Health-related quality of life and mortality in male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

[Evaluation of quality of life (QOL) of Tunisians patients with COPD]

AIM

To test the Arabic version of the St. George's Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) in stable Tunisian COPD patients.

HYPOTHESES

A correlation coefficient between the post-bronchodilator FEV1 and the "Total" score of SGRQ higher than "-0.40", and QOL scores lower in COPD with "mild to moderate airway obstruction" than in those with "severe to very severe airway obstruction" will be in favor of a possible application of the Arabic version of the SGRQ in Tunisians COPD patients.

METHODS

This is a prospective cross-sectional study including 50 clinically stable COPD patients. The Arabic version of the SGRQ was used. Four scores were calculated for the "Symptoms", "Activities", "Impacts" and "Total" components. Patients were divided into two groups according to the severity of their airway obstruction: "mild to moderate, n=30" and "severe to very severe, n=20". The correlation between the QOL "Total" score and postBD FEV1 was evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean±SD of age, cigarette smoking and post-bronchodilator FEV1 were, respectively, 60±10, 61±36 pack-years and 55±20 %. The correlation between the post-bronchodilator FEV1 and QOL "Total" score was significant at "-0.65". "Symptoms", "Activities", "Impacts" and "Total" scores were significantly less altered in patients with "mild to moderate airway obstruction" than among those with "severe to very severe airway obstruction" (respectively, 52±24 vs. 77±17, 66±28 vs. 87±18, 48±25 vs. 70±23 and 54±22 vs. 76±17).

CONCLUSION

The application of the Arabic version of the SGRQ in stable COPD patients gives reliable results.

A multicenter family practitioners’ research on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease screening using the COPD Assessment Test

Objectives

Spirometry is known to be a gold standard for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is an eight-item questionnaire currently in use to evaluate patients with COPD. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate if CAT is an adequate tool for screening COPD.

Methods

In total, 600 persons aging ⩾40 years old were randomly selected from three different family practice units located in the city center. CAT was asked to the participants and a spirometry was used to assess pulmonary obstruction. Pulmonary obstruction was defined as forced expiratory volume in first second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC)<70% and then COPD diagnosis was confirmed with the reversibility test. The relationship between CAT results and pulmonary function test values was evaluated.

Results

In this sampling, the prevalence of COPD was 4.2%. Reliability of the CAT in the study group was acceptable (Cronbach’s α: 0.84). The CAT scores was significantly higher in patients with COPD (P<0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between CAT score and FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio (r=−0.31, P<0.001; r=−0.26, P<0.001; r=0.18, P=0.001). Among smokers, phlegm was the predominating symptom (P=0.01). Sensitivity of CAT was 66.67% and its specificity was 75.15% to determine COPD.

Conclusions

CAT is a reliable questionnaire and there is an apparent relationship between the total CAT scores and COPD. However, CAT’s ability to screen COPD is limited since it may miss the symptom-free cases.

Intensive smoking diminishes the differences in quality of life and exacerbation frequency between the alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency genotypes PiZZ and PiSZ

BACKGROUND

Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a rare genetic disorder that is associated with low levels of circulating alpha-1-antitrypsin in serum. In comparison to the genotype PiZZ, PiSZ usually leads to lower risk of emphysema, better lung function and better survival. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between cigarette smoking (packyears) and the AATD genotypes (PiZZ and PiSZ) concerning quality of life (SGRQ), transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TLCO), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and exacerbation rate.

METHODS

We compared PiZZ and PiSZ individuals from the German registry for individuals with AATD (AATDR) in univariate analysis and multivariate linear regression models. All subjects were stratified into three groups according to their cumulative nicotine consumption (0 py; 0 < py < 30; ?30 py).

RESULTS

868 PiZZ individuals (mean age 52.6 ± 12.8 years (43.5% female)) and 114 PiSZ individuals (mean age 50.3 ± 17.4 years (46.5% female)) were compared. In contrast to never- and intensive (ex-) smokers, moderate (ex-) smoking PiSZ individuals had a significantly better SGRQ total score (B = ?8.148; p = 0.020) and less exacerbations (B = ?0.354; p = 0.037) than individuals with PiZZ in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The differences in quality of life and exacerbation frequency between PiZZ and PiSZ individuals diminish by intensive (ex-) smoking.

Recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of COPD: questions and answers

The treatment of COPD has become increasingly effective. Measures that range from behavioral changes, reduction in exposure to risk factors, education about the disease and its course, rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, management of comorbidities, and surgical and pharmacological treatments to end-of-life care allow health professionals to provide a personalized and effective therapy. The pharmacological treatment of COPD is one of the cornerstones of COPD management, and there have been many advances in this area in recent years. Given the greater availability of drugs and therapeutic combinations, it has become increasingly challenging to know the indications for, limitations of, and potential risks and benefits of each treatment modality. In order to critically evaluate recent evidence and systematize the major questions regarding the pharmacological treatment of COPD, 24 specialists from all over Brazil gathered to develop the present recommendations. A visual guide was developed for the classification and treatment of COPD, both of which were adapted to fit the situation in Brazil. Ten questions were selected on the basis of their relevance in clinical practice. They address the classification, definitions, treatment, and evidence available for each drug or drug combination. Each question was answered by two specialists, and then the answers were consolidated in two phases: review and consensus by all participants. The questions answered are practical questions and help select from among the many options the best treatment for each patient and his/her peculiarities.

Effect of a Motivational Interviewing-Based Health Coaching on Quality of Life in Subjects With COPD

BACKGROUND

Improving quality of life (QOL) is a key goal in the care of patients with COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has clearly been shown to improve QOL, but is not accessible to many eligible patients. There is a need for alternative programs designed to improve patient well-being that are accessible to all patients with COPD. Our goal was to pilot test a simple, telephone-based health-coaching intervention that was recently shown to decrease readmission among hospitalized COPD patients and stable COPD patients eligible for PR.

METHODS

Subjects received a 3-month intervention consisting of 10 health-coaching telephone calls based on motivational interviewing principles. Outcome measures included dyspnea level, measured by the modified Medical Research Council scale, and QOL, measured by the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire and a single-item general self-rated health status.

RESULTS

Fifty subjects with moderate to severe COPD were enrolled in the study. Forty-four subjects (86%) completed the study intervention. Dyspnea measured by the modified Medical Research Council score improved significantly after the intervention (P = .002). The domains of fatigue, emotional function, and mastery on the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire and the single-item QOL question also improved significantly after the 3 months of health coaching (P = .001, P = .001, P = .007, and P = .03, respectively). Thirty-six (71%) subjects had a clinically meaningful improvement in at least 1 study end point (either in the severity of dyspnea or a domain of QOL). Thirty subjects (58%) had an improvement of ≥0.5 points, the minimum clinically important difference in at least 1 component of the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

A telephone-delivered motivational interviewing-based coaching program for COPD patients is a feasible, well-accepted (by both participants and providers), simple, and novel intervention to improve the well-being of patients with COPD. This pilot study provides insight into a possible alternative to a conventional PR program for patients with limited access to that program.

Deterioration of quality of life is associated with the exacerbation frequency in individuals with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency - analysis from the German Registry

BACKGROUND

Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a rare hereditary disease that is associated with a higher risk to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and liver cirrhosis. Previous cross-sectional studies on AATD individuals have shown a relationship between worse St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) scores and elevated exacerbation rate or high cigarette consumption. There is a lack of longitudinal data on the relationship between the exacerbation rate and worsening of SGRQ during disease. The aim of this study was to provide not only cross-sectional data but also information about the deterioration in quality of life over a follow-up period up to 7 years (median follow-up period of 3.33 years).

METHODS

We investigated questionnaire-based data of the German AATD registry concerning the relationship between SGRQ and exacerbation frequency, smoking history, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO) first in cross-sectional analysis and later in longitudinal analysis.

RESULTS

Eight hundred sixty-eight individuals with protease inhibitor ZZ (PiZZ) genotype with an average age of 52.6±12.8 years had an SGRQ score of 45.7±20.6. SGRQ significantly correlated with the exacerbation frequency within the last 2 years (r=0.464; P<0.001), smoking history (r=0.233; P<0.001), FEV1 (r=-0.436; P<0.001), DLCO (r=-0.333; P<0.001), and patients' age (r=0.292; P<0.001). Individuals with occupational dust exposure had significantly worse quality of life (P<0.001). Mean annual deterioration of SGRQ in all patients with available follow-up data (n=286) was 1.21±4.45 points per year. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between worsening of SGRQ/year and exacerbation frequency in the follow-up period (r=0.144; P=0.015).

