October 12 (HealthDay News) -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who also have acid reflux are twice as likely to experience COPD exacerbations, says a study in the October issue of the journal Chest.

The University of Florida, Jacksonville study included 86 COPD patients, average age 67.5 years. Of these patients, 37 percent had acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

In this study, clinically significant reflux was defined as weekly heartburn and/or acid regurgitation.

The patients with GERD were twice as likely to experience COPD exacerbations compared to patients without GERD.

Another study in the same issue of the journal found that winter viruses have a major impact on the health of COPD patients.

The study of 2,215 COPD patients at 20 U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Centers found that they experienced significant changes in lung function during the winter flu season.

SOURCE: Chest, news release, Oct. 9, 2006