Comparative Assessment of Clinical and Immunological Features of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and its Combination with Covid-19

Abstract

The relevance of the problem of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is due to the prevalence of the disease, high mortality, high economic costs associated with the treatment of patients [1]. The development of inflammation in this disease and its prognosis are largely determined by the state of the immune system. Defects in the state of the immune system contribute to the persistence of the inflammatory process in the lungs, are a common cause of exacerbations of the disease, and reduce the effectiveness of the therapy [2]. As the severity of COPD increases in patients, the risk of developing community-acquired pneumonia (COVID-19 with pneumonia) increases, which is characterized by a protracted course and is often associated with a poor prognosis [3]. In turn, the transferred pneumonia in patients is a predictor of repeated exacerbations of COPD and deaths [4].

Based on this, it is of considerable scientific and practical interest to study the immunological mechanisms of inflammation in COPD and the comorbid course of COPD and COVID-19 with pneumonia.