Predicting the occurrence and outcomes of exacerbations of COPD

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common events in the natural course of COPD and are characterized by a sudden deterioration in respiratory health. This thesis has shown that hospital readmissions and mortality rates following COPD exacerbation related hospitalization are poor globally, and that the impact of these events extends beyond the lungs. As such, this thesis underpins the need for strengthened and improved exacerbation prevention strategies, as well as for a heightened vigilance of non-respiratory outcomes following exacerbations.
This thesis has also demonstrated that predicting the occurrence of exacerbations cannot solely be determined by a history of these events, and that other determinants of exacerbations should be explored and integrated in COPD risk status assessment tools to improve their predictive performance. Furthermore, this thesis has shown that the value of the COVID-19-related infection prevention and control measures for the prevention of exacerbations may not be evident in every patient, or for every exacerbation.