PRIME aims to detect and treat acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) early. COPD is a respiratory disease associated with ageing, with a substantial and increasing burden worldwide and in Portugal, mainly due to its frequent exacerbations.

Early detection and treatment of AECOPD may thus optimise patient outcomes and reduce the burden associated with COPD. However, no model for early detection of AECOPD exists in clinical practice. The pulmonary microbiota may inform the trajectory of COPD, including AECOPD and its phenotypes, and will therefore be investigated.

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a key component of early AECOPD treatment; however, supply is scarce and usually available only in hospitals, although most AECOPD are managed in the community. Therefore, PR will be implemented in the community, and a clinical decision algorithm will be developed to prioritise patients who will benefit most from PR, increasing access to evidence-based PR.

Principal Investigator: Alda Marques

Institutional Partners and Others 

• University of Aveiro

Funding: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028806