Kim TH, et al. – Researchers conducted this retrospective cross-sectional study to investigate whether plasma fibrinogen could be a potential biomarker of disease severity and exacerbation rate in Korean patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; n=140). Participants included patients with COPD for whom plasma fibrinogen assessment results, without exacerbation, were available. Based on the fibrinogen level (threshold: 350 mg/dL), comparisons were made between subgroups. Researchers observed a medical history of more exacerbations in the high-level group vs the low-level group, and they noted a greater severity of lung function deterioration in the high-level group. Overall, frequent exacerbation and severe symptomatic phenotypes appeared to be reflected by high fibrinogen level in this patient population.