Changes of heart rate variability predicting patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring hospitalization after Emergency Department treatment

Patients with AECOPD requiring admission after ED treatment had a greater increase in HF% and greater decrease in LF/HF ratio compared to those discharged. Our study demonstrates patient with ΔHF% was >7.1 or a ΔLF/HF% ≦−0.39 require admission despite 24 h of ED treatment.