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Updated: Aug 3, 2025
A Method for Generating Pulmonary Neutrophilia Using Aerosolized Lipopolysaccharide
Published on: December 15, 2014
Inter-relationships among neutrophilic inflammation, air trapping and future exacerbation in COPD: an analysis of
Huajing Yang1, Xiang Wen1,2, Fan Wu1,3
1Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health & State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease & National Center for Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Background:
The inter-relationships among neutrophilic airway inflammation, air trapping and future exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unclear.
Objective:
To evaluate the associations between sputum neutrophil proportions and future exacerbation in COPD and to determine whether these associations are modified by significant air trapping.
Methods:
Participants with completed data were included and followed up to the first year in the Early Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease study (n=582). Sputum neutrophil proportions and high-resolution CT-related markers were measured at baseline. Sputum neutrophil proportions were dichotomised based on their median (86.2%) to low and high levels. In addition, subjects were divided into the air trapping or non-air trapping group. Outcomes of interest included COPD exacerbation (separately any, severe and frequent exacerbation, occurring in the first year of follow-up). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the risk of severe exacerbation and frequent exacerbation with either neutrophilic airway inflammation groups or air trapping groups.
Results:
There was no significant difference between high and low levels of sputum neutrophil proportions in the exacerbation in the preceding year. After the first year of follow-up, subjects with high sputum neutrophil proportions had increased risks of severe exacerbation (OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.62, p=0.020). Subjects with high sputum neutrophil proportions and significant air trapping had increased odds of having frequent exacerbation (OR=3.29, 95% CI: 1.30 to 9.37, p=0.017) and having severe exacerbation (OR=2.72, 95% CI: 1.42 to 5.43, p=0.003) when compared with those who had low sputum neutrophil proportions and non-air trapping.
Conclusions:
We found that subjects with high sputum neutrophil proportions and significant air trapping are prone to future exacerbation of COPD. It may be a helpful predictor of future exacerbation.
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