Table 2.

Relationship between chronic bronchial infection (CBI) and bacterial exacerbations of COPD.

Clinical impact of CBI in COPD
Patients with CBI suffer from more frequent exacerbations.
Patients with CBI suffer from more severe exacerbations.
Incomplete eradication after antibiotic treatment of exacerbations may result in CBI.
PPM identified during CBI are the same ones that produce exacerbations in most cases.
Both CBI and bacterial exacerbations may be identified by the production of muco-purulent or purulent sputum.
Long-term antibiotic treatment of CBI can reduce the frequency of exacerbations.
The presence of CBI and hospital admissions for exacerbations are associated with the development of bronchiectasis in COPD.