CHA2DS2-VASc scores predict major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently experience concurrent comorbidities; therefore, risk assessment for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) is very important.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the association between COPD and risk of MACEs with three common clinical events: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic stroke (IS), and cardiovascular death (CVD).

METHODS: We evaluated the predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score (congestive heart failure [C], hypertension [H], age [A], diabetes [D], stroke [S], and vascular disease [VASc]) for MACEs in COPD patients. In this observational study, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 258 patients with COPD between 2005 and 2009 in relation to MACE risk using the CHA2DS2-VASc score. We calculated the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a significance level of .05.

RESULTS: Patients with COPD had significantly (P < .001) increased risk of MACEs, and a high prevalence of CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥ 6, predicting MACEs (16.1%), AMI (3.3%), IS (8.7%), and CVD (4.0%). A good discrimination was found for MACEs, IS events, and CVD events (AUC = 0.740, 0.739, and 0.778, respectively) but poorer discrimination for AMI events (AUC = 0.697).

CONCLUSION: Early lifestyle modifications and antithrombotic therapy may be essential for COPD patients at a high risk of MACEs, that is, those with CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥ 6.