An Official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Statement: Research questions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Patient perspectives on the Tailored intervention for Anxiety and Depression Management in COPD (TANDEM): a qualitative evaluation

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly associated with anxiety/depression which can affect self-management and quality of life. The TANDEM trial evaluated a cognitive behavioural approach intervention targeting COPD-related symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, comprising up to eight one-to-one sessions delivered by respiratory healthcare professionals prior to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). The intervention showed no improvement in anxiety/depression or uptake/completion of PR. We present patient perspectives of the intervention to help understand these results.

METHOD

Semi-structured individual interviews, using a semi-structured topic guide informed by Sekhon's Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, were conducted with 19 patients between September 2019 and April 2020. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

RESULTS

The following could have limited the impact of the intervention: (1) The lives of patients were complex and commonly affected by competing comorbidities or other external stressors which they managed through previously adopted long-standing coping strategies. (2) Some patients were reluctant to talk about their mood despite the Facilitators' training and person centred-skills which aimed to enable patients to talk freely about mood. (3) The intervention handouts and 'home-practice' were perceived as helpful for some, but not suitable for all. (4) Many patients perceived improvements in their physical and mental health, but this was not sustained due to a mix of personal and external factors, and some did not perceive any benefits. (5) PR non-attendance/non-completion was a result of personal and PR service-related reasons. (6) Discussing COPD and mental health with the Facilitator was a novel experience. Many patients felt that TANDEM could be of benefit if it was offered earlier on/at different time points in the COPD illness journey.

CONCLUSION

We found the delivery of TANDEM prior to PR was not helpful for patients with advanced COPD often experiencing other comorbidities, and/or difficult personal/external events. These patients already utilised long-standing coping strategies to manage their COPD. Holistic interventions, that address the impact of COPD in relation to wider aspects of a patients' life, may be more beneficial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN Registry 59,537,391. Registration date 20 March 2017.

The Role of Exhaled Breath Condensate in Chronic Inflammatory and Neoplastic Diseases of the Respiratory Tract

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the most common chronic respiratory diseases. Chronic inflammation of the airways leads to an increased production of inflammatory markers by the effector cells of the respiratory tract and lung tissue. These biomarkers allow the assessment of physiological and pathological processes and responses to therapeutic interventions. Lung cancer, which is characterized by high mortality, is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide. Current screening methods and tissue biopsies have limitations that highlight the need for rapid diagnosis, patient differentiation, and effective management and monitoring. One promising non-invasive diagnostic method for respiratory diseases is the assessment of exhaled breath condensate (EBC). EBC contains a mixture of volatile and non-volatile biomarkers such as cytokines, leukotrienes, oxidative stress markers, and molecular biomarkers, providing significant information about inflammatory and neoplastic states in the lungs. This article summarizes the research on the application and development of EBC assessment in diagnosing and monitoring respiratory diseases, focusing on asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. The process of collecting condensate, potential issues, and selected groups of markers for detailed disease assessment in the future are discussed. Further research may contribute to the development of more precise and personalized diagnostic and treatment methods.

Behaviour change interventions for physical activity in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Physical activity in adults with COPD is poor, but behaviour change interventions could help improve activity. This systematic review aims to examine behaviour change interventions to promote physical activity and health outcomes for adults with COPD.

METHODS

Eight databases were searched from inception until April 2023: Web of Science, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsychINFO, CINAHL, PROSPERO, Cochrane Airways Trials Register. Relevant studies were appraised to determine the impact of behaviour change interventions on physical activity outcomes. Interventions were mapped to Michie's Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and a meta-analysis and narrative synthesis conducted. The Cochrane risk of bias tool 2 and the GRADE criteria evaluated bias and the quality and certainty of the evidence.

RESULTS

Twelve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review (n = 1211). The most frequently utilized behaviour change interventions included counselling, stepcount monitoring, social support and goal setting. The most commonly measured outcomes across studies were steps-per-day, physical activity levels, exercise capacity and quality of life. A meta-analysis of comparable studies demonstrated there was no difference in stepcount in favour of behaviour change interventions with respect to steps-per-day (SMD 0.16, 95 % CI -0.03, 0.36; p = 0.10). There was some evidence of short-term improvement in physical activity and quality of life, with behaviour change interventions related to goals, behaviour regulation and social influences.

