Baseline characteristics
| Participants | 160 |
| Age years | 67.3±8.1 |
| Male | 88 (55) |
| FEV1 L | 0.86±0.12 |
| FEV1 % pred | 34±13 |
| FVC L | 2.29±0.87 |
| Smoking status | |
| Current smoker | 31 (19) |
| Ex-smoker | 129 (81) |
| Pack-years | 52±26 |
| Blood eosinophil count ≥0.3×109 L−1 | 58 (36) |
| Spirometric GOLD stage | |
| 1 | 10 (6) |
| 2 | 12 (8) |
| 3 | 72 (45) |
| 4 | 66 (41) |
| mMRC dyspnoea scale grade | |
| ≤3 | 34 (21) |
| 4 | 82 (51) |
| 5 | 44 (28) |
| Moderate or severe AECOPD in past year n | |
| 0 | 20 (13) |
| 1 | 37 (23) |
| ≥2 | 103 (64) |
| Hospitalisations for AECOPD in past year n | |
| 0 | 99 (62) |
| 1 | 38 (24) |
| ≥2 | 23 (14) |
| Social circumstances | |
| Lives alone | 44 (28) |
| Lives with partner/spouse | 101 (63) |
| Lives with children | 15 (9) |
Data are presented as n, mean±sd or n (%). FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC: forced vital capacity; GOLD: Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; mMRC: modified Medical Research Council; AECOPD: acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.