- The study includes consecutive patients over 18 years admitted to the Medical dept, Næstved hospital with AECOPD (2 of 3 symptoms: increased breathlessness, sputum or purulens thereof) on the basis of known COPD (post-bronchodilator FEV1 <80% and FEV1/FVC <70% ; measured in stable phase, ie. earlier than 4 weeks after AECOPD). Patients included during hospitalization for AECOPD