Exacerbation of COPD

The goal of this study is to examine exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by a common cold virus called rhinovirus, to identify new treatments. Exacerbations are flare-ups of respiratory symptoms which are a major cause of ill health in people with COPD, and are most commonly caused by viruses. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * What processes in the body occur in response to rhinovirus infection, and do the differences between people with COPD and healthy volunteers explain why people with COPD develop more severe illness and exacerbations? * Can treatments be identified that target these processes to reduce the severity and frequency of exacerbations in people with COPD? The study will compare eligible participants with COPD to healthy volunteers, and will involve intentionally infecting each participant with rhinovirus in a controlled environment. They will undergo baseline investigations prior to infection including a first bronchoscopy. Post-infection each participant will undergo a range of tests, including a second bronchoscopy, to compare how processes in the body, and especially the lungs, differ between people who do and do not have COPD.

The goal of this clinical trial is to see if the use of two simple blood tests: C reactive protein and eosinophils, can reduce the use of steroids and antibiotics in patients with flares of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without reducing the chance of treatment success. Before we undertake a large trial to answer these questions, we need to do a small feasibility study to see if our study design will work. The questions we need to answer include: How many participants will we able to include in the study over 12 months? How many participants in the trial will take all of their medications? Will study protocols be followed? How much information will we be missing at the end of the study? How many study participants will take photographs of the phlegm they are coughing up or bring in a sample of the phlegm for inspection by study doctor? Participants will: Come into the clinic to be assessed when they have a flare of COPD, get a chest x-ray, blood work, and a doctor visit. The doctor will provide a prescription if it is a flare of COPD. The participant will get a call 3, 14, and 30 days later by a study researcher to ask questions about if the medications have been taken, if cough or shortness of breath remain, and if they have had to seek additional care from another doctor, clinic, or emergency room.