Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are unfavourable events in the course of disease for most COPD patients. Published evidence indicates a significant impact of exacerbations, especially if frequent, on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL), disease progression, mortality, health care utilisation and costs. However, the severity,evolution and outcome of an exacerbation may differ significantly between patients - some patients will recover completely in a short period of time while others may die. The identification of risk factors for an adverse outcome could help in distinguishing patients who require more intense management in order to prevent failures, achieve satisfactory recovery and reduce the negative clinical and socioeconomic impact of exacerbations.The pathogenesis of COPD is still unclear, so there is no specific treatment at present .COPD was considered to be the result of a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Genetic factors play an important role in the acute exacerbation of COPD.Therefore, it is an urgent need to explore the heterogeneity of COPD phenotype from the perspective of genes and to seek individualized prevention and treatment programs.This study is intended to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention, evaluation and development of individualized treatment plans for acute exacerbation of COPD, thereby improving the prognosis of the disease.