RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 COPD is associated with an increased risk of peripheral artery disease and mortality JF ERJ Open Research JO erjor FD European Respiratory Society SP 00086-2018 DO 10.1183/23120541.00086-2018 VO 4 IS 4 A1 Natalie Terzikhan A1 Lies Lahousse A1 Katia M.C. Verhamme A1 Oscar H. Franco A1 M. Arfan Ikram A1 Bruno H. Stricker A1 Guy G. Brusselle YR 2018 UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/4/4/00086-2018.abstract AB Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly present with multimorbidity. We aimed to investigate the association between COPD and the development of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the general population, and how this might affect mortality among individuals with COPD.We included 3123 participants of the population-based Rotterdam Study without PAD at baseline (mean age 65 years; 57.4% female). The association between COPD at baseline and PAD during follow-up was studied using logistic regression (PAD being indicated by an ankle–brachial index (ABI) of 0.9 or less). Cox regression was used for mortality analysis and interaction terms were used to investigate mortality risk modification by PAD.The presence of COPD was associated with incident PAD (adjusted odds ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.2). Mortality rates per 100 000 person-years were as follows: 10.0 in individuals without COPD or PAD, 18.4 in those with COPD only, 16.1 in those with PAD only and 30.1 in individuals with both COPD and PAD. No statistical interaction was found between PAD and COPD on risk of dying.Individuals with COPD have an almost doubled risk of developing PAD. Although PAD does not modify the association between COPD and mortality, people suffering from both diseases have substantially higher mortality rates.Individuals with COPD have an almost doubled risk of developing peripheral arterial disease (PAD). People suffering from both COPD and PAD have substantially higher mortality rates. http://ow.ly/IyOx30m0IBo