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): an Italian population-based study.

Abstract

Hospitalization for COPD exacerbation is extremely frequent even in contemporary Italian population. COPD exacerbation is clinically demanding with a not negligible short-term mortality rate and a mean LOH approaching 10 days. These latter findings were quite variable in different regions but should be further analyzed to set up appropriate health-care policies on COPD patients.