Eosinophilia as marker of outcome in hospitalised patients with AECOPD

Abstract

Background: blood eosinophilia > 2% has been promising marker for outcome in AECOPD treated with 14 days course of prednisolone.

¹Methods: Patients included in an ongoing randomised controlled intervention trial (the CATCH study) patients were grouped based on blood eosinophil count >2% and ≤ 2% on admission, respectively. Treatment was standardised in the trial and consisted of prednisolone therapy, bronchodilators and based on the allocated treatment algorithm patients were treated with antibiotics or not. The two groups were analysed with respect to baseline characteristics and outcome parameters.

Results: Ninety patients hospitalised for AECOPD were included. All three types

of Anthonisen AECOPD were included. Each patient could be included once.

Conclusions : subanalysis of the results of the CATCH study showed that eosinophilia (>2%) is associated with lower LOS. These patients used more often inhalation CS than those with low eosinophil count.

¹ Bafehei M, et al. Blood eosinophils to direct corticosteroid treatment of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012;186:48-55.