Eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic COPD patients with chronic respiratory failure: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as an exacerbation marker.

Aim: Increased dyspnea, sputum volume, and purulence are subjective symptoms in COPD patients. To diagnose COPD exacerbations with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) and to assess the requirement for antibiotic treatment, physicians require more objective criteria. We aimed to investigate whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can be used as an infectious exacerbation marker in COPD patients with CRF.

Should patients with risk factors be tested for hypersensitivity to contrast media: a prospective study.

Background: Previous hypersensitivity reactions to contrast media (CM), atopy, atopic disease, drug allergy, and age (20-29 or >55) are risk factors for CM hypersensitivity reactions. Our aim was to evaluate whether these risk factors should prompt skin testing for diagnosing CM allergy.

Methods: The study was conducted among patients referred for allergy testing with CM.

Does eosinophilic COPD exacerbation have a better patient outcome than non-eosinophilic in the intensive care unit?

Background: COPD exacerbations requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission have a major impact on morbidity and mortality. Only 10%-25% of COPD exacerbations are eosinophilic.

Aim: To assess whether eosinophilic COPD exacerbations have better outcomes than non-eosinophilic COPD exacerbations in the ICU.