Antibiotic therapy for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is already the world's fourth most common cause of mortality and likely to become the third in a few year's time. Because it is an inflammatory airway disease with altered host immune response, infectious complications are frequent. Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) significantly worsen the patient's general health, accelerating disability. Each exacerbation leads progressively to further deterioration of lung function. Among the various causes of AECOPD, including viruses, bacteria and air pollution, a bacterial etiology is most common (50-69%). The management of AECOPD remains extremely challenging and places a heavy economic burden on health care institutions. The decision to administer antibiotics in AECOPD is multifactorial, the most important considerations being severity of the COPD stage and patient performance status, clinical symptoms (increased dyspnea, sputum volume and sputum purulence), severity of current and previous exacerbations, comorbidity and current smoking. Exacerbations which require hospital admission are associated with significant in-patient mortality. AECOPD patients presenting with worsening dyspnea, increased sputum volume and purulence should be offered antimicrobial therapy. If treating with antibiotics, treatment must include coverage for Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis in all cases, but other bacteria (such as Gram-negatives) may need to be covered depending on the condition of the patient. Antibiotics, particularly macrolides and fluoroquinolones, when administered under suitable conditions, shorten the clinical course and prevent severe deterioration. possible complications resulting from untreated severe AECOPD surpass the potential risks from the use of antibiotic therapy. Additional anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions of some antibiotics may contribute to their efficacy in AECOPD.