Sputum Production as a Symptom of COPD

“Smoker’s cough” is frequently disregarded as it is seen as a non pathological entity by many smokers and their health providers. In fact, tobacco smoke causes measurable lung dysfunction after even 1 puff. A single inhalation from a non filtered cigarette completely paralyzes the cilia of the tracheobronchial tree for up to 24 hours.  The cilia play a vital role in the maintenance of the respiratory tract and the first line of defense against noxious substances.

Sputum output, whether purulent or not, is a nonspecific sign and may be indicative of several different kinds of chest complaints – not all of which are infectious. Conversely, some patients with COPD (particularly mild) may not have any sputum present. As the disease progresses, cough with accompanying sputum—sometimes discolored—becomes more prevalent. The presence of sputum is common in chronic bronchitis, but less so in emphysema.

Sputum volume and purulence tend to increase during exacerbations. A change in color to purulent (green) sputum is 1 factor in determining whether or not an exacerbation should be treated with antibiotics.