Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are a common
occurrence and characterize the natural history of the disease. Over the past decade, new …

Exacerbations may produce permanent impairment in lung function and health status in
patients with COPD. Up to 70% of episodes have a bacterial etiology, being of mixed viral …

Clinical studies of acute exacerbations of COPD are difficult because of the heterogeneous
nature of COPD, diffuse symptoms that can vary spontaneously, and difficulties in defining …

COPD is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, and acute respiratory
infections account for a significant proportion of all primary care visits. Approximately one …

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to pathogenic
microorganisms are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Three major classes of …

Prevention and effective treatment of exacerbations are major objectives in the management
of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Antibiotics are mainstay …

The diagnosis and treatment of acute exacerbations (AEs) of chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) is controversial. In this section, we review (1) the epidemiology of this …

Our understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis and consequences of acute exacerbations
of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has increased substantially in the last …

Our understanding of the pathogenesis and consequences of acute exacerbations of
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has increased considerably in the past …

The role of infection in exacerbations of COPD remains controversial and incompletely
understood. Although some investigators believe that bacteria are not important for patients …