CONCLUSIONS

People with COPD may benefit from behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity and quality of life in the short-term. The overall certainty and quality of the evidence is low.

Increasing exercise capacity and physical activity in the COPD patient

Higher levels of exercise capacity and physical activity are desired outcomes in the comprehensive management of the COPD patient. In addition, improvements in exercise capacity and physical activity are instrumental to optimising other important therapeutic goals, such as improved health status, reduced healthcare utilisation and increased survival. Four general approaches towards increasing exercise capacity and physical activity in individuals with COPD will be discussed in this review: 1) pharmacological intervention, especially the administration of long-acting bronchodilators; 2) pulmonary rehabilitation, including exercise training and collaborative self-management; 3) behavioural interventions; and 4) web-based interventions. These are by no means the only approaches, nor are they mutually exclusive: indeed, combining them, as necessary, to meet the needs of the individual respiratory patient may promote optimal outcomes, although further research is necessary in this area.

Analyzing key elements of breathing patterns, deriving remaining variables, and identifying cutoff values in individuals with chronic respiratory disease and healthy subjects

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary physiology encompasses intricate breathing patterns (BPs), characterized by breathing frequency (Bf), volumes, and flows. The complexities intensify in the presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially during exercise. This study seeks to identify pivotal factors driving changes among these variables and establish cutoff values, comparing their efficacy in differentiating BPs to traditional methods, specifically a breathing reserve (BR) of 30% and a Bf of 50 bpm.

METHODS

Screening 267 subjects revealed 23 with ILD, 126 with COPD, 33 healthy individuals, and the exclusion of 85 subjects. Lung function tests and ramp-pattern cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were conducted, identifying crucial BP elements. Changes were compared between groups at peak exercise. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis determined cutoff values.

RESULTS

Inspiratory time (TI) remained constant at peak exercise for all subjects (two-group comparisons, all p=NS). Given known differences in expiratory time (TE) and tidal volume (VT) among ILD, COPD, and healthy states, constant TI could infer patterns for Bf, total breathing cycle time (TTOT=60/Bf), I:E ratio, inspiratory duty cycle (IDC, TI/TTOT), rapid shallow breathing index (Bf/VT), tidal inspiratory and expiratory flows (VT/TI and VT/TE), and minute ventilation (V̇E=Bf×VT) across conditions. These inferences aligned with measurements, with potential type II errors causing inconsistencies. RSBI of 23 bpm/L and VT/TI of 104 L/min may differentiate ILD from control, while V̇E of 54 L/min, BR of 30%, and VT/TE of 108 may differentiate COPD from control. BR of 21%, TE of 0.99 s, and IDC of .45 may differentiate ILD from COPD. The algorithm outperformed traditional methods (AUC 0.84-0.91 versus 0.59-0.90).

CONCLUSION

The quasi-fixed TI, in conjunction with TE and VT, proves effective in inferring time-related variables of BPs. The findings have the potential to significantly enhance medical education in interpreting cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Moreover, the study introduces a novel algorithm for distinguishing BPs among individuals with ILD, COPD, and those who are healthy.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Emphysema Quantification in Routine Chest Computed Tomography: Correlation With Spirometry and Visual Emphysema Grading

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to assess the correlation between artificial intelligence (AI)-based low attenuation volume percentage (LAV%) with forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and visual emphysema grades in routine chest computed tomography (CT). Furthermore, optimal LAV% cutoff values for predicting a FEV1/FVC < 70% or moderate to more extensive visual emphysema grades were calculated.

METHODS

In a retrospective study of 298 consecutive patients who underwent routine chest CT and spirometry examinations, LAV% was quantified using an AI-based software with a threshold < -950 HU. The FEV1/FVC was derived from spirometry, with FEV1/FVC < 70% indicating airway obstruction. The mean time interval of CT from spirometry was 3.87 ± 4.78 days. Severity of emphysema was visually graded by an experienced chest radiologist using an established 