Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and risk of infection

Peter Lange

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and risk of infection

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This review article focuses on the risk of infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Throughout the years there have been a number of studies describing the risk of pulmonary infections in patients with COPD, whereas only few studies have focused on the risk of infection outside the lungs. With increasing severity of COPD the risk of respiratory tract infection also increases. The impairment of the innate immune system is most likely responsible for both the colonization of respiratory tract with bacteria and for an increased risk of infection with new strains of bacteria causing acute exacerbations. Also lung infections like pneumonia, lung abscess and empyema are more often seen in patients with COPD than in healthy subjects. With regard to extrapulmonary infections, it seems that COPD patients are not at higher risk of infection compared with subjects without COPD. It is concluded that COPD is significantly associated with an increased risk of various respiratory tract infections, but not with infections outside the respiratory system.

Original language	English
Journal	Pneumonologia i Alergologia Polska
Volume	77
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	284-8
Number of pages	4
ISSN	0867-7077
Publication status	Published - 2009

Cite this

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title = "Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and risk of infection",

abstract = "This review article focuses on the risk of infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Throughout the years there have been a number of studies describing the risk of pulmonary infections in patients with COPD, whereas only few studies have focused on the risk of infection outside the lungs. With increasing severity of COPD the risk of respiratory tract infection also increases. The impairment of the innate immune system is most likely responsible for both the colonization of respiratory tract with bacteria and for an increased risk of infection with new strains of bacteria causing acute exacerbations. Also lung infections like pneumonia, lung abscess and empyema are more often seen in patients with COPD than in healthy subjects. With regard to extrapulmonary infections, it seems that COPD patients are not at higher risk of infection compared with subjects without COPD. It is concluded that COPD is significantly associated with an increased risk of various respiratory tract infections, but not with infections outside the respiratory system.",

author = "Peter Lange",

note = "Keywords: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Causality; Comorbidity; Disease Progression; Europe; Humans; Prognosis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Respiratory Tract Infections; Risk Factors; World Health",

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N2 - This review article focuses on the risk of infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Throughout the years there have been a number of studies describing the risk of pulmonary infections in patients with COPD, whereas only few studies have focused on the risk of infection outside the lungs. With increasing severity of COPD the risk of respiratory tract infection also increases. The impairment of the innate immune system is most likely responsible for both the colonization of respiratory tract with bacteria and for an increased risk of infection with new strains of bacteria causing acute exacerbations. Also lung infections like pneumonia, lung abscess and empyema are more often seen in patients with COPD than in healthy subjects. With regard to extrapulmonary infections, it seems that COPD patients are not at higher risk of infection compared with subjects without COPD. It is concluded that COPD is significantly associated with an increased risk of various respiratory tract infections, but not with infections outside the respiratory system.

AB - This review article focuses on the risk of infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Throughout the years there have been a number of studies describing the risk of pulmonary infections in patients with COPD, whereas only few studies have focused on the risk of infection outside the lungs. With increasing severity of COPD the risk of respiratory tract infection also increases. The impairment of the innate immune system is most likely responsible for both the colonization of respiratory tract with bacteria and for an increased risk of infection with new strains of bacteria causing acute exacerbations. Also lung infections like pneumonia, lung abscess and empyema are more often seen in patients with COPD than in healthy subjects. With regard to extrapulmonary infections, it seems that COPD patients are not at higher risk of infection compared with subjects without COPD. It is concluded that COPD is significantly associated with an increased risk of various respiratory tract infections, but not with infections outside the respiratory system.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and risk of infection

Abstract

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