Aim: To investigate comorbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its contribution to lethality of patients with pulmonary disease.
Material and methods: Case histories of 125 COPD and 54 osteoarthritis (OA) patients matched by sex and age have been analysed retrospectively. Mean comorbidity index (CI) in COPD patients was two times higher than in OA patients (p < 0.001).
Results: The CI rose with growing severity of a COPD course (p < 0.01). Follow-up of 77 COPD patients for 3-5 years distinguished a group of patients with unfavorable outcomes. In lethal outcomes CI-3 points occurred significantly more frequently (p < 0.001). A significant correlation exists between CI and time from the moment of CI estimation to the patient's death (r = -0.54; p < 0.05). Thus, CI can be used in clinical practice as a simple method of risk of death for COPD patients. A rise of CI over 3 scores indicates a high risk of a COPD patient's death which should be considered in management of COPD patients.