Cardoso J, et al. - Researchers retrospectively reviewed data from 98 stable COPD patients, to determine the clinical parameters, including lung volumes, that can best predict the 5-year cumulative risk of hospital admissions or death and the 5-year risk of exacerbations in stable COPD patients. Independent of COPD severity, exacerbation history (ExH) and inspiratory capacity/total lung capacity (IC/TLC) ratio were identified as the best predictors of the most severe outcomes in COPD (admissions or mortality). In the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) D group, the only predictor of the cumulative 5-year combined risk of hospital admission or death was forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁). ExH best predicted the 5-year cumulative future risk of exacerbations. The IC/TLC ratio, in addition to FEV1 and ExH, can have utility in predicting severe outcomes in COPD.