CONCLUSION

Worsening of SGRQ is associated with the exacerbation frequency in individuals with PiZZ AATD.

The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire as a prognostic factor in IPF

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether health related quality of life (HRQL) may have a predictive value for mortality in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We investigated the relationship between HRQL assessed using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and survival time in patients with IPF, and tried to determine a clinical meaningful cut off value to predict poorer survival rates.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with IPF who underwent an initial evaluation from May 2007 to December 2012. The diagnosis of IPF was made according to the 2011 international consensus guidelines. We used Cox proportional hazard models to identify independent predictors for mortality rate in patients with IPF.

RESULTS

We examined 182 eligible cases, average age was 66 years old, and 86% were male. Mean levels of percent predicted FVC, DLco, six-minute-walk test distance, and the SGRQ total score were around 80%, 58%, 580 m, and 34 points. On multivariate analysis, the SGRQ total score (hazard ratio [HR], 1.012; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.001-1.023; P = .029) and percent predicted FVC (HR, 0.957; 95% CI 0.944-0.971, P < .001) were independent predictors for mortality rate. Moreover, a score higher than 30 points in the SGRQ total score showed higher mortality rate (HR, 2.047; 95% CI, 1.329-3.153; P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The SGRQ total score was one of independent prognostic factors in patients with IPF. Total scores higher than 30 points were associated with higher mortality rates.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was retrospective, observational study, so it is not applicable.

Birmingham COPD Cohort: a cross-sectional analysis of the factors associated with the likelihood of being in paid employment among people with COPD

BACKGROUND

Employment rates among those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are lower than those without COPD, but little is known about the factors that affect COPD patients' ability to work.

METHODS

Multivariable analysis of the Birmingham COPD Cohort Study baseline data was used to assess the associations between lifestyle, clinical, and occupational characteristics and likelihood of being in paid employment among working-age COPD patients.

RESULTS

In total, 608 of 1,889 COPD participants were of working age, of whom 248 (40.8%) were in work. Older age (60-64 years vs 30-49 years: odds ratio [OR] =0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.12-0.65), lower educational level (no formal qualification vs degree/higher level: OR =0.43; 95% CI =0.19-0.97), poorer prognostic score (highest vs lowest quartile of modified body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise (BODE) score: OR =0.10; 95% CI =0.03-0.33), and history of high occupational exposure to vapors, gases, dusts, or fumes (VGDF; high VGDF vs no VGDF exposure: OR =0.32; 95% CI =0.12-0.85) were associated with a lower probability of being employed. Only the degree of breathlessness of BODE was significantly associated with employment.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to comprehensively assess the characteristics associated with employment in a community sample of people with COPD. Future interventions should focus on managing breathlessness and reducing occupational exposures to VGDF to improve the work capability among those with COPD.

The association between health-related quality of life and disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a prospective cohort study

Background and objective: Generally, a disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measurement is more useful than generic measures in assessing perceived physical and mental health characteristic of a particular disease. The idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)-specific version of St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-I) has been recently developed for patients with IPF. We proposed to evaluate associations between the SGRQ-I and other clinical indices, as well as its prognostic value in patients with IPF. Methods: Fifty-two patients with IPF were recruited in this prospective cohort study. HRQOL was assessed using the SGRQ-I and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form, dyspnea using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, and psychological status using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We then evaluated the relationship between the SGRQ-I and other clinical measures, as well as one-year clinical deterioration defined as a hospital admission due to respiratory exacerbation or all-cause death. Results: Stepwise multiple-regression analyses revealed that the mMRC dyspnea scale, the HADS anxiety or depression, and minimum oxygen saturation during a six-minute walk test significantly contributed to the Total and three components of the SGRQ-I. In multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analyses, the Total score of SGRQ-I predicted clinical deterioration independent of forced vital capacity, the six-minute walk distance, or partial pressure of arterial oxygen on room air. Conclusions: The SGRQ-I is a multidisciplinary instrument representing physical, functional and psychological impairments in patients with IPF. The SGRQ-I is a significant predictor of short-term disease progression independent of physiological measurements. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2017; 34: 226-235)

Two-year mortality in survivors of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A North Indian study

OBJECTIVES

Data about long-term mortality of Indian patients following acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are scant. We set out to study the 2-year mortality in north Indian patients following discharge after AECOPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and fifty-one (96 male) patients admitted for AECOPD and discharged were followed for 2 years at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months for mortality. Statistical analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with mortality.

RESULTS

Sixty (39.7%) of the 151 recruited died during the 24 months of follow-up, 30 (19.8%) at 3-month, 43 (28.5%) at 6-month, 49 (32.4%) at 1-year, 55 (36.4%) at 18-month, and 60 (39.7%) at 2 years. There was no mortality in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Stage I (0 of 6 cases), whereas it was 12.3% (n = 8 of 65 patients) in GOLD Stage II, 41.7% (n = 15 of 36 cases), in GOLD Stage III, and 84.1% (n = 37 of 4 cases), of patients with GOLD Stage IV. Mortality was associated with 6-min walk distance, oxygen saturation, low body mass index, history of congestive heart failure, and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire score.

CONCLUSION

Indian patients discharged after AECOPD have a high 2-year mortality. Measures to reduce the frequency of exacerbations need to be routinely adopted in patients with COPD.

Effects of aclidinium on determinants of COPD severity: symptoms and quality of life

The pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes persistent airflow limitation, altered gas exchange, and enhanced chronic inflammatory response. According to disease severity in individual patients, exacerbations and comorbidities frequently occur. The overall nocturnal and daily symptoms have a strong impact on patient quality of life and clinical outcomes. Bronchodilators, by targeting two important aspects of COPD pathophysiology, ie, bronchoconstriction and lung hyperinflation, are the mainstay of therapy for COPD. Aclidinium bromide in particular is an anticholinergic molecule, approved for maintenance bronchodilator treatment of stable COPD, that combines high antimuscarinic activity with strong kinetic selectivity for the M3 receptor subtype. Moreover, the elevated plasma clearance of aclidinium has been related to low systemic bioavailability and low incidence of anticholinergic adverse events, whereas the reduced residence time at M2 receptors provides good cardiovascular safety. Altogether, these characteristics result in a high safety and tolerability profile. This review aims to reappraise the contribution of symptoms and of the level of quality of life determinants on COPD severity and to evaluate how therapeutic strategies with aclidinium may positively impact on these specific determinants of disease severity.

A qualitative interpretation of challenges associated with helping patients with multiple chronic diseases identify their goals

Background

Patients with multiple chronic diseases are usually treated according to disease-specific guidelines, with outcome measurements focusing mostly on biomedical indicators (e.g. blood sugar levels or lung function). However, for multimorbidity, a goal-oriented approach focusing on the goals defined by the individual patient, may be more suitable. Despite the clear theoretical and conceptual advantages of including patient-defined goals in clinical decision-making for multimorbidity, it is not clear how patients define their goals and which aspects play a role in the process of defining them.

Objective

To explore goal-setting in patients with multimorbidity.

Design

Qualitative analysis of interviews with 19 patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbidities.

Results

Patients do not naturally present their goals. Their goals are difficult to elicit, even when different interviewing techniques are used. Four underlying hypotheses which may explain this finding were identified from the interviews: (1) patients cannot identify with the concept of goal-setting; (2) goal-setting is reduced due to acceptation; (3) actual stressors predominate over personal goal-setting; and (4) patients may consider personal goals as selfish.

Conclusions

Our findings advocate for specific attention to provider skills and strategies that help patients identify their personal goals. The hypotheses on why patients may struggle with defining goals may be useful to prompt patients in this process and support the development of a clinical method for goal-oriented care.

Health-related Quality of Life and Survival in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

RATIONALE

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive disease with high morbidity and mortality despite advances in medical therapy. The relationship between patient-related outcomes, such as health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and survival is not well described.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between HRQOL and outcomes in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with right heart catheterization-proven pulmonary arterial hypertension who completed the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 survey (SF-36) were included. Demographic, clinical, physiological, and hemodynamic data were collected at baseline. Survival was assessed from the time of diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to assess the relationship between HRQOL and transplant-free survival.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Eighty-seven patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension were enrolled and followed prospectively for a median of 3.8 years. At baseline, HRQOL was significantly worse than U.S. normal values for six of eight domains of the SF-36. Several domains demonstrated moderate correlation (r value ≥ 0.40) with 6-minute-walk distance and World Health Organization functional class; there were no significant associations with hemodynamics. In univariable Cox proportional hazard models, six of eight domains and both summary scores were significantly associated with survival. In multivariable models, adjusted for age, disease type, and cardiac function, these relationships largely persisted.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, HRQOL, as assessed by the SF-36, was strongly associated with transplant-free survival. These relationships persisted when controlling for potential confounders such as disease type and disease severity. These findings suggest that HRQOL may be an important predictor of outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension and therefore a target for future therapeutic interventions.

