Monitoring of the End-tidal Carbon Dioxide (EtCO2) as a Severity Criterion in COPD Exacerbations

The EtCO2 will be measured at the emergency reception during assessment of vital signs by the nurse with the help of a mask or oxygen glasses measuring EtCO2. The patient will then be treated conventionally according to current international recommendations. The physician in charge of the patient will be blinded to this measurement. The outcome will be the initiation of invasive or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) within the first 24 hours of admission to the emergency department, as indicated by the physician in charge of the patient.