This study aimed to identify the risk factors for relapse after ambulatory treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic @entity3617 (AECB) that can easily be used in a primary care setting. Data were prospectively collected on 2,414 ambulatory @entity1 with AECB from 268 general practices located throughout Spain. A multivariate model to identify risk factors independently associated with failures was developed and validated from the information recorded at the inclusion visit and at 30-days follow-up visit. A total of 507 @entity1 relapsed (21%); of these, 84 required admission (16.5%). The multivariate model for prediction of the risk of relapse included 2,414 cases: 1,689 for the developmental sample and 725 in the validation sample. The model obtained contained three readily-obtainable variables: @entity299 (odds ratio (OR)=1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.07-2.47), degree of dyspnoea (OR = 1.31; 1.14-1.50) and number of visits to the general practitioner the previous year (OR = 1.07; 1.04-1.10). The model calibrated well in developmental and validation samples (goodness-of-fit tests: p = 0.295 and p = 0.637, respectively). Severity of the exacerbation was not associated with increased risk of relapse in either univariate or multivariate analysis. The present results suggest that baseline characteristics of the @entity1 such as degree of dyspnoea, coexisting @entity299 and number of previous visits to the general practitioner for respiratory problems are strongly associated with increased risk of relapse after ambulatory treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic @entity3617 . In contrast, exacerbation severity was not associated with clinical failure. Guidelines for management of acute exacerbations of chronic @entity3617 should consider such risk factors and advocate intensive broad spectrum treatment and closer follow-up of @entity1 exhibiting them.

Factors associated with relapse after ambulatory treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic XXXX . DAFNE Study Group.

@entity3617 :: ('MESH:D001991', 'Disease') :: ['bronchitis'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity299 :: ('MESH:D006331', 'Disease') :: ['ischaemic heart disease']
@entity3617 :: (MESH:D001991,Disease) :: ['bronchitis']
