Abstract
Background: Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are associated with worsening health outcomes and efforts should focus to prompt effective treatment of each episode. Heparan sulfate (HS) is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan in the lung parenchyma that regulates the effect of cytokines and growth factors to maintain an inflammatory microenvironment.
Aim: In the present study we aimed to investigate if serum levels of HS can predict the etiology of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD).
Methods: 638 COPD patients, GOLD grade II-IV from a discovery cohort (PROMISE study) and 551 COPD patients from a validation cohort (PREVENT study, BASCOP study) where included in the study. HS was measured in serum at stable state, at exacerbations that were stratified according to etiology (no infection, bacterial infection, viral infection, both bacterial and viral infection) and at 4 weeks follow up after the exacerbations.
Results: In the discovery cohort, serum HS was higher at moderate AECOPD (p<0.001) and severe AECOPD (p=0.002) compared to stable state and remained higher 4 weeks after AECOPD (p<0.001). In the discovery cohort, HS serum levels were increased from stable state to AECOPD by 1.69 times when there was no infection at AECOPD, by 4.14 time when there was a bacterial infection at AECOPD, by 6.23 times when there was a viral infection at AECOPD and by 8.69 times when there was both bacterial and viral infection at AECOPD.
Conclusions: HS serum levels may predict the etiology of AECOPD which is of great importance for prompt effective treatment decisions at each episode.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA2858.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021