Objective To investigate the occurrence of depressive symptoms and influencing factors in the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), and explore the association of depressive symptoms with related indicators of AECOPD. Methods A total of 112 AECOPD patients admitted in Department of Respiratory Diseases in our hospital from July 2013 to July 2016 were recruited in this study. Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), body mass index (BMI), percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second in predicated value (FEV₁%pred), forced vital capacity (FVC), COPD assessment test (CAT), BODE index, and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were performed and measured for all the subjects. Results There were 48 patients out of the 112 cases (42.86%) having depressive symptoms. The depression scores were negatively correlated with FEV₁%pred, 6MWD, and charge-to-reimbursement ratio (r=-0.69,-0.75, -0.38, P<0.01), and positively correlated with CAT score, BODE index, and mMRC (r=0.76,0.76,0.61, P<0.01). However, the depression scores were not correlated with gender, age, educational level, smoking, BMI, or the ratio of FEV_l to FVC (FEV_l/FVC)(P>0.05). Conclusion AECOPD patients are prone to having depressive symptoms. And their depression scores are correlated with FEV₁%pred, 6MWD, ways of payment, CAT score, BODE index and mMRC.