Methods for Handling Missing Variables in Risk Prediction Models

Prediction models should be externally validated before being used in clinical practice. Many published prediction models have never been validated. Uncollected predictor variables in otherwise suitable validation cohorts are the main factor precluding external validation. We used individual patient data from 9 different cohort studies conducted in the United States, Europe, and Latin America that included 7,892 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who enrolled between 1981 and 2006. Data on 3-year mortality and the predictors of age, dyspnea, and airflow obstruction were available. We simulated missing data by omitting the predictor dyspnea cohort-wide, and we present 6 methods for handling the missing variable. We assessed model performance with regard to discriminative ability and calibration and by using 2 vignette scenarios. We showed that the use of any imputation method outperforms the omission of the cohort from the validation, which is a commonly used approach. Compared with using the full data set without the missing variable (benchmark), multiple imputation with fixed or random intercepts for cohorts was the best approach to impute the systematically missing predictor. Findings of this study may facilitate the use of cohort studies that do not include all predictors and pave the way for more widespread external validation of prediction models even if 1 or more predictors of the model are systematically missing.

Application of a parametric model in the mortality risk analysis of ICU patients with severe COPD

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the mortality risk factors of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the intensive care unit (ICU) by utilizing parametric model of survival analysis, and to estimate patients' prognoses based on the risk and survival functions in the model.

METHODS

The clinical data and outcomes of COPD patients admitted to a respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital from January 2009 to June 2014 were prospectively collected. Based on the clinical outcomes, these patients were divided into a survival group and a death group. A univariate analysis was conducted to identify statistically significant variables. According to the distribution characteristics of these data, residual plots were prepared for an exponential model, a Weibull model and a Gamma model. The Gamma model was determined to be the best fitted for these data and was used as the analytical tool. Therefore, the variables with differences obtained from the univariate analysis were put into the Gamma model to determine the patients' mortality risk factors. The risk and survival functions were also generated according to the model formula.

RESULTS

A total of 160 patients (111 survival, 49 death) were enrolled. The univariate analysis showed that, compared with the survival group, patients in the death group had higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score (CCI), higher body temperature, higher white blood cell counts, higher proportions of neutrophils, higher serum creatinine levels and higher pH levels; lower resting carbon dioxide pressure (PCO₂ ); and more cases complicated with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). A further analysis with the Gamma model revealed that concurrent or non-concurrent IPA, white blood cell count, pH level and PCO₂ were associated with the patients' mortality risk and that the predicted value (PV) of the patients' mortality risk = 2.8655 + 0.4070 × IPA + 0.0048 × WBC + 0.0049 × pH - 0.0097 × PCO₂ . Moreover, the survival function formula was obtained according to the Gamma model: S(x) = 1 - I (0.7507 x, -3.3773), where I is an incomplete gamma function.

CONCLUSION

Formula generated from parametric model may help to predict the prognosis of patients with severe COPD in ICU, and this method need to be evaluated in further studies. According to our formula, IPA is an important risk factor of mortality for patients with severe COPD in the ICU.

Patient coping strategies in COPD across disease severity and quality of life: a qualitative study

Quality of life (QoL) has a weak relationship with lung function (LF) impairment in COPD; some cope well despite poor LF, whereas others suffer disproportionate QoL impairment despite well-preserved LF. Adjuvant non-pharmacological interventions such as rehabilitation and psychological/behavioural support may help if acceptable and targeted appropriately, but they are under-used and sometimes declined by patients. This study aimed to explore and understand variations in experiences and coping strategies in patients with different severities of disease and disease-specific QoL. Thirty-four participants were purposively sampled across a spectrum of LF and QoL impairment, to cover a grid of sub-groups (‘very severe LF, good QoL’, moderate LF, poor QoL’ and so on). Semi-structured interviews, digitally recorded, were analysed by thematic analysis. Data saturation was achieved. Four themes emerged: symptom impact, coping strategies, coping challenges and support needs. Most of them described using multiple coping strategies, yet over half reported significant challenges coping with COPD, including psychological impact, non-acceptance of diagnosis and/or disease progression, effects of co-morbidities and inadequate self-management skills. Approximately half of the participants wanted further help, ideally non-pharmacological, across all LF impairment groups but mainly with lower QoL. Those with lower QoL additionally reported greater psychological distress and greater use of non-pharmacological support strategies where accessible. Patients who develop effective coping strategies have a better QoL independent of objective LF, whereas others cope poorly, are aware of this and report more use of non-pharmacological approaches. This study suggests that severely impaired QoL, irrelevant of lung function, is a powerful patient-centred indication to explore the positive benefits of psychological and behavioural support for distressed COPD patients.

The disease burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Greece

BACKGROUND

The objective of the study was to estimate the self-reported prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Greece and to quantify its burden on patients' daily activities, productivity, and psychological status.

METHODS

A population-based, random digit-dialed telephone nationwide survey was conducted between July 10, 2015 and July 31, 2015 in order to recruit patients with COPD in Greece. Among the 11,471 persons contacted, 3,414 met the inclusion criterion of age ≥40 years and completed the screening questions regarding COPD. Of the 362 subjects who reported that they had been diagnosed with COPD, 351 completed the survey. Data on demographic and lifestyle characteristics, comorbidities, disease history, perceived disease severity, breathlessness severity, symptoms severity, limitations in daily activities, psychological distress, and productivity were collected. All data were collected through the telephone interview method using a structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

The overall self-reported COPD prevalence was 10.6%. Among 351 participants, only 9% reported that they suffered from severe breathlessness. The mean COPD assessment test score was 19.0, with 84% of participants having a COPD assessment test score ≥10. As for the perceived severity of COPD, the majority of subjects considered that their respiratory condition was of moderate (34.2%) or mild severity (33.9%). Overall, the participants reported a significant impact of COPD on their daily life. For instance, 61.5% of them reported that their respiratory condition has affected their sports activities. Moreover, 73% of subjects considered that the health care system could do more for them than it actually does. Almost one-fourth of the participants reported that they had missed work during the past 12 months due to their respiratory symptoms, with the mean number of days lost being 10.

CONCLUSION

This survey provides insightful data regarding the impact of COPD on Greek patients' everyday life, psychology, and productivity, revealing the increased individual morbidity and the significant burden of this condition on society.

Role of BMI, airflow obstruction, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and age index in prognostication of Asian COPD

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

COPD is a complex condition with a heavy burden of disease. Many multidimensional tools have been studied for their prognostic utility but none has been universally adopted as each has its own limitations. We hypothesize that a multidimensional tool examining four domains, health-related quality of life, disease severity, systemic effects of disease and patient factors, would better categorize and prognosticate these patients.

METHODS

We first evaluated 300 patients and found four factors that predicted mortality: BMI, airflow obstruction, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and age (BOSA). A 10-point index (BOSA index) was constructed and prospectively validated in a cohort of 772 patients with all-cause mortality as the primary outcome. Patients were categorized into their respective BOSA quartile group based on their BOSA score. Multivariate survival analyses and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the BOSA index.

RESULTS

Patients in BOSA Group 4 were at higher risk of death compared with their counterparts in Group 1 (hazard ratio (HR): 0.29, 95% CI: 0.16-0.51, P < 0.001) and Group 2 (HR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34-0.82, P = 0.005). Race and gender did not affect mortality. The area under the ROC curve for BOSA index was 0.690 ± 0.025 while that for Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2011 was 0.641 ± 0.025 (P = 0.17).

CONCLUSION

The BOSA index predicts mortality well and it has at least similar prognostic utility as GOLD 2011 in Asian patients. The BOSA index is a simple tool that does not require complex equipment or testing. It has the potential to be used widely.

Efficacy of a self-management plan in exacerbations for patients with advanced COPD

Background

Self-management interventions improve different outcome variables in various chronic diseases. Their role in COPD has not been clearly established. We assessed the efficacy of an intervention called the self-management program on the need for hospital care due to disease exacerbation in patients with advanced COPD.

