CLINICAL PROFILE, SEVERITY ASSESSMENT AND ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS ABNORMALITIES IN PATIENTS HOSPITALISED WITH ACUTE EXACERBATION OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Background: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are a leading cause of hospital admission and mortality.Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis plays a critical role in evaluating severity and guiding management.To study the clinical profile, severity classification and arterial blood gas abnormalities in Objectives: patients admitted with AECOPD at a tertiary care hospital.This cross-sectional observational study was Methods: conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India over a period of 24 months.Eighty patients admitted with AECOPD were included.Demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical features, comorbidities, spirometry findings and ABG parameters (pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, HCO₃⁻ and SaO₂) were recorded at admission.Exacerbation severity was classified as mild, moderate or severe based on GOLD 2025 criteria.Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: The mean age of patients was 62.5 ± 8.9 years, with a male predominance (73.8%).Majority of patients were from rural areas (80%) with significant exposure to tobacco smoke or biomass fuel.Dyspnoea and cough were present in all patients.Hypoxaemia and hypercapnia were common ABG abnormalities, particularly in severe exacerbations, where respiratory acidosis was observed.ABG derangements correlated well with clinical severity.Conclusions: AECOPD predominantly affects elderly rural males with preventable risk exposures.ABG analysis is an essential tool for severity assessment and should be routinely performed in hospitalized patients with AECOPD.