Elevated eosinophils predict acute exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: This research aims to determine the prevalence of blood eosinophilia in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and its association with the severity of the exacerbation. Methods and materials: The study included 105 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD admitted to Aleppo University Hospital during the period from 1/3/2023 to 1/3/2024, 29 patients had eosinophilia at admission and 76 patients did not have eosinophilia at admission. The prevalence of comorbidities was compared between these two groups and the inflammatory activity accompanying the exacerbation in each of them was studied through clinical and laboratory indicators which are associated with the severity of the exacerbation, using appropriate statistical tests such as the Independent Sample T Test and Chi square, and through the SPSS-26 program. Results: The prevalence of blood eosinophilia in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD at admission was 27.6%. Patients with no eosinophilia were characterized by higher mean values of leukocyte count, neutrophils, ESR, and CRP (higher mean values of which correlate with severity of the exacerbation) and lower mean value of platelets (lower mean values of which correlate with severity of the exacerbation), as well as the incidence of acute respiratory failure, the need for non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation, the mean of length of stay in hospital and mortality were greater in this group compared to who do not have eosinophilia. Conclusions: Blood eosinophilia is quite common (27.6%) in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, and patients who have eosinophilia at admission have less exacerbation severity clinically and laboratory compared to patients who do not have eosinophilia.