Emergencies: Use of the severity scale BAP-65 for assessment of exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Urgencias: Uso de la escala de severidad BAP-65 para valoración de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica exacerbada

Classifying the severity of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a challenge because there is no unified and specific scale. The objective of the study is to use the BAP65 scale to relate outpatient, in-hospital management, intensive care unit need, mechanical ventilation and mortality. Materials and methods: A retrospective descriptive cohort study of patients with exacerbated COPD admitted to the emergency service of the San José Hospital of Bogotá DC in the 2011-2012 period. Results: of 252 patients 28 corresponded to BAP-65 classification: I (11.11%), 146 to BAP-65: II (57.9%), 70 to BAP-65: III (27.8%), 7 to BAP-65: IV (2.8%) and one to BAP-65: V (0.39%). Eight required invasive mechanical ventilation (3.1%), 11 hospitalization in ICU (4.3%) and mortality (0.4%). Those that required mechanical ventilation corresponded to scale III. The days of hospitalization increased with the degree of severity of the scale. The only case of mortality was grade IV. Conclusions: the BAP-65 scale is related to the increase in days of hospitalization, ICU management and mortality. A study with a greater number of V-grade patients is required to define their clinical behavior. Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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