Blood eosinophilia(BE) and outcomes in patients with acute severe exacerbations of COPD(AECOPD)

Research highlights from the 2018 European Respiratory Society International Congress: airway disease

“…[ 44 ] reported a significantly higher 1-year mortality in COPD patients who had low BECs at hospital admission. In contrast, low blood eosinophil levels were associated with lower rates of re-admission in a Russian study [ 45 ].…”

Airways diseases: asthma, COPD and chronic cough highlights from the European Respiratory Society Annual Congress 2018

“…Recent studies suggest that COPD patients who are frequent exacerbators with higher blood eosinophil counts have better clinical outcomes in general. A retrospective observational cohort study explored the predictive value of blood eosinophils on the clinical outcomes after acute COPD exacerbations requiring hospitalization and observed that blood eosinophils indicated shorter duration of exacerbation, less usage of oxygen therapy and noninvasive ventilation, despite having a higher rate of readmission (22). In contrast, another study following 110 COPD patients over nine years regardless of exacerbation history, showed three times higher mortality in those COPD subjects with absolute eosinophil numbers ≥150 cells (23).…”