Investigació Aplicada en Malalties Respiratòries

Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Objectives

• To characterize infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• To identify biological markers of infection in COPD
• To rationalize the use of antibiotics in exacerbations of COPD

Projects in Progress

• Study of the value of procalcitonin (PCT) in exacerbations of COPD requiring hospitalization
• Multicenter study of the prevalence of infections due to Aspergillus species in exacerbations of COPD
• Multicenter study on optimizing the diagnosis of exacerbations in COPD: AUDIEPOC
• Utility of Antibiotic Treatment in Exacerbations of COPD Without Sputum Purulence: a Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial on Efficacy and Safety.

Milestones Achieved

• It has been reported that bacterial infection causes 50% of exacerbations of COPD
• Bacterial colonization in COPD correlates significantly with the cytokine-associated inflammatory response in bronchoalveolar lavage
• Sputum purulence as an exacerbation criterion correlates with the existence of bacterial infection in exacerbations of COPD

Future Challenges

• Identification of biological markers for rapid detection of infectious exacerbations of COPD in severe and outpatient cases
• Study of the relevance of colonization of the airways by Aspergillus species in patients with severe COPD
• Search for an effective strategy to rationalize the widespread use of antibiotics in COPD