Table 2.
Presence of PPMs as defined by HNS thresholds in COPD patients with sputum eosinophils persistently ≥3%, ≥3% at one visit only or <3% at both visits. n = 7, 8 and 33, respectively.
| Sputum Eos Persistently ≥3% (n = 7) | Sputum Eos ≥3% at One Visit Only (n = 8) | Sputum Eos <3% at Both Visits (n = 33) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | 6 months | Baseline | 6 months | Baseline | 6 months | |
| No PPM | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 11 |
| HI | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| MC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| a >1 PPM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Any bacterial colonisation | 0/6 (0.0%) | 1/7 (14.3%) | 1/7 (14.3%) | 2/8 (25.0%) | 9/21 (42.9%) | 11/22 (50.0%) |
| * No data | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 11 |
* Data were unavailable due to insufficient sputum sample obtained. a >1 PPM group consisted of HI + MC at baseline and HI + MC or MC + PA at 6 months. Eos, eosinophil; HI, Haemophilus influenzae; MC, Moraxella catarrhalis; PPM, potentially pathogenic microorganism; PA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; SP, Streptococcus pneumoniae; >1 PPM more than one potentially pathogenic microorganism.