Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease and Factors Associated with its Clinical Outcomes among Patients Hospitalized on the Pulmonology Wards at Kiruddu and Mulago National Referral Hospitals

Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a significant public health issue in low- and middle-income countries, driven by increasing risk factors such as cigarette smoking and air pollution. This study sought to determine the prevalence of COPD, identify short-term clinical outcomes, and assess the factors associated with these outcomes among hospitalized COPD patients at Kiruddu and Mulago National Referral Hospitals. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted over six months, screening all patient admissions on the pulmonology wards. COPD patients were followed up to assess clinical outcomes including symptom resolution, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Modified Poisson regression was used to identify risk factors for these outcomes. Results Of the 896 patients screened, 10.04% (n = 90) had COPD. The average length of hospital stay following COPD admission was was 7 days (SD, 5.7 days), 68.9% (n = 62) patients had their COPD symptom resolved in less than 8 days of admission while 8% (n = 7) died within 30 days after admission. Delayed symptom resolution and a longer duration of hospitalization were associated with history of smoking (P = 0.014 ) , low-income status (P = 0.016) and oxygen therapy on admission (P < 0.001). Conclusion This study highlights a relatively high burden of COPD among patients admitted on pulmonary wards in Uganda, with a significant portion experiencing quick symptom resolution. However, adverse outcomes, including prolonged hospital stays and mortality, were notably associated with risk factors such as smoking and low socioeconomic status, highlighting need for targeted interventions in high-risk groups.