To identify factors associated with late recovery (≥8 days from exacerbation start) in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis/COPD (AECB/AECOPD).

An international, observational, non-interventional study in outpatients with AECB/AECOPD who received treatment for their exacerbation with the antibiotic moxifloxacin. Factors analyzed for late recovery included patient demographic characteristics, geographic region and disease severity. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify factors associated with late recovery.

The analysis population was 40,435 patients aged ≥35 years, from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas and Middle East/Africa. Most were male (63.1%), mean age 60.4 years and current or ex-smokers (60.6%) with history of ≥2 exacerbations in the previous year. Patients who underwent spirometry (n = 6408, 19.7%) had moderate airflow obstruction (mean FEV₁ 1.7 L). Both clinicians and patients reported that moxifloxacin provided clinical improvement in a mean of 3 days and recovery in 6 days. Clinical factors significantly associated with late recovery were: age ≥65 years, duration of chronic bronchitis >10 years, cardiac comorbidity, >3 exacerbations in the previous 12 months, current exacerbation type (Anthonisen I/II) and hospitalization in the last 12 months.

In a large cohort of patients, all treated with the same antibiotic for an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis or COPD, the main factors associated with late recovery (≥8 days) were: older age, history of frequent exacerbations, current exacerbation type of Anthonisen I/II, history of prior hospitalizations and cardiac comorbid conditions.