Frequent COPD exacerbations have a large impact on morbidity, mortality and health-care expenditures. By 2020, the World Health Organization expects COPD and COPD exacerbations to be the third leading cause of death world-wide. Furthermore, In 2005 it was estimated that COPD exacerbations cost the U.S. health-care system 38 billion dollars. Studies attempting to determine factors related to COP...
