Induced sputum in the management of COPD: clinical implications.
Sputum induction can be used as a non-invasive technique to investigate airway inflammation in asthma and COPD. We reported the case of a 68 year old man with COPD, stage III GOLD, that underwent sputum induction during two exacerbation episodes. The first cell count showed a typical sputum neutrophilia, whereas the second showed sputum eosinophilia. On the basis of sputum cellularity, we decided to treat the first episode with a course of antibiotics and the second exacerbation with a course of antibiotics and oral steroids. The patient showed improvement in both cases, obtaining clinical stabilisation. The induced sputum cell count could be a useful technique in a clinical setting to evaluate the cellular characteristics of airway inflammation during COPD exacerbation and modulate the antinflammatory therapy.
Division of Pneumology, Fondazione S. Maugeri, IRCCS Rehabilitation Institute of Tradate (Varese), Italy. andrea.zanini@fsm.it
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D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*