Comparison of the outcomes of pneumonia versus Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbation in patients with COPD

This study uses data from a series of randomised trials to meet the following objectives:
(a) To compare the outcomes of severe pneumonia (requiring hospital admission) versus severe COPD exacerbations (requiring hospital admission) in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
(b) To assess the impact of concomitant inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) use on the outcomes of severe pneumonia and severe exacerbations.
(c) To explore the interaction of baseline blood eosinophil count (BEC), baseline neutrophils, and other prespecified clinical markers, measured prior to the acute event, with the outcomes of severe pneumonia and severe COPD exacerbations.
(d) To explore the outcomes of severe pneumonia versus severe exacerbations classified according to their treatments (only systemic corticosteroids, only antibiotics, or both) and their predictors (as described above).