Methods

Multicenter, randomized study in two hospitals with follow-up of 1 year. All the patients had severe or very severe COPD, and had gone to either an accident and emergency (A&E) department or had been admitted to a hospital at least once in the previous year due to exacerbation of COPD. The intervention consisted of a group education session on the main characteristics of the disease, an individual training session on inhalation techniques, at the start and during the 3rd month, and a written action plan containing instructions for physical activity and treatment for stable phases and exacerbations. We determined the combined number of COPD-related hospitalizations and emergency visits per patient per year. Secondary endpoints were number of patients with visits to A&E and the number of patients hospitalized because of exacerbations, use of antibiotics and corticosteroids, length of hospital stay, and all-cause mortality.

Results

After 1 year, the rate of COPD exacerbations with visits to A&E or hospitalization had decreased from 1.37 to 0.89 (P=0.04) and the number of exacerbations dropped from 52 to 42 in the group of patients who received the intervention. The numbers of patients hospitalized, at 19 (40.4%) versus 20 (52.6%) (P=0.26), and those who went to A&E, at 9 (19.1%) versus 14 (36.8%) (P=0.06), due to exacerbation of COPD were also lower in this group. Intake of antibiotics was higher in the intervention group, whereas use of glucocorticoids was slightly lower, though there were no significant differences (P=0.30). There were also no differences between groups in the length of hospital stay (P=0.154) or overall mortality (P=0.191).

Conclusion

The implementation of a self-management program for patients with advanced COPD reduced exacerbations that required hospital care.

Distinct symptom experiences in subgroups of patients with COPD

Background

In addition to their respiratory symptoms, patients with COPD experience multiple, co-occurring symptoms.

Objectives

The aims of this study were to identify subgroups of COPD patients based on their distinct experiences with 14 symptoms and to determine how these subgroups differed in demographic and clinical characteristics and disease-specific quality of life.

Patients and methods

Patients with moderate, severe, and very severe COPD (n=267) completed a number of self-report questionnaires. Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of patients with distinct symptom experiences based on the occurrence of self-reported symptoms using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale.

Results

Based on the probability of occurrence of a number of physical and psychological symptoms, three subgroups of patients (ie, latent classes) were identified and named “high”, “intermediate”, and “low”. Across the three latent classes, the pairwise comparisons for the classification of airflow limitation in COPD were not significantly different, which suggests that measurements of respiratory function are not associated with COPD patients’ symptom burden and their specific needs for symptom management. While patients in both the “high” and “intermediate” classes had high occurrence rates for respiratory symptoms, patients in the “high” class had the highest occurrence rates for psychological symptoms. Compared with the “intermediate” class, patients in the “high” class were younger, more likely to be women, had significantly more acute exacerbations in the past year, and reported significantly worse disease-specific quality of life scores.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that subgroups of COPD patients with distinct symptom experiences can be identified. Patients with a higher symptom burden warrant more detailed assessments and may have therapeutic needs that would not be identified using current classifications based only on respiratory function.

Acute exacerbation of COPD: is it the "stroke of the lungs"?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the top five major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite worldwide health care efforts, costs, and medical research, COPD figures demonstrate a continuously increasing tendency in mortality. This is contrary to other top causes of death, such as neoplasm, accidents, and cardiovascular disease. A major factor affecting COPD-related mortality is the acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Exacerbations and comorbidities contribute to the overall severity in individual patients. Despite the underestimation by the physicians and the patients themselves, AECOPD is a really devastating event during the course of the disease, similar to acute myocardial infarction in patients suffering from coronary heart disease. In this review, we focus on the evidence that supports the claim that AECOPD is the “stroke of the lungs”. AECOPD can be viewed as: a Semicolon or disease’s full-stop period, Triggering a catastrophic cascade, usually a Relapsing and Overwhelming event, acting as a Killer, needing Emergent treatment.

Symptom Burden of Chronic Lung Disease Compared with Lung Cancer at Time of Referral for Palliative Care Consultation

RATIONALE

A growing evidence base supports provision of palliative care services alongside life-prolonging care. Whereas palliative care processes have been implemented widely in the care of patients with lung cancer, the same is not true for patients with chronic, progressive lung disease.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the symptom burden of chronic lung disease with that of lung cancer at the time of initial palliative care consultation.

METHODS

Data were abstracted from the Carolinas Palliative Care Consortium's Quality Data Collection Tool, an electronic database used by seven academic and community palliative care practices in multiple states for quality improvement purposes. We analyzed data derived from first palliative care encounters collected during a 2-year period, including the primary diagnosis of chronic lung disease or lung cancer, unresolved symptoms, setting of initial palliative care encounter, Palliative Performance Scale status, and on that basis we estimated prognosis for survival. We compared key clinical variables between chronic lung disease and lung cancer using Kruskal-Wallis and χ(2) tests.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We identified 152 patients with lung cancer and 86 patients with chronic lung disease. Of the total sample, 53% were women and 87% were white. Patients with chronic lung disease were more likely than those with lung cancer to have the initial palliative care encounter occur in the intensive care unit (17% vs. 6%; P = 0.005) and less likely as an outpatient (20% vs. 56%; P < 0.0001). Patients with chronic lung disease were also less likely to have a high Palliative Performance Scale status (14% vs. 30%; P = 0.009) but more likely to have an estimated prognosis for survival longer than 6 months (51% vs. 28%; P = 0.002). The most prevalent symptoms were dyspnea (55% vs. 42%) and pain (40% vs. 52%), neither of which differed between groups (P = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with chronic lung disease have symptom burdens similar to those of patients with lung cancer at the time of first palliative care encounter. Given the population burden of chronic lung disease and limitations in the palliative care workforce, attention should be focused on ensuring that pulmonologists are prepared to assess and manage the common palliative care needs of patients with chronic lung disease.

Factors associated with exacerbation in mild- to-moderate COPD patients

INTRODUCTION

COPD exacerbation negatively impacts the patient's quality of life and lung function, increases mortality, and increases socioeconomic costs. In a real-world setting, the majority of patients with COPD have mild-to-moderate airflow limitation. Therefore, it is important to evaluate COPD exacerbation in patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation, although most studies have focused on the patients with moderate or severe COPD. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors associated with COPD exacerbation in patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation.

METHODS

Patients registered in the Korean COPD Subtype Study cohort were recruited from 37 tertiary referral hospitals in Korea. We obtained their clinical data including demographic characteristics, past medical history, and comorbidities from medical records. Patients were required to visit the hospital to document their COPD status using self-administered questionnaires every 6 months.

RESULTS

A total of 570 patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation were enrolled. During the first year of follow-up, 30.5% patients experienced acute exacerbation, with exacerbations being more common in patients with poor lung function. Assessed factors associated with COPD exacerbation included COPD assessment test scores, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea assessment test scores, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD scores, a previous history of exacerbation, and histories of pneumonia and allergic rhinitis. Logistic regression tests revealed St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD scores (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.04; P=0.034), a previous history of exacerbation (OR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.35-7.23; P=0.008), and a history of pneumonia (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.06-3.25; P=0.032) as risk factors for COPD exacerbation.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that COPD exacerbation in patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation is associated with the patient's quality of life, previous history of exacerbation, and history of pneumonia.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prognostic score: A new index

BACKGROUND

The evaluation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been shifting from spirometry to focus on the patients' overall health. Despite the existence of many COPD prognostic scales, there remains a large gap for improvement, in particular a scale that incorporates the current focus on overall health.

METHODS

We proposed a new prognostic scale (the COPD Prognostic Score) through discussion among the authors based on published studies. Validation was retrospective, using data from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial.

RESULTS

The scores ranged from 0-16, where 16 indicated the poorest prognosis. We assigned 4 points each for forced expiratory volume in one second (%predicted), the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, and age; 2 points for the hemoglobin level; and one point each for decreased activity and respiratory emergency admission in the last two years. The validation cohort included 607 patients and consisted of 388 men (73.9%) and 219 women (36.1%), mean age 67 ± 6 years and an average forced expiratory volume in one second (% predicted) of 27 ± 7%. A one-point increase in the score was associated with increased all-cause death, with a hazard ratio of 1.28 (95%CI: 1.21-1.36. P < 0.001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for two-year and five-year all-cause death for the new scale were 0.72 and 0.66, respectively. These values were higher than those given by the body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity (BODE) index and age, dyspnea, airway obstruction (ADO) index.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary validation for a new COPD prognostic scale: the COPD Prognostic Score was developed with promising results thus far. Above mentioned 16-point score accurately predicted 2-year and 5-year all-cause mortality among subjects who suffered from severe and very severe COPD.

