(Friday, 4 may HealthDay News) — people with often fatal lung condition chronic obstructive, or COPD, have an increased risk of death if they also have some types of other health problems, according to new research.
COPD is a progressive disease, bronchitis and emphysema, often linked to smoking, which makes it difficult for patients to breathe.
The new study included more than 1,600 patients with COPD in the United States and Spain who were followed for an average of 51 months. The results were released online on May 4 of publication printed in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Researchers looked at 79 other health problems in patients with COPD and concluded that "12 were significantly and independently associated to an increased risk of death", lead author of the study Dr. Miguel Divo, a doctor in the pulmonary and critical section at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said in a press release from the American Thoracic Society.
These 12 conditions were: lung cancer; cancer of the pancreas; cancer of the esophagus; breast cancer; pulmonary fibrosis; fibrillation and atrial flutter; congestive heart failure; coronary artery disease; ulcer gastric and duodenal; cirrhosis of the liver; Diabetes with neuropathy; and anxiety.
Overall, the average number of other patient health conditions is 6. The average number of other health problems a 6.5 in patients who have died and 5.8 among those who survived, investigators found.
People with COPD for these other conditions for screening and treatment of them can improve survival, noted Divo, which is also lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School.
While the study found an association between the high rate of mortality and health problems that coexist in the patients with COPD, it has not established a relationship of cause and effect.
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has more on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
SOURCE: American Thoracic Society, press release, may 4, 2012
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