Unveiling the prognostic potential: Naples score for predicting in-hospital mortality in intensive care unit patients with acute exacerbation of COPD

To estimate in-hospital mortality and identify its independent predictors among patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) admitted to the general intensive care unit (ICU), focusing on the Naples Prognostic Score (NPS). This retrospective analysis was conducted in the general ICU of a tertiary university hospital between 2023 and 2024, including patients with AE-COPD. Demographic data, comorbidities, pulmonary function test results, arterial blood gas levels, and laboratory markers (including albumin, total cholesterol, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio [LMR], and lactate levels) were extracted. NLR and LMR were evaluated individually and as components of the Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) to comprehensively assess the combined impact of systemic inflammation and nutritional status on patient outcomes. The NPS was calculated as the sum of points (0–4), with 1 point assigned for each of the following: albumin level