Oh YM, et al. - As high blood eosinophil count predicts response to inhaled corticosteroids in prevention of acute exacerbation of COPD, and low blood eosinophil count is associated with pneumonia risk in COPD patients taking inhaled corticosteroids, researchers investigated the associated factors and mortality based on blood eosinophil count in COPD. Recruiting COPD patients from 16 hospitals of the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease cohort (n=395) and COPD in Dusty Area cohort (n=234) of Kangwon University Hospital, they noted longer six-minute walk distance, higher body mass index, lower emphysema index, and higher inspiratory capacity/total lung capacity ratio in the high group. Increased in survival period was noted with increasing blood eosinophil count. As per multivariate linear regression analysis, the emphysema index was independently and negatively correlated with blood eosinophil count.