Functional capacity, health status, and inflammatory biomarker profile in a cohort of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PURPOSE

Prior research has shown a significant relationship between 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, few studies have examined this relationship above and below the 350-m threshold that prognosticates survival and whether serum biomarkers could provide insight into the causes of quality-of-life differences above and below this threshold.

METHODS

Measures of lung function, 6MWD, and HRQOL were compared in patients with COPD. Differences in HRQOL domains and serum biomarkers were compared in patients whose 6MWD were > or < 350 m.

RESULTS

In patients walking < 350 m, scores in the physical domains of the SF-36 and the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were significantly different from scores of their counterparts with greater 6MWD. However, there was no association between any biomarkers and the physical domains of the SF-36 and the SGRQ. In patients walking < 350 m, only the IL-8 levels were associated with lower scores in SF-36 domains of emotional role, pain, vitality, and mental health (average r = -0.702; P = .01). In contrast, in patients walking > 350 m, surfactant protein D levels were associated with higher SF-36 scores in general pain, vitality, and social functioning (average r = 0.42; P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

In COPD, there is an association between 6MWD and the physical domains of the SF-36 and SGRQ in those patients walking < 350 m. The physical differences between patients walking < or > 350 m are not related to systemic inflammation. The association between interleukin 8 with nonphysical domains in patients with 6MWD < 350 m suggests that inflammation may play a larger role in the perceptive domain than previously recognized.

Prognostic utility of the 2011 GOLD classification and other multidimensional tools in Asian COPD patients: a prospective cohort study

Background

How well the 2011 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification prognosticates for Asian patients with COPD is unknown.

Objective

The authors aimed to study the predictive utility of the GOLD 2011 classification for exacerbations and mortality as compared with other multidimensional tools in an Asian population.

Methods

In all, 1,110 COPD patients were prospectively followed between March 2008 and March 2013. They were classified using the 2011 and 2007 GOLD guidelines, modified Medical Research Council score, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and Body mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea (BOD) index. Outcome measures were exacerbations and mortality. Multivariable survival analyses and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the different classification systems.

Results

Time-to-event analyses demonstrated earlier exacerbations in 2011’s GOLD D when compared with GOLD A (hazard ratio [HR] 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31–0.95, P=0.032) and GOLD B (HR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.45–0.85, P=0.003) and higher mortality when compared with GOLD A (HR 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.88, P=0.025) and GOLD B (HR 0.46, 95% CI: 0.31–0.70, P<0.001). The areas under the ROC curve for GOLD 2011, GOLD 2007, modified Medical Research Council, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, and BOD index were 0.62, 0.59, 0.61, 0.60, and 0.61, respectively, for the prediction of exacerbations and 0.71, 0.70, 0.71, 0.71, and 0.72, respectively, for the prediction of mortality (ROC comparator, P>0.05).

Conclusion

The 2011 GOLD classification predicts exacerbations and mortality moderately well in Asian COPD patients. Its prognostic utility is similar to that of other multidimensional systems.

HOLD study (Home care Obstructive Lung Disease): natural history of patients with advanced COPD

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth cause of death in western countries. Its final stage has clearly been forgotten by medical research in recent years. There exists consensus regarding the need to integrate palliative care in assisting these patients, but the difficulty in establishing a prognosis for the disease, establishing limits for life support measures, the lack of information about the disease’s natural course and ignorance as to the most effective health-care structure for these patients’ palliative treatment may be responsible for their late inclusion or non-inclusion in specific programmes. The main purpose of this work is to find out the natural background of patients with stage IV COPD and the main prognostic factors that influence these patients’ survival.

Methods/design

Prospective observational study of a home patient cohort with stage IV COPD sent from Neumology consultations and Palliative Care Unit in La Paz Hospital in Madrid and Primary Care Health Centres in the area to the palliative care home support team. The goal is to study socio-demographic variables, prognosis, nutritional status, use of health resources, perceived quality of life, functionality, main symptomatology, use and effectiveness of opioids, adherence to treatment, prognostic information regarding the disease, information given by professionals, advance directives, social backup requirements and overburden level of the main caregiver.

Discussion

The HOLD study is a project aimed at finding out the prognostic factors and evolution of the disease COPD in its most advanced stage. The final goal is to improve the health and quality of life, in a personalised, integral way up to end of life and explore and foster communication with patients, as well as their participation and collaboration in decision-taking. The HOLD study can help us better understand what these patients’ real palliative and care needs are, in order to more efficiently organise their treatment at end of life.

The relationship between hypertension and health-related quality of life: adjusted by chronic pain, chronic diseases, and life habits in the general middle-aged population in Japan

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between hypertension and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) adjusted by chronic pain, other chronic diseases, and life habits in the general middle-aged population in Japan.

METHODS

This study is a population-based cross-sectional study. In this study, 1117 participants aged 40-65 years and living in Shika Town completed a self-administered questionnaire including Short Form-36 (SF-36). The scores of SF-36 among hypertensives were compared with those of normotensives. The independent association of hypertension with each SF-36 subscale was analyzed using a multiple linear regression model adjusted by age, BMI, chronic pain, chronic diseases, sleep, exercise, and occupational status. We analyzed two groups; Group 1 which contained 846 participants completed the questionnaire without coronary heart disease and cerebral vascular disease, Group 2 which contained 686 participants without coronary heart disease, cerebral vascular disease, or diseases accompanied by chronic pain (gastroduodenal ulcer, fracture, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and disc herniation).

RESULTS

In Group 2, hypertensive women had a lower general health perception than normotensive women [unstandardized coefficients; B = -8.84, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) = -13.3 to -4.34, standardized coefficients; β = -0.200, p < 0.001], whereas hypertensive men had higher social functioning than normotensive men (B = 5.66, 95 % CI = 1.30-10.0, β = 0.149, p < 0.05) after adjusting by chronic pain and life habits.

CONCLUSIONS

These results may be due to the sex difference in the light of the perception for health.

Patient reported outcome measures in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Which to use?

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as symptoms and perceived health status, are essential in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for determining disease severity, impact on daily life, effect of treatment and recovery from exacerbations. This field has evolved rapidly and there are a plethora of instruments assessing different PROs. The aim of this review is to provide an understanding of the concept of PROs in COPD. The PROs reflect important aspects of COPD which have a direct impact on daily life. Common symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, phlegm, anxiety, fatigue, and pain and as well as physical function and the risk for and occurrence of acute exacerbations should be assessed both in the clinic and in research. Besides impact on daily life, some of the PROs are related to disease progress and mortality. Construction of composite variables including different disease specific and generic PROs provide a general estimation of health status.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease with high global morbidity and mortality. COPD is characterized by poorly reversible airway obstruction, which is confirmed by spirometry, and includes obstruction of the small airways (chronic obstructive bronchiolitis) and emphysema, which lead to air trapping and shortness of breath in response to physical exertion. The most common risk factor for the development of COPD is cigarette smoking, but other environmental factors, such as exposure to indoor air pollutants - especially in developing countries - might influence COPD risk. Not all smokers develop COPD and the reasons for disease susceptibility in these individuals have not been fully elucidated. Although the mechanisms underlying COPD remain poorly understood, the disease is associated with chronic inflammation that is usually corticosteroid resistant. In addition, COPD involves accelerated ageing of the lungs and an abnormal repair mechanism that might be driven by oxidative stress. Acute exacerbations, which are mainly triggered by viral or bacterial infections, are important as they are linked to a poor prognosis. The mainstay of the management of stable disease is the use of inhaled long-acting bronchodilators, whereas corticosteroids are beneficial primarily in patients who have coexisting features of asthma, such as eosinophilic inflammation and more reversibility of airway obstruction. Apart from smoking cessation, no treatments reduce disease progression. More research is needed to better understand disease mechanisms and to develop new treatments that reduce disease activity and progression.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap: asthmatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic obstructive asthma?

