Sputum colour charts to guide antibiotic self-treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the Colour-COPD RCT.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are encouraged to manage exacerbations (acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD)) through self-management (SM) plans. Since only around half of AECOPD are bacterial, and sputum colour correlates with bacterial load, it may help guide antibiotic use. This pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT) assessed the safety and effectiveness of using a sputum colour chart in UK primary care.

Methods

The multicentre RCT, Colour COPD randomised COPD adults who had ≥2 AECOPD or ≥1 AECOPD hospital admission in the preceding year. The primary objective was to assess the non-inferiority of the Bronkotest sputum colour chart compared with usual care, with hospital admission for AECOPD at 12 months as the primary outcome. Secondar

SUBMITTER: Gkini E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12517013 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature