From: Plasma YKL-40 and all-cause mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
---|---|
• Patients above 50 years of age, with a prior admission for exacerbation of COPD within the last two years. | • Patients with end-stage COPD, who are not expected to survive for 3 years (typically bedridden patients being dyspnoeic at rest). |
• Current or ex-smoker | • Patients with known other respiratory tract infection, e.g. tuberculosis or aspergillosis, in whom the intervention is known to be inefficient. |
• Postbronchodilator FEV1 < 60% in stable condition (> 4 weeks after hospitalization) | • Patients with pulmonary malignancy |
• < 300 ml bronchodilator reversibility in FEV1 | • Patients with other pulmonary diseases than COPD |
 | • Patients with immunodeficiency. However, COPD patients treated with steroids can be included |
 | • Patients with known hereditary disposition to lung infections such as alfa-1-antitrypsin deficiency, cystic fibrosis or primary ciliary dyskinesia. |
 | • Patients receiving long-term antibiotic treatment |
 | • (e.g. recurrent cystitis) |
 | • Patients with known allergy or intolerance to azithromycin |
 | • Pregnant or breastfeeding women |
 | • Manifest heart, liver or renal insufficiency |
 | • Patients that, for reasons not stated above, are unlikely to be able to participate in a study period of 3 years. |