BACKGROUND: @entity1030 exacerbations and hospitalizations have been associated with poor prognosis for the @entity1030 @entity1 . OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency and risk factors of @entity1030 exacerbations, hospitalizations, and admissions to intensive care units (ICUs) in Greece by a nationwide cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nationwide observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted in the clinical practice setting of respiratory medicine physicians over a 6 month-period (October 2010 to March 2011). A total of 6,125 @entity1030 @entity1 were recruited by 199 respiratory physicians. RESULTS: @entity1 had a median age of 68.0 years, 71.3% were males, and 71.8% suffered from comorbidities. The median disease duration was 10.0 years. Of the @entity1 , 45.3% were classified as having GOLD (Global initiative for @entity1030 ) stage III or IV @entity1030 . @entity1 with four or more comorbidities had 78.5% and threefold-higher than expected number of exacerbations and hospitalizations, respectively, as well as fivefold-higher risk of admission to the ICU compared to those with no comorbidities. @entity28 @entity1 had 6.2% fewer expected exacerbations compared to those with a normal body mass index. @entity1 with GOLD stage IV had 74.5% and fivefold-higher expected number of exacerbations and hospitalizations, respectively, and nearly threefold-higher risk of admission to the ICU compared to stage I @entity1 . An additional risk factor for exacerbations and hospitalizations was low compliance with treatment: 45% of @entity1 reported forgetting to take their medication, and 81% reported a preference for a treatment with a lower dosing frequency. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities, disease severity, and compliance with treatment were identified as the most notable risk factors for exacerbations, hospitalizations, and ICU admissions. The results point to the need for a multifactorial approach for the @entity1030 @entity1 and for the development of strategies that can increase @entity1 compliance with treatment.

Frequency and risk factors of XXXX exacerbations and hospitalizations: a nationwide study in Greece (Greek Obstructive Lung Disease Epidemiology and health ecoNomics: GOLDEN study).

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient', 'Participants'] @entity28 :: ('MESH:D009765', 'Disease') :: ['Obese'] @entity1030 :: ('MESH:D029424', 'Disease') :: ['chronic Obstructive Lung Disease', 'COPD']
@entity1030 :: (MESH:D029424,Disease) :: ['COPD']
