Associations of the distance-saturation product and low-attenuation area percentage in pulmonary computed tomography with acute exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A lower value of the DSP was related to a greater worsening of symptoms, more-frequent exacerbations, poorer pulmonary function, and more-severe emphysema (higher LAA%). These readily determined parameters, including the DSP and LAA%, can serve as indicators for assessing the COPD clinical course and may can serve as a guide to corresponding treatments.