Investigació Aplicada en Malalties Respiratòries

Néstor Soler

Senior Researcher
nsoler(ELIMINAR)@clinic.ub.es

Doctor of Medicine from the University of Barcelona. He directs the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) line. His research focusses on clinical and biological markers of lower respiratory tract infection in episodes of COPD. He also studies the prevalence of infection due to Aspergillus species and antibiotic treatment in exacerbations of COPD.

This line of research aims to answer the following questions: which markers can be of use in differentiating the etiology of an episode of exacerbation of COPD? Are there markers that can predict the presence of bacterial infection as a cause of exacerbation and which help to decide whether or not antibiotic treatment is required? And, what is the impact of chronic colonization by Aspergillus species on exacerbations and outcome of COPD?

It is necessary to define the risk factors associated with the exacerbations of this disease. In this regard, a series of clinical studies have been proposed, aimed at showing the utility of biological markers that reliably define the etiology of exacerbations. At the same time, strategies are designed to prevent the unnecessary generalized use of antibiotics in patients with severe COPD. The objective is to reduce the rate of colonization by resistant bacteria in patients with chronic lung disease and the direct or indirect financial costs of exacerbations. He also carries out domiciliary follow-up studies and retrospective studies of cases of thromboembolic venous disease treated with subcutaneous heparin.

These clinical studies cover the use of simple strategies that allow a rational use of antibiotics in patients with severe chronic lung disease; improving outcome of patients with COPD after an episode of severe exacerbation, by following appropriate monitoring procedures; and the definition of the role of Aspergillus species, co-pathogens and noninfectious etiologic agents of exacerbations of COPD.