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are different disease entities. They are both clinical diagnoses, with diagnostic tools to discriminate between one another. However, especially in older patients (>55 years) it seems more difficult to differentiate between asthma and COPD. This has led to the definition of a new phenotype called asthma COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). However, our understanding of ACOS is at a very preliminary stage, as most research has involved subjects with existing diagnoses of asthma or COPD from studies with different definitions for ACOS. This has led to different and sometimes opposing results between studies on several features of ACOS, also depending on the comparison with COPD alone, asthma alone or both, which are summarized in this review.We suggest not using the term ACOS for a patient with features of both asthma and COPD, but to describe a patient with chronic obstructive airway disease as completely as possible, with regard to characteristics that determine treatment response (e.g. eosinophilic inflammation) and prognosis (such as smoking status, exacerbation rate, fixed airflow limitation, hyperresponsiveness, comorbidities). This will provide a far more clinically relevant diagnosis, and would aid in research on treatment in more homogenous groups of patients with chronic airways obstruction. More research is certainly needed to develop more evidence-based definitions for this patient group and to evaluate biomarkers, which will help to further classify these patients, treat them more adequately and unravel the underlying pathophysiological mechanism.

Predictors of Mortality in Patients with COPD and Chronic Respiratory Failure: The Quality-of-Life Evaluation and Survival Study (QuESS): A Three-Year Study

Previous studies sought to identify survival or outcome predictors in patients with COPD and chronic respiratory failure, but their findings are inconsistent. We identified mortality-associated factors in a prospective study in 21 centers in 7 countries. Follow-up data were available in 221 patients on home mechanical ventilation and/or long-term oxygen therapy.

MEASUREMENTS

diagnosis, co-morbidities, medication, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, pulmonary function, arterial blood gases, exercise performance were recorded. Health status was assessed using the COPD-specific SGRQ and the respiratory-failure-specific MRF26 questionnaires. Date and cause of death were recorded in those who died. Overall mortality was 19.5%. The commonest causes of death were related to the underlying respiratory diseases. At baseline, patients who subsequently died were older than survivors (p = 0.03), had a lower forced vital capacity (p = 0.03), a higher use of oxygen at rest (p = 0.003) and a worse health status (SGRQ and MRF26, both p = 0.02). Longitudinal analyses over a follow-up period of 3 years showed higher median survival times in patients with use of oxygen at rest less than 1.75 l/min and with a better health status. In contrast, an increase from baseline levels of 1 liter in O2 flow at rest, 1 unit in SGRQ or MRF26, or 1 year increase in age resulted in an increase of mortality of 68%, 2.4%, 1.3%, and 6%, respectively. In conclusion, the need for oxygen at rest, and health status assessment seems to be the strongest predictors of mortality in COPD patients with chronic respiratory failure.

The Prognostic Value of Residual Volume/Total Lung Capacity in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The prognostic role of resting pulmonary hyperinflation as measured by residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors related to resting pulmonary hyperinflation in COPD and to determine whether resting pulmonary hyperinflation is a prognostic factor in COPD. In total, 353 patients with COPD in the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease cohort recruited from 16 hospitals were enrolled. Resting pulmonary hyperinflation was defined as RV/TLC ≥ 40%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that older age (P = 0.001), lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (P < 0.001), higher St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score (P = 0.019), and higher emphysema index (P = 0.010) were associated independently with resting hyperinflation. Multivariate Cox regression model that included age, gender, dyspnea scale, SGRQ, RV/TLC, and 6-min walking distance revealed that an older age (HR = 1.07, P = 0.027), a higher RV/TLC (HR = 1.04, P = 0.025), and a shorter 6-min walking distance (HR = 0.99, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Our data showed that older age, higher emphysema index, higher SGRQ score, and lower FEV1 were associated independently with resting pulmonary hyperinflation in COPD. RV/TLC is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in COPD.

Differential Effect of Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea, COPD Assessment Test, and Clinical COPD Questionnaire for Symptoms Evaluation Within the New GOLD Staging and Mortality in COPD

OBJECTIVE

The modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea, the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) have been interchangeably proposed by GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) for assessing symptoms in patients with COPD. However, there are no data on the prognostic value of these tools in terms of mortality. We endeavored to evaluate the prognostic value of the CAT and CCQ scores and compare them with mMRC dyspnea.

METHODS

We analyzed the ability of these tests to predict mortality in an observational cohort of 768 patients with COPD (82% men; FEV1, 60%) from the COPD History Assessment in Spain (CHAIN) study, a multicenter observational Spanish cohort, who were monitored annually for a mean follow-up time of 38 months.

RESULTS

Subjects who died (n = 73; 9.5%) had higher CAT (14 vs 11, P = .022), CCQ (1.6 vs 1.3, P = .033), and mMRC dyspnea scores (2 vs 1, P < .001) than survivors. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that higher CAT, CCQ, and mMRC dyspnea scores were associated with higher mortality (area under the curve: 0.589, 0.588, and 0.649, respectively). CAT scores ≥ 17 and CCQ scores > 2.5 provided a similar sensitivity than mMRC dyspnea scores ≥ 2 to predict all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The CAT and the CCQ have similar ability for predicting all-cause mortality in patients with COPD, but were inferior to mMRC dyspnea scores. We suggest new thresholds for CAT and CCQ scores based on mortality risk that could be useful for the new GOLD grading classification.

TRIAL REGISTRY

ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT01122758; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Impact of cardiovascular comorbidities on COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and its responsiveness to pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with moderate to very severe COPD: protocol of the Chance study

INTRODUCTION

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Patients with COPD are characterised by a reduced health status, which can be easily assessed by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Previous studies show that health status can be worsened by the presence of comorbidities. However, the impact of cardiovascular comorbidities on health status as assessed with CAT is not sufficiently investigated. Therefore, the current study has the following objectives: (1) to study the clinical, (patho)physiological and psychosocial determinants of the CAT, and impact of previously established and/or newly diagnosed cardiovascular comorbidities on health status in tertiary care patients with COPD; (2) to assess the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on CAT scores in patients with COPD; (3) to develop reference values for the CAT in Dutch elderly patients without COPD; and (4) to validate the CAT in a broad sample of Dutch patients with COPD.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The COPD, Health status and Comorbidities (Chance) study is a monocentre study consisting of an observational cross-sectional part and a longitudinal part. Demographic and clinical characteristics will be assessed in primary care, secondary care and tertiary care patients with COPD, and in patients without COPD. To assess health status, the CAT, Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) will be used. The longitudinal part consists of a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programme in 500 tertiary care patients. For the cross-sectional part of the study, 150 patients without COPD, 100 primary care patients and 100 secondary care patients will be assessed during a single home visit.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Medical Ethical Committee of the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands (METC 11-3-070), has approved this study. The study has been registered at the Dutch Trial Register (NTR 3416).

Hospitalized exacerbations of COPD: risk factors and outcomes in the ECLIPSE cohort

OBJECTIVE

Exacerbations of COPD requiring hospital admission have important clinical and societal implications. We sought to investigate the incidence, recurrence, risk factors, and mortality of patients with COPD exacerbations requiring hospital admission compared with those without hospital admission during 3-year follow-up. Patients with COPD (N = 2,138) were identified from the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) observational cohort.

METHODS

An analysis of time to first event of hospital admission was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard regression adjusting for possible confounders.

RESULTS

Of the 2,138 patients, 670 (31%) reported a total of 1,452 COPD exacerbations requiring hospital admission during the study period; 313 patients (15%) reported multiple events. A prior history of exacerbation of COPD requiring hospital admission was the factor associated with the highest risk of a new hospitalization for exacerbation (hazard ratio, 2.71; 95% CI, 2.24-3.29; P < .001). Other risk factors included more severe airflow limitation, poorer health status, older age, radiologic evidence of emphysema, and higher WBC count. Having been hospitalized for exacerbation significantly increased the risk of mortality (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Exacerbations of COPD requiring hospital admission occur across all stages of airflow limitation and are a significant prognostic factor of reduced survival across all COPD stages. Patients with COPD at a high risk for hospitalization can be identified by their past history for similar events, and other factors, including the severity of airflow limitation, poor health status, age, presence of emphysema, and leukocytosis.

TRIAL REGISTRY

ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00292552; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

One-year change in health status and subsequent outcomes in COPD

BACKGROUND

Poor health status has been associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with COPD. To date, the impact of changes in health status on these outcomes remains unknown.

AIMS

To explore the relationship of clinically relevant changes in health status with exacerbation, hospitalisation or death in patients with COPD.

METHODS

Characteristics and health status (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ) were assessed over a period of 3 years in 2138 patients with COPD enrolled in the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) study: a longitudinal, prospective, observational study. Associations between change in health status (=4 units in SGRQ score) during year 1 and time to first exacerbation, hospitalisation and death during 2-year follow-up were assessed using Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank test.

