Analysis of viral infection and biomarkers in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Objective

To investigate viral infection in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in Shanghai, and to analyze the clinical characteristics and biomarkers in viral infection.

Methods

This study included all consecutive patients who were admitted for a diagnosis of AECOPD during June 2013 to May 2015. Thirty‐one stable COPD patients and 31 healthy controls were also recruited. Oropharyngeal samples were assessed, PCR for respiratory viruses were performed. Patients were divided into AECOPD virus‐positive (+) group and AECOPD virus‐negative (−) group according to viral detection. Luminex was used to detect the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in the serum.

Results

A total of 264 patients were included with a mean age of 75 ± 0.5 years. There were 72 patients (27.3%) identified with viral positive, of whom two patients were detected with double viral infections (FluA + FluB and RSVA + HRV, respectively). The rate of viral detection was associated with season, highest in winter. Comparisons of clinical characteristics showed no significant differences between AECOPD virus+ group and AECOPD virus− group. However, serum concentrations of interferon‐inducible protein‐10 (IP‐10) and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) in virus+ AECOPD patients were significantly higher than those in the virus− AECOPD, stable COPD and healthy control groups ( P < .05).

Conclusion

Viral infection was an important pathogen in AECOPD patients; the most common viruses included FluA, HRV and FluB. It was very difficult to diagnose the viral infection according to clinical characteristics. The increased of serum IP‐10 and IFN‐γ levels might be value to indicate viral infection in AECOPD.