Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), as the name implies, is a long-term disease affecting the airways in the lungs. It can be further classified into chronic bronchitis or emphysema forms, the latter of which is associated with a history of smoking or smoke exposure. Common symptoms of COPD include progressive dyspnea and fatigue, which can be a major cause of disability, affect the patient’s activities of daily living, and reduce his or her overall feeling of health. There is no cure for COPD, but symptoms can be controlled through treatments, such as steroids, inhaled bronchodilators, and supplemental oxygen. Though it is a chronic disease, patients can have acute exacerbations of COPD, which can present as increased dyspnea or
The authors noted that for patients with COPD, most mortality and morbidity are due to acute exacerbations, and the influenza virus is a common cause of these episodes. In their prospective study, a group of patients with diagnosed COPD was classified into categories based on FEV1 levels to determine severity of disease (mild, moderate, or severe). ARI and AECOPD, as noted by outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and the need for mechanical ventilation, were recorded for these patients for one year prior to receiving the influenza vaccination and for one year after the vaccination. Serology tests for influenza antibody titers were performed (pre- and post-vaccination) for all participants to confirm the effectiveness of the vaccine in developing immunity to the virus. After analysis, this study showed that receiving the vaccine resulted in less ARI and AECOPD, most notably in the rates of hospitalizations and need for mechanical ventilation (cite Menon). These results support the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in reducing the amount of acute respiratory illnesses and acute exacerbations of
They also mentioned the role that viruses, notably the influenza virus, play in these exacerbations. While this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study focused generally on acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) in relation to the efficacy of the influenza vaccine, they noted that some of the ARIs are attributed specifically to infection with the influenza virus. Similarly to the other study, serology was performed on the participants to confirm influenza infection, when designated. Other ARIs included types for the common cold, pneumonia, and acute exacerbations of COPD. Results of this study did not find a difference in the total incidence of all ARIs between the vaccinated and placebo groups; however, a statistically significant decrease was noted in the vaccinated group when comparing only “influenza-related ARIs”. This decrease was consistent across the levels of severity, in that all classifications (mild, moderate, or severe COPD) had decreases in the incidence of ARIs specifically from influenza infection. Other differences included that the vaccinated group had a lower rate of hospitalizations and need for mechanical ventilation than the placebo group, but this difference was not statistically significant. In terms of outpatient visits, the decrease noted in the vaccinated group compared