RESULTS

1832 (85.7%) patients (age 63.4±7.0 years, 65.4% male, FEV1 48.7±15.6% predicted) underwent assessment at baseline and 1 year. Compared with those who deteriorated, patients with improved or stable health status in year 1 have a lower likelihood of exacerbation (HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.89), p<0.001 and 0.84 (0.73 to 0.97), p=0.016, respectively), hospitalisation (0.72 (0.58 to 0.90), p=0.004 and 0.77 (0.62 to 0.96), p=0.023, respectively) or dying (0.61 (0.39 to 0.95), p=0.027 and 0.58 (0.37 to 0.92), p=0.019, respectively) during 2-year follow-up. This effect persisted after stratification for age and the number of exacerbations and hospitalisations during the first year of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with stable or improved health status during year 1 of ECLIPSE had a lower likelihood of exacerbation, hospitalisation or dying during 2-year follow-up. Interventions that stabilise and improve health status may also improve outcomes in patients with COPD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT00292552, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov.

[Risk factors for mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

LOCATION

Primary care setting in Lleida, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

2.501 patients older than 40 years with at least a spirometry in the 24 months prior to the beginning of the study were followed for 3 years.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

The dependent variable was the overall mortality in the period 11/01/2010-10/31/2013; and the independents: spirometric parameters, severity (GOLD) and clinical variables. Their association with mortality was analyzed by calculating the adjusted odds ratio using a non-conditional logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The average age of 2.501 patients at the beginning of the study was 68.4 years (SD=11.6). 75.0% were males. 50.8% had a mild severity COPD, followed by moderate (35.3%), severe (9.4%) and very severe (4.4%). Mortality rate for the all period was 12.55%. The variables of the predictive model were: age, male sex, previous exacerbations, number of visits to primary care, comorbidity, smoking, severity of COPD (GOLD) and not receiving influenza vaccination, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.76.

CONCLUSIONS

This model, easy and quick to apply, would identify those patients at increased risk of mortality and who could benefit from preventive strategies to improve their survival.

The relationship between the COPD Assessment Test score and airflow limitation in Japan in patients aged over 40 years with a smoking history

BACKGROUND

A large number of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in Japan remain undiagnosed, primarily due to the underuse of spirometry. Two studies were conducted to see whether the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) in primary care has the potential to identify those patients who need spirometry for a diagnosis of COPD and to determine whether patients with cardiovascular disease had airflow limitation, which could be detected by CAT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two multicenter, noninterventional, prospective studies (studies 1 and 2) were conducted across Japan. Patients in both studies were ≥40 years old with a smoking history. Those in study 1 were seen in primary care and had experienced repeated respiratory tract infections, but had no diagnosis of COPD. Patients in study 2 were identified in cardiovascular disease clinics when routinely visiting for their cardiovascular disease. All patients completed the CAT prior to lung-function testing by hand-held spirometry. The presence of airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/FEV6 ratio<0.73.

RESULTS

A total of 3,062 subjects completed the CAT (2,067 in study 1, 995 in study 2); 88.8% were male, and the mean age (±standard deviation) was 61.5±11.6 years. Airflow limitation was found in 400 (19.4%) patients in study 1, and 269 (27.0%) in study 2. The CAT score in patients with airflow limitation was significantly higher than in patients without airflow limitation in both studies: 8.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9-9.2) versus 7.4 (95% CI 7.1-7.6) in study 1, and 8.3 (95% CI 7.5-9.2) versus 6.4 (95% CI 6.0-6.8) in study 2 (both P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the CAT has the potential to identify patients with cardiovascular disease or a history of frequent chest infections who need spirometry to diagnose COPD.

The effects of a telehealth coping skills intervention on outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: primary results from the INSPIRE-II study

OBJECTIVE

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and reduced quality of life (QoL). Novel interventions are needed to improve outcomes in COPD patients. The present study assessed the effects of a telephone-based coping skills intervention on psychological and somatic QoL and on the combined medical end point of COPD-related hospitalizations and all-cause mortality.

METHODS

We conducted a dual-site, randomized clinical trial with assessments at baseline and after 16 weeks of treatment. The study population comprised 326 outpatients with COPD aged 38 to 81 years, randomized to coping skills training (CST) or to COPD education (COPD-ED). Patients completed a battery of QoL instruments, pulmonary function tests, and functional measures and were followed up for up to 4.4 years to assess medical outcomes.

RESULTS

The CST group exhibited greater improvements in psychological QoL compared with controls (p = .001), including less depression (Cohen d = 0.22 [95% confidence interval, or CI = 0.08-0.36]) and anxiety (d = 0.17 [95% CI = 0.02-0.33]), and better overall mental health (d = 0.17 [95% CI = 0.03-0.32]), emotional role functioning (d = 0.29 [95% CI = 0.10-0.48]), vitality (d = 0.27 [95% CI = 0.11, 0.42]), and social functioning (d = 0.21 [95% CI = 0.03-0.38]). A significant baseline psychological QoL by treatment group interaction revealed that CST with lower QoL at baseline achieved even greater improvements in psychological QoL compared with COPD-ED. CST participants also exhibited greater improvements in somatic QoL (p = .042), including greater improvements in pulmonary QoL (d = 0.13 [95% CI = 0.01-0.24]), less fatigue (d = 0.34 [95% CI = 0.18-0.50]), and less shortness of breath (d = 0.11 [95% CI = -0.01 to 0.23]) and greater improvement in distance walked on the Six-Minute Walk test (d = 0.09 [95% CI = 0.01-0.16]). However, there was no significant difference in risk of time to COPD-related hospitalization or all-cause mortality between CST (34 events) and COPD-ED (32 events; p = 0.430).

CONCLUSIONS

A telehealth CST intervention produced clinically meaningful improvements in QoL and functional capacity, but no overall improvement in risk of COPD-related hospitalization and all-cause mortality.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00736268.

Depression and heart failure associated with clinical COPD questionnaire outcome in primary care COPD patients: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the main goals in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Impaired HRQoL in COPD is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, hospitalisations and burden on our health-care system. The Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) is a validated, reliable, short questionnaire for the evaluation of disease-specific HRQoL in patients with COPD in primary care.

AIMS

To investigate factors that might be associated with CCQ outcome in COPD in a primary care setting.

METHODS

In a population of COPD patients in primary care, multiple regression analyses were used to assess associations between CCQ outcome and depression, heart failure, FEV1% predicted, FEV1/FVC, age, sex, body mass index and current smoking.

RESULTS

Data from 341 patients (mean age 68.1±10.3, COPD GOLD class I-III) were used for analyses. Together, heart failure and depression explained 23% of the variance in CCQ total score (P<0.001, N=93). Heart failure was most strongly associated with CCQ functional score (27% explained variance, P<0.001, N=100), whereas depression was most strongly associated with CCQ mental score (22% explained variance, P<0.001, N=93).

CONCLUSIONS

CCQ outcomes are higher in COPD patients with heart failure and depression. These findings might imply that heart failure and depression affect HRQoL of patients with COPD, and thus emphasise the importance of a holistic approach of this complex disease, leading to a correct diagnosis of COPD and its comorbidities, to achieve better tailored treatment of chronic patients.

Serial Measurements of Arterial Oxygen Tension are Associated with Mortality in COPD

BACKGROUND

Knowledge on factors associated with mortality can help identify patients with COPD that might benefit from close monitoring and intervention. Arterial blood gases (ABGs) are related to mortality, but both arterial tension of oxygen (PaO2) and arterial tension of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) vary over time. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between repeatedly measured ABGs and mortality in men and women with COPD.

METHODS

A cohort of 419 Norwegian subjects with COPD, GOLD stage II-IV, aged 40-75, was followed up with up to seven ABGs, measured during stable phase for three years. Cox proportional hazard models were used to quantify the relationship between both single and repeatedly measured ABGs and all-cause mortality after five years, adjusting for age, sex, and the updated BODE index.

RESULTS

A total of 64 subjects died during follow-up. Mean initial arterial oxygen tension (standard deviation) was significantly higher in survivors compared to deceased, with PaO2 (in kPa) 9.4 (1.1) versus 8.8 (1.2), p<0.001. Corresponding numbers for PaCO2 were 5.3 (0.5) and 5.5 (0.7), p < 0.001. In analyses adjusting for age, sex, and the updated BODE index hazard ratios - HR(95% confidence intervals) - for all-cause mortality were 0.73 (0.55, 0.97) and 1.58 (0.90, 2.76) for repeated measures of PaO2 and PaCO2, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Both arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide tension were related to mortality in this study, and arterial oxygen tension added prognostic information to the updated BODE index in COPD.

A telehealth program for self-management of COPD exacerbations and promotion of an active lifestyle: a pilot randomized controlled trial

The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the use of and satisfaction with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) telehealth program applied in both primary and secondary care. The program consisted of four modules: 1) activity coach for ambulant activity monitoring and real-time coaching of daily activity behavior, 2) web-based exercise program for home exercising, 3) self-management of COPD exacerbations via a triage diary on the web portal, including self-treatment of exacerbations, and 4) teleconsultation. Twenty-nine COPD patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (telehealth program for 9 months) or the control group (usual care). Page hits on the web portal showed the use of the program, and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire showed satisfaction with received care. The telehealth program with decision support showed good satisfaction (mean 26.4, maximum score 32). The program was accessed on 86% of the treatment days, especially the diary. Patient adherence with the exercise scheme was low (21%). Health care providers seem to play an important role in patients’ adherence to telehealth in usual care. Future research should focus on full-scale implementation in daily care and investigating technological advances, like gaming, to increase adherence.

Effectiveness of the Assessment of Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (ABC) tool: study protocol of a cluster randomised trial in primary and secondary care

Background

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a growing worldwide problem that imposes a great burden on the daily life of patients. Since there is no cure, the goal of treating COPD is to maintain or improve quality of life. We have developed a new tool, the Assessment of Burden of COPD (ABC) tool, to assess and visualize the integrated health status of patients with COPD, and to provide patients and healthcare providers with a treatment algorithm. This tool may be used during consultations to monitor the burden of COPD and to adjust treatment if necessary. The aim of the current study is to analyse the effectiveness of the ABC tool compared with usual care on health related quality of life among COPD patients over a period of 18 months.

Methods/Design

A cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted in COPD patients in both primary and secondary care throughout the Netherlands. An intervention group, receiving care based on the ABC tool, will be compared with a control group receiving usual care. The primary outcome will be the change in score on a disease-specific-quality-of-life questionnaire, the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes will be a different questionnaire (the COPD Assessment Test), lung function and number of exacerbations. During the 18 months follow-up, seven measurements will be conducted, including a baseline and final measurement. Patients will receive questionnaires to be completed at home. Additional data, such as number of exacerbations, will be recorded by the patients’ healthcare providers. A total of 360 patients will be recruited by 40 general practitioners and 20 pulmonologists. Additionally, a process evaluation will be performed among patients and healthcare providers.

Discussion

The new ABC tool complies with the 2014 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines, which describe the necessity to classify patients on both their airway obstruction and a comprehensive symptom assessment. It has been developed to classify patients, but also to provide visual insight into the burden of COPD and to provide treatment advice.

Trial registration

Netherlands Trial Register, NTR3788.

[Impact of COPD on quality of life and mental health among one hundred Tunisian patients]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) constitutes a penalty in physical activities of patients. Its mental repercussions are important and expressed in a significant impairment of quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the quality of life and its determinants in Tunisian patients with COPD.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study over a period of 6 months from January 2008 to June 2008 and focused on patients with COPD hospitalized and monitored in the department of respiratory diseases in Farhat Hached Teaching hospital of Sousse in Tunisia. We used the French version of Saint George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) to study the quality of life and the Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) for the exploration of anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Among 100 patients included in the study, the SGRQ overall score average was 44.31 ± 13.85%. Ten patients had depression and 9 patients had an anxiety state. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that four factors were associated significantly with impaired quality of life: dyspnea, the number of exacerbations, comorbidity and depression.

CONCLUSION

The psychological impact and effect on quality of life of COPD are additional tools combined with physical and spirometric data during the follow-up of treatment of patients and should be systematically sought by practitioners, which is still rare in Tunisia.

Baseline health-related quality of life and 10-year all-cause mortality among 1739 Chinese adults

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may be associated with the longevity of patients; yet it is not clear whether this association holds in a general population, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to determine whether baseline HRQOL was associated with 10-year all-cause mortality in a Chinese general population.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted from 2002 to 2012 on 1739 participants in 11 villages of Beijing. Baseline data on six domains of HRQOL, chronic diseases and cardiovascular risk factors were collected in either 2002 (n = 1290) or 2005 (n = 449). Subjects were followed through the end of the study period, or until they were censored due to death or loss to follow-up, whichever came first.

RESULTS

A multivariable Cox model estimated that Total HRQOL score (bottom 50% versus top 50%) was associated with a 44% increase in all-cause mortality (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-2.06), after adjusting for sex, age, education levels, occupation, marital status, smoking status, fruit intake, vegetable intake, physical exercise, hypertension, history of a stroke, myocardial infarction, chronic respiratory disease, and kidney disease. Among the six HRQOL domains, the Independence domain had the largest fully adjusted HR (HR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.13-2.42), followed by Psychological (HR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.03-2.09), Environmental (HR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.003-2.03), Physical (HR = 1.38; 95% CI: 0.97-1.95), General (HR = 1.37; 95% CI: 0.97-1.94), and the Social domain (HR = 1.15; 95% CI: 0.81-1.65).

CONCLUSION

Lower HRQOL, especially the inability to live independently, was associated with a significantly increased risk of 10-year all-cause mortality. The inclusion of HRQOL measures in clinical assessment may improve diagnostic accuracy to improve clinical outcomes and better target public health promotions.

Fatigue Affects Health Status and Predicts Mortality Among Subjects with COPD: Report from the Population-Based OLIN COPD Study

BACKGROUND

COPD is associated to increased fatigue, decreased health status and mortality. However, these relationships are rarely evaluated in population-based studies.

AIMS

To describe the relationship between health status, respiratory symptoms and fatigue among subjects with and without COPD. Further, to evaluate whether fatigue and/or health status predicts mortality in these groups.

METHODS

Data were collected in 2007 from the population-based OLIN COPD study. Subjects participated in lung function tests and structured interviews, and 434 subjects with and 655 subjects without COPD were identified. Fatigue was assessed by FACIT-Fatigue and health status by the generic SF-36 questionnaire including physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) components. Mortality data until February 2012 were collected.

RESULTS

Fatigue greatly impacts the physical and mental dimensions of health status, both among subjects with and without COPD. Among subjects with clinically significant fatigue, COPD subjects had significantly lower PCS-scores compared to non-COPD subjects. Fairly strong correlations were found between FACIT-F, SF-36 PCS and MCS, respectively. In multivariate models adjusting for covariates, increased fatigue, decreased physical and mental dimensions of health status were all associated to mortality in subjects with COPD (OR 1.06, CI 1.02-1.10, OR 1.04, CI 1.01-1.08 and OR 1.06, CI 1.02-1.10), but not in non-COPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue and decreased health status were closely related among subjects with and without COPD. Not only physical health status, but also fatigue and mental health predicted mortality among subjects with COPD. Fatigue assessed by FACIT-F, can be a useful instrument of prognostic value in the care of subjects with COPD.

Evolution of the COPD Assessment Test score during chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations: determinants and prognostic value

BACKGROUND

An adequate evaluation of exacerbations is a primary objective in managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

OBJECTIVES

To define the profile of health status recovery during severe exacerbations of COPD using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) questionnaire and to evaluate its prognostic value.

METHODS

Forty-five patients with previous COPD diagnoses who were hospitalized due to severe exacerbation(s) were included in the study. These patients were treated by their respective physicians following current recommendations; health status was assessed daily using the CAT questionnaire. The CAT score, spirometry and recurrent hospitalizations were recorded one and three months after hospital discharge.

RESULTS

Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage was an independent determinant for increased CAT score during the first days of exacerbation with respect to postexacerbation values. From hospitalization day 5, the CAT score was similar to that obtained in the stable phase. Body mass index, GOLD stage and education level were related to health status recovery pattern. CAT score increase and the area under the curve of CAT recovery were inversely related to the forced expiratory volume in 1 s achieved three months after discharge (r=-0.606; P<0.001 and r=-0.532; P<0.001, respectively). Patients with recurrent hospitalizations showed higher CAT score increases and slower recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

The CAT detects early health status improvement during severe COPD exacerbations. Its initial worsening and recovery pattern are related to lung function and recurrent hospitalizations.