A Prospective Study of Bacteriological Etiology in Hospitalized Acute Exacerbation of COPD Patients: Relationship with Lung Function and Respiratory Failure

Risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations

“…However, these results were reported among outpatients by using different methods for obtaining the respiratory secretions for bacterial culture across different studies (sputum, protracted specimen brush). Furthermore, the bacteriological profile of the causative agent is different in hospitalised patients, who usually have a more severely affected lung function, and the spectrum of the causative organisms is different . Moreover, there is a large variety of bacterial species that could not be cultured with available conventional technique, and, also a geographical diversification in the spectrum of the aetiological bacteria …”

“…Studies involving lung microbiome in patients with COPD demonstrated the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria (PPB) colonisation in the bronchial tree . Non‐typeable Haemophilus influenzae is the most common bacterium found in distal airways of COPD patients both in stable periods and in exacerbations…”

“…Furthermore, the bacteriological profile of the causative agent is different in hospitalised patients, who usually have a more severely affected lung function, and the spectrum of the causative organisms is different. 10 Moreover, there is a large variety of bacterial species that could not be cultured with available conventional technique, 11 and, also a geographical diversification in the spectrum of the aetiological bacteria. 3 Studies involving lung microbiome in patients with COPD demonstrated the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria (PPB) colonisation in the bronchial tree.…”

“…3 Studies involving lung microbiome in patients with COPD demonstrated the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria (PPB) colonisation in the bronchial tree. 10,12 Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae is the most common bacterium found in distal airways of COPD patients both in stable periods and in exacerbations. 13 Patients with COPD have significant impairment of lung defence mechanisms, with direct consequence of PPB proliferation in their bronchial secretions.…”

“…[14][15][16][17] While Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella Catarrhalis have more frequently been reported as common pathogens involved in exacerbations occurring in patients with mild to moderate forms of COPD, the bacteriological spectrum is different for severe COPD patients that have chronic bronchitis and/or bronchiectasis. 9,10,18,19 In a prospective study of bacteriological aetiology of hospitalised AECOPD patients, 10 the authors reported that bacterial pathogens were isolated in almost half (47.22%) of the cases, of which Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most predominant organism (38.23%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (29.41%), Staphylococcus aureus (23.53%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (5.88%) and Acinetobacter spp. (2.94%).…”