Predicting lung attacks in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Ciro has an international, clinical and scientific reputation in the field of COPD. It operates in close collaboration with Maastricht University. AstraZeneca is an international pharmaceutical company with the ambition to modify the course of respiratory diseases including COPD. In this newly established public-private partnership, these parties join forces to address COPD exacerbations by optimally using and applying their specific knowledge and expertise in this field.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide. During the course of the disease, exacerbations may occur, which are episodes of acute worsening of respiratory symptoms resulting in additional therapies. These episodes are major causes of morbidity and mortality. Prevention and reduction of the impact of exacerbations are key treatment goals in COPD. However, an individual’s susceptibility to exacerbation remains unknown and there is a lack of early diagnostic (bio)markers of these complex and heterogeneous events.
The MARKED-study is a prospective, observational single-center study with the aim to develop early diagnostic biomarkers of exacerbations in COPD. It is unique as symptoms, vital signs, lung function, microbial composition and a panel of innovative, exploratory biomarkers in blood, sputum, nasal swabs, saliva, urine and stool will be frequently and routinely assessed in a ‘real-life’ setting and in a patient population at high-risk for these events.
The project will result in increased understanding of the heterogeneity of COPD exacerbations in patients at high-risk of these events. Early diagnostic (bio)markers for these events in individual patients will be available. The results of the project will be made accessible to scientists, clinicians, pharmacologic companies, patients and other stakeholders in COPD management. They will provide novel guidance for patient management, targets for development of innovative medicines and (self-)management of exacerbations and hypotheses for subsequent projects in this field.
