A Blood Test Could Predict COPD Exacerbations

A new COPD clinical study has not been focused on the lungs as one might expect but instead has been looking at the blood. Researchers have found that signs of chronic inflammation in the blood could mean that a patient is going to experience a flare-up of their respiratory symptoms.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes a progressive deterioration of the lungs, and many patients live in fear of a potentially deadly COPD exacerbation (a rapid flare-up of their symptoms). These flare-ups could be triggered by a number of different factors ranging from air pollution to an infection.

Preventing COPD Exacerbations

Currently, preventing exacerbation is the primary goal of COPD treatment, but predicting when they occur has proven to be extremely difficult. In fact, there has been some recent criticism over the medical care given to patients with COPD. In particular, some health care experts believe that the rate of re-hospitalization has gotten way too high.

This latest COPD clinical study looked at more than 61,000 people who live in Denmark. The clinical investigators discovered that COPD patients with elevated levels of specific proteins in their bloodstream were more likely to experience frequent COPD exacerbation. The proteins in question (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and leukocytes) grow in number in response to tissue damage, infections, and inflammation.

Biomarkers for COPD Flare-ups

The patients who had the highest protein levels were also the most likely to suffer more flare-ups compared to others with normal protein levels in their blood. This remained true despite differences in the stage and severity of their disease. This newly identified risk factor seemed particularly true for the study participants who had the worst breathing problems.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Regan, who is researching the genetics of COPD at National Jewish Health in Denver, this study certainly provides very compelling evidence in support of using blood tests with COPD patients. Not only that, but these blood tests are already widely available to physicians, and they are not high-risk. The real issue with using these tests is that most doctors still won’t know what to do with the information they get from this blood test. Researchers still need to identify the next piece of this puzzle.

Although there is still much more to learn, there is still one good reason for COPD patients to get one of these blood tests. Studies have shown that many patients with this respiratory disease don’t stick to their prescribed inhalation medication. Many believe that they can stop as soon as they see improvement in their COPD symptoms. So, if you find that you have an elevated level of these protein biomarkers in your blood, then it may provide the needed motivation to continue taking your daily inhalation medication.