Tripartite exacerbation stratification in AECOPD suggests a gradient of lower airway dysbiosis: a metagenomic transition from commensal taxa to <i>pseudomonadota</i> dominance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The frequency of acute exacerbations (AECOPD) is a critical predictor of disease progression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the dynamics of the lower respiratory microbiome across a spectrum of exacerbation frequency remain poorly characterized, limiting insights into microbial drivers of susceptibility.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 39 hospitalized AECOPD patients, stratified into non-frequent (NFE, ≤ 1 event/year, n = 11), moderate (ME, 2 events/year, n = 13), and frequent exacerbators (FE, ≥3 events/year, n = 15). Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) to profile the airway microbiome.

Results

Microbial alpha diversity exhibited a

SUBMITTER: An Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12682771 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature