Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the relationships between sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cellular and bacterial findings and severity of exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD).
Patients & methods: A cross-section study was conducted on 307 patients with ECOPD. They underwent sputum and BAL inflammatory cell count and bacterial culture.
Results: Patients with severe ECOPD have significantly higher neutrophils percentage (neut.%), lower lymphocytes percentage (lymph.%), lower eosinophils percentage (eosin.%) and higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as compared to patients with mild ECOPD. It was also shown that patients with severe ECOPD had significantly higher BAL neut.%, lower lymph.%, lower eosin.%, and higher NLR as compared to the other two subgroups. Also, patients with severe ECOPD have significantly higher frequency of cases with monomicrobial (71.30% vs. 36.10%) and polymicrobial (21.25% vs. 2.10%) growths in comparison to patients with mild ECOPD.
Conclusions: Cellular and bacterial findings in sputum and BAL are related to severity of ECOPD.
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Article Type: Original Article
ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 21, Issue 2, April 2024, Article No: em573
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/14200
Publication date: 01 Mar 2024
Online publication date: 12 Feb 2024
Article Views: 1011
Article Downloads: 992
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