Key result
Human metapneumovirus was detected in 2.3% of hospitalized patients with acute exacerbations of COPD, but was absent in patients with stable COPD and smokers without COPD.
Cohort (n=229)
No
Absolute Event Rate: 2.3% vs 0%
Human metapneumovirus is detected in a small percentage (2.3%) of patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD but not in stable COPD or healthy smokers, suggesting it may act as a viral trigger.
hMPV may trigger select AECOPD hospitalizations; leaves open its prevalence, causality, and need for targeted testing or therapy.
BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently discovered respiratory virus associated with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, croup and exacerbations of asthma. Since respiratory viruses are frequently detected in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AE-COPD) it was our aim to investigate the frequency of hMPV detection in a prospective cohort of hospitalized patients with AE-COPD compared to patients with stable COPD and to smokers without by means of quantitative real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: We analysed nasal lavage and induced sputum of 130 patients with AE-COPD, 65 patients with stable COPD and 34 smokers without COPD. HMPV was detected in 3/130 (2.3%) AE-COPD patients with a mean of 6.5 x 10(5) viral copies/ml in nasal lavage and 1.88 x 10(5) viral copies/ml in induced sputum. It was not found in patients with stable COPD or smokers without COPD. CONCLUSION: HMPV is only found in a very small number of patients with AE-COPD. However it should be considered as a further possible viral trigger of AE-COPD because asymptomatic carriage is unlikely.
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Rohde et al. (2005) conducted a cohort in Acute exacerbation of COPD (AE-COPD) (n=229). Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection vs. Stable COPD and smokers without COPD was evaluated on Frequency of hMPV detection in respiratory specimens. Human metapneumovirus was detected in 2.3% of hospitalized patients with acute exacerbations of COPD, but was absent in patients with stable COPD and smokers without COPD.
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