Vol. 2, Issue 3 (2013)

Aim: The Aim of the study is to evaluated the contribution of both viruses and bacteria in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Study design: Clinical data were collected on a standardized questionnaire, and nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA), paired sera, and non-induced sputum were collected. Polymerase chain reaction (PRC) assays were used to identify viral, atypical and bacterial pathogens in NPA specimen.

Results: In this study 100 patients with AECOPD were included, Over two seasons, 100 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD met the inclusion criteria. Sixty patients (61%) were ≥72years, 30% were 60–67 years old and 15% were 50–58 years old. Overall, 40 patients (39%) had an underlying cardiovascular disease and 10 (8%) had diabetes. Most (85%) cases were vaccinated against influenza. Nearly all (97%) patients had a history of tobacco and 20% were currently smoking. Severe COPD (FEV1 < 35% of the predicted value) was present in 54%, whereas moderate COPD (FEV1 between 50% and 70% of the predicted value) was found in 30%. During the course of their exacerbation, 9% were treated as outpatients and 90% of patients were hospitalized. Of those, 1(1%) were admitted to the intensive care unit.

Conclusion: These results suggest that influenza and RSV are frequent contributors of AECOPD, and that coinfection with bacteria does not appear to be more severe among virus-infected patients. AECOPD may be frequently triggered by viruses, and may consider antivirals and proper infection control measures.