Patient characteristics for the home support and admitted groups
| ARAS | Admission | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patient exacerbations | 122 | 62 | 184 |
| Mean (range) age | 68.5 (39–84) | 69.9 (51–86) | 69.0 (39–86) |
| Sex (% female) | 48.4 | 61.3 | 52.7 |
| Current smoker (%) | 40.5 | 36.7 | 39.2 |
| Ex-smoker (%) | 57.9 | 60.0 | 58.6 |
| Home situation (%) | |||
| Problems with stairs | 28.7 | 25.8 | 27.7 |
| Home help | 12.3 | 17.7 | 14.1 |
| Lives alone | 26.4 | 38.7 | 30.6 |
| Housebound | 37.2 | 40.3 | 38.3 |
| Oxygen at home | 6.7 | 5.9 | 6.1 |
| Nebuliser at home | 29.8 | 31.7 | 30.4 |
| Respiratory function tests | |||
| Mean respiratory rate (beats/min) | 22.8 | 23.2 | 22.9 |
| Mean peak expiratory flow (l/min) | 179.8 | 144.92-150 | 168.4 |
| Mean FEV1(l) | 0.77 | 0.66 | 0.74 |
| Mean oxygen saturation (%) | 92.0 | 91.9 | 91.9 |
| Duration of current symptoms | |||
| <1 day (%) | 11.2 | 11.5 | 11.3 |
| 1 day to 1 week (%) | 49.1 | 57.4 | 52.0 |
| Indicators of severity of current exacerbation (%) | |||
| Rapid onset | 10.7 | 12.9 | 11.5 |
| Severe breathlessness | 9.9 | 17.7 | 12.6 |
| Cyanosis | 12.4 | 12.9 | 12.6 |
| Recent worsening of peripheral oedema | 7.4 | 8.1 | 7.7 |
| Pao 2 on air <7 kPa | 8.4 | 10.0 | 8.9 |
FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in one second; Pao 2 = arterial oxygen tension.
↵2-150 p<0.05.