The association between blood eosinophil percent and bacterial infection in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Choi, Juwhan; Oh, Jee Youn; Lee, Young Seok; Hur, Gyu Young; Lee, Sung Yong; Shim, Jae Jeong; Kang, Kyung Ho; Min, Kyung Hoon

This study had several limitations. First, it had a retrospective design and was a single center study. We wanted to analyze other biomarkers like procalcitonin, but only half the patients were tested for procalcitonin and hence, could not evaluate the procalcitonin together. Second, colonization and contamination could not be distinguished in the analysis of isolation. To compensate for this as much as possible, we also analyzed the condition bronchiectasis that was known to be highly colonized, and the difference between the two groups was not apparent. Additionally, culture test and PCR assay were performed by trained doctors. Third, we could not analyze the effect of the steroid dose and type. In the inhaled corticosteroids group, different doses and different kinds of inhalers were used, and the dose varied between 10 and 30 mg in the oral steroid use group. Fourth, eosinophil may be affected by various conditions and diseases. Although eosinophil has the advantage of being cheap and easy to use in practice, it is dangerous to decide alone by eosinophil percent whether to use antibiotics in AECOPD. It would be useful to use it as a reference.