Treatment Efficacy of Systemic Corticosteroids in AECOPD Patients With Higher Blood Eosinophil Levels

Exclusion Criteria

• •1. Admission due to other diseases (pneumonia, pneumothorax, pulmonary interstitial disease, active tuberculosis or bronchiectasis, ect);
• •2. Regular use of glucocorticoid ≥3 months;
• •3. Received prednisone ≥ 60 mg in the past three days (or equivalent doses of other corticosteroid);
• •4. Allergic or intolerant to corticosteroid;
• •5. Participating in or completed another drug trial within 90 days;
• •6. Pregnancy or lactation;
• •7. Severe COPD exacerbation requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or transfer to ICU within 24 hours after emergency admission or hospitalization;
• •8. With complications that may cause eosinophilia;
• •9. Pulmonary embolism within the past two years;
• •10. Myocardial infarction, uncontrollable congestive heart failure or arrhythmia within the past four weeks;
• •11. Comorbidity that may influence the immune system;
• •12. Malignant tumor;
• •13. Neuromuscular disease affecting the respiratory system;
• •14. Systemic fungal infection;
• •15. Thoracotomy or bronchoscopic lung volume reduction surgery history;
• •16. Adrenocortical insufficiency history;
• •17. Diabetes mellitus with poor glycemic control;
• •18. Uncontrollable severe psychiatric illnesses even with medication, cognitive impairment, and severe language difficulties;
• •19. ALT ≥ 100U/L or AST ≥ 80U/L;
• •20. Serum creatinine ≥ 162umol/L;
• •21. Life expectancy of less than 30 days.