Characteristics of the study population from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) 1986–9 and Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) 1989–90, with median follow-up of 10 person-years
| Total n (%) | ≥1 COPD admission n (%) | Person-years of follow-up | Death rate per 1000 person-years | |
| Total | 20571 | 1537 (7) | 199 165 | 15.4 |
| Age group | ||||
| 45–49 | 4169 (20) | 48 (3) | 42 297 | 3.9 |
| 50–54 | 4047 (20) | 96 (6) | 40 835 | 6.4 |
| 55–59 | 3806 (19) | 171 (11) | 37 666 | 10.8 |
| 60–64 | 3564 (17) | 283 (18) | 34 059 | 17.9 |
| 65–71 | 2130 (10) | 345 (23) | 20 419 | 20.3 |
| 72–75 | 1175 (6) | 241 (16) | 10 798 | 31.2 |
| 76–79 | 1172 (6) | 255 (17) | 9731 | 51.9 |
| 80 and older | 508 (2) | 98 (6) | 3359 | 109.5 |
| Gender | ||||
| Female | 11420 (56) | 678 (44) | 112 458 | 11.9 |
| Male | 9151 (44) | 859 (56) | 86 707 | 19.9 |
| Education (years) | ||||
| <12 | 5074 (25) | 597 (39) | 47 124 | 24.4 |
| 12 | 6439 (31) | 446 (29) | 63 080 | 12.4 |
| >12 | 9021 (44) | 490 (32) | 88 586 | 12.7 |
| Race | ||||
| White | 16170 (79) | 1395 (91) | 156 976 | 15.4 |
| Black | 4401 (21) | 142 (9) | 42 188 | 15.3 |
| Smoking status | ||||
| Never | 8409 (41) | 296 (19) | 82 628 | 12.1 |
| Former | 7119 (35) | 622 (40) | 68 448 | 17.0 |
| Current | 5025 (24) | 618 (40) | 47 913 | 18.6 |
| Physical activity | ||||
| Low | 6075 (30) | 684 (45) | 56 411 | 23.9 |
| Intermediate–low | 5358 (26) | 407 (27) | 51 831 | 15.5 |
| Intermediate–high | 5030 (24) | 275 (18) | 49 660 | 11.8 |
| High | 4104 (20) | 170 (11) | 41 238 | 7.9 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | ||||
| <20 | 819 (4) | 124 (8) | 7453 | 29.0 |
| 20–24 | 6344 (31) | 499 (33) | 61 324 | 15.3 |
| 25–29 | 8207 (40) | 570 (37) | 79 710 | 15.2 |
| ≥30 | 5184 (25) | 342 (22) | 50 508 | 13.9 |
| Modified GOLD stage* | ||||
| Normal | 7329 (36) | 132 (9) | 74 025 | 8.3 |
| Restricted | 3169 (15) | 202 (13) | 30 646 | 15.9 |
| GOLD 0 | 4454 (22) | 191 (12) | 43 604 | 13.4 |
| GOLD 1 | 2696 (13) | 287 (19) | 25 072 | 23.3 |
| GOLD 2 | 2264 (11) | 444 (29) | 20 955 | 25.3 |
| GOLD 3 or 4 | 596 (3) | 281 (18) | 4863 | 55.3 |
| Respiratory symptoms | ||||
| No | 11121 (54) | 412 (27) | 109 688 | 11.4 |
| Yes | 9450 (46) | 1125 (73) | 89 477 | 20.4 |
| Diabetes | ||||
| No | 17850 (87) | 1267 (83) | 174 932 | 13.1 |
| Yes | 2588 (13) | 267 (17) | 22 935 | 32.9 |
| Heart disease | ||||
| No | 17435 (85) | 1042 (68) | 171 332 | 12.4 |
| Yes | 3136 (15) | 495 (32) | 27 832 | 33.6 |
| Source study | ||||
| ARIC | 15586 (76) | 598 (39) | 154 857 | 9.3 |
| CHS | 4985 (24) | 939 (61) | 44 308 | 36.7 |
↵* Modified Global Initiative on Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD): normal (no lung disease), restricted (FEV1/FVC ≥0.70 and FVC <80% predicted), GOLD stage 0 (presence of respiratory symptoms in the absence of any lung function abnormality), GOLD Stage 1 (FEV1/FVC <0.70 and FEV1 ≥80%), GOLD stage 2 (FEV1/FVC <0.70 and FEV1 ≥50% to <80% predicted) and GOLD stages 3 or 4 (FEV1/FVC <0.70 and FEV1 <50% predicted).