Objective To investigate the nutritional status and self-perceived burden（SPB） level in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease（AECOPD）.Methods Eighty patients with AECOPD treated in a hospital in Henan province from May 2017 to December 2020 were selected as the AECOPD group

and 80 patients with stable COPD treated in our hospital during the same period were randomly selected as the control group.The nutritional status and SPB levels of patients in the AECOPD group and the control group were assessed using the mini nutritional assessment（MNA） and the self-perceived burden scale（SPBS）;the acute physiological and chronic health evaluation（APACHE-Ⅱ） and the sequential organ failure assessment（SOFA） were used to assess the physiological health and organ failure of patients

respectively.Results The MNA scores of patients in the AECOPD group were lower than those of the control group

and the differences were not statistically significant（P>0.05）.The SPBS

APACHE-Ⅱ and SOFA scores of patients in the AECOPD group were higher than those of the control group

and the differences were statistically significant（P<0.05）.The differences were statistically significant（P <0.05） when comparing the MNA scores of patients in the AECOPD group with different levels of self-care ability.The differences in SPBS scores were statistically significant（P<0.05） when comparing patients in the AECOPD group with different marital status

selfcare ability

and work income levels.The differences were statistically significant（P<0.05） when comparing the APACHE-Ⅱ scores and SOFA scores among patients in the AECOPD group with different ages and levels of self-care ability.The scores for anthropometric indices

overall assessment

dietary assessment

and subjective rating in the MNA of patients in the AECOPD group were positively correlated with their SPBS scores（P <0.05）.Conclusion Patients with AECOPD suffer from malnutrition and SPB.Families and health care workers should pay attention to patients’ physical health as well as their psychological status.On top of that

clinical attention should be focused on AECOPD patients with poor self-care ability or low working income

as well as those who are divorced or widowed;more care and comfort should be given to promote their recovery.