Table 1 Characteristics of the study population, 38 men with a history of chronic pulmonary disease in Erfurt, Germany, winter 2001/2002

Age [years]

53.8 ± 12.3

BMI* [kg/m ² ]

25.5 ± 3.7

N (%)

History of

COPD

I (mild)

FEV₁/FVC < 70% and

FEV₁/FEV_{1 predicted} > 80%

2 (5)

II (moderate)

FEV₁/FVC < 70% and

50% ≤ FEV₁/FEV_{1 predicted} < 80%

7 (18)

III (severe)

FEV₁/FVC < 70% and

30% ≤ FEV₁/FEV_{1 predicted} < 50%

5 (13)

Chronic bronchitis^†

29 (76)

Emphysema^†

5 (13)

Bronchial asthma^†

20 (53)

Coronary heart disease^†

11 (29)

Angina pectoris^†

15 (40)

Myocardial infarction^†

8 (21)

Bypass surgery/balloon dilatation^†

4 (11)

Hypertension^†

14 (37)

Chronic heart failure^†

2 (5)

Cardiac arrest^†

1 (3)

Diabetes mellitus Type 2^†

2 (5)

Allergic rhinitis^†

11 (29)

Sleep apnea^†

4 (11)

Chronic kidney disease^†

2 (5)

Smoking history

Ex smoker

23 (61)

Current smoker

7 (18)

Long-term medication use

Patients with long-term medication

35 (92)

β₂-agonists

22 (58)

Theophylline

17 (45)

Glucocorticosteroids

20 (53)

Antibiotics

5 (13)

Statins

6 (16)