Abstract
Background: AECOPD requiring hospitalization are associated with significant in-hospital mortality. During an acute inflammation, stress reaction stimulates adrenal glands to secrete corticosteroids, what may result in eosinopenia. Eosinophils contribute both to bacterial and antiviral defense, and decrease in their counts may be associated with negative outcome in AECOPD.
Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of adult patients with AECOPD. Continuous variables were compared after grouping patients according to the lower limit of eosinophils, using Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test. Eosinophil count was measured in the admission. Eosinopenia was defined as an absolute number of eosinophils below 0.05 x 103/µL.
Results: A total of 235 patients were enrolled. Eosinopenia (EP) was observed in 32.34% of patients, with the mean eosinophil count of 0.016 x 103/ µL. Length of hospitalization was significantly longer in patients with EP than in control group (9.24 vs 7.97 day; p=0.04). The risk of treatment failure and in-hospital mortality were significantly higher in patients with EP (p=0.02 and 0.01, respectively).
There were no significant differences between the groups regarding age, gender, spirometric parameters, partial pressures of blood gases and smoking status.
Conclusion: EP was associated with higher risk of treatment failure and in-hospital morality. Routinely measured in clinical practice, EP could be a reliable, widely available and inexpensive prognostic factor in patients with AECOPD.
- Copyright ©the authors 2017