A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence and Impact of Pulmonary Bacterial Colonisation in Stable State Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

The airways of patients with COPD are colonised with PPMs during the stable state in almost half of patients. A complex relationship likely exists between the microbiome in the stable state and the phenotype of COPD patients. Targeted microbial therapy for preventing exacerbations of COPD should carefully consider the stable microbiome as well as the exacerbated.