Patient characteristics (N=15)
| Demographics | N=15 |
| Sex, male/female | 9/6 |
| Age (mean, SD, range) | 69.2 (8.2, 55–89) |
| Domicillary status | |
| Living alone | 1 |
| Living with family | 10 |
| Residential care | 4 |
| Long-term oxygen therapy | 9 |
| BMI (mean (SD)) | 24.7 (6.2) |
| Severity of COPD | |
| FEV1 (L; mean (SD)) | 0.69 (0.33) |
| FEV1% pred. (%; mean (SD)) | 26.4 (10) |
| PaO2 (mm Hg; mean (SD)) | 56.3 (10.9) |
| PaCO2 (mm Hg; mean (SD)) | 49.5 (9.2) |
| Ventilatory status on admission | |
| Arterial blood pH (mean (SD)) | 7.28 (0.06) |
| PaCO2 (mm Hg; mean (SD)) | 73.4 (0.06) |
| PaO2 (mm Hg; mean (SD)) | 53.9 (15.7) |