BIOMARKERS OF SYSTEMIC INVOLVEMENT IN ACUTE EXACERBATIONS OF COPD: IS THERE OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE? YES

Exacerbations of COPD are important events in the natural history of the disease. This chapter considers the evidence that biomarkers may reflect systemic involvement during these episodes, and whether systemic biomarkers can predict clinically important exacerbation outcomes. Is there overwhelming evidence? Yes! Given the considerable difficulties inherent in studying such heterogeneous events in heterogeneous patients, the demonstration thus far that biomarkers may assist in exacerbation diagnosis, the definition of exacerbation aetiology, and the prediction of exacerbation severity, treatment requirements and future outcomes holds exciting promise for our ability to manage exacerbations more effectively. But there is much validation work still to be done.