All patients received 80 mg of intravenous methylprednisolone on the first day. The eosinophil-guided group were from the second day given 37.5mg of prednisolone oral tablet daily (for a maximum of up to 4 days) on days when their blood eosinophil count was at least 0.3 × 109 cells per L. On days when the eosinophil count was lower, prednisolone was not administered. The control group received 37.5mg of prednisolone tablets daily from the second day for 4 days.
A related editorial discusses the study, suggesting larger studies will help to determine the full safety profile of this strategy and its role in the management of COPD exacerbations.