Use of MULTIplex PCR, Procalcitonin, and Sputum Appearance to Reduce Duration of Antibiotic Therapy During Severe COPD EXAcerbation: A Controlled, Randomized, Open-label, Parallel-Group, Multicenter Trial

COPD is a common chronic disease. Its natural course is characterized by Acute exacerbations (AE). This may require hospitalization or even ICU/RESUSCITATION admission. The most common causes are respiratory distress with hypercapnic acidosis that requires mechanical ventilation (Invasive or non-invasive). Lower respiratory tract infections, bacteria and/or viruses are the main pathogenic factors of AE. The treatment of AECOPD is initially symptomatic treatment, combining bronchodilators, ventilatory support (oxygen therapy and/or mechanical ventilation) and respiratory physiotherapy. Systemic corticosteroid therapy is optional. When i) the sputum is purulent and ii) increased dyspnea and / or an increase in sputum volume is observed, antibiotic treatment is recommended for hospitalized patients. Antibiotic therapy is routinely recommended when mechanical ventilation is required. During ICU/RESUSCITATION AECOPD, more than 85% of patients received antibiotic therapy, with a median duration of 8 to 9 days, and the benefit of antibiotic therapy is likely to be limited to infected patients. Suspected or documented lower respiratory tract bacteria, that is, 25% to 50% of patients. This will lead to overuse of antibiotics, which is a problem for patients and the community. A personalized antibiotic strategy could limit this phenomenon, relying on multimodal methods, using aspect of sputum (clinical method), procalcitonin (PCT) (biological method) and the FilmArray ™ Pneumonia Panel extended panel multiplex respiratory PCR Plus (mPCR FA-PPP) (Biomérieux®) (microbiological approach). The hypothesis of this study is that sputum appearance, procalcitonin (PCT) and the FilmArray ™ Pneumonia Panel Plus expanded panel multiplex respiratory PCR (mPCR FA-PPP) (Biomérieux®) could be used in combination , and their results integrated into a decision-making algorithm aimed at personalizing antibiotic therapy and guiding its early termination in patients admitted to ICU/RESUSCITATION due to acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) to the main benefit of antibiotic savings, and without additional risk to patient safety.