Vedel-Krogh S, et al. - Researchers tested the hypothesis that high blood eosinophil counts are associated with high risk of pneumonia in individuals with severe COPD from the general population. A total of 7,180 individuals with COPD, including 643 with FEV₁<50% of the predicted value from the Copenhagen General Population Study, were included in this study. Blood eosinophil count of 0.34·109/L or higher was found to be related to high risk of hospitalisation due to pneumonia in individuals with COPD and FEV₁ below 50% percent of predicted value. In individuals with COPD and FEV₁≥50% of the predicted value, no difference was noted in the pneumonia risk based on the blood eosinophil count.