Bafadhel M, et al. - The peripheral blood eosinophil count might help identify those patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who will experience fewer exacerbations when taking inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). In this current study, researchers modelled eosinophil count as a continuous variable to elucidate the characteristics that determine both exacerbation risk and clinical response to ICS in patients with COPD. They found that blood eosinophil count predicted exacerbation risk and the clinical response to ICS in those treated with formoterol for COPD.