Researchers have discovered that a certain behavior initiated by white blood cells may be an indicator of higher risks for worse outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Presented at the 2016 American Thoracic Society international conference, the study points to the discovery as potentially paving the way for easier identification of those at higher risk of COPD progression, and patients who might also experience a little benefit from standard forms of treatment for the disease.

The most common type of white blood cells in mammals, neutrophils have long been known to have the ability to fight infections, but researchers have not fully understood why they can't do the same against COPD.

Thanks to the recent discovery, researchers were able to identify the behavior initiated in white blood cells, called neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, in the lungs of patients diagnosed with COPD. With NET present, neutrophil's ability to fight bacteria is reduced.

Patients with NET experienced worse lung function and more frequent infections due to the neutrophils' weakened ability to fight bacteria, according to Dr. James D. Chalmers, Ph.D., the study's lead author.

For the study, the researchers worked with 141 patients with stable COPD. Blood and sputum samples were collected at the study's start and during and after acute COPD exacerbations. NET is measured with the help of a validated immunosorbent assay linked to enzymes and focused on specific DNA associated with protein complexes or the neutrophil behavior.

The more NET complexes were detected, the more severe a COPD case was and the higher the risk for disease progression. When significantly increased during exacerbation, NETs cannot be treated with corticosteroids.

Airway inflammation due to neutrophil activity is a known feature of COPD. NET formation was identified some 10 years ago, but it is only today that researchers are starting to fully understand how the white blood cell behavior can affect disease outcomes.

While their work is still in the early stages, the researchers are hopeful that identifying NET may be considered as a biomarker for spotting patients at higher risk of deterioration due to COPD. They are also interested in testing if curbing NET formation may work as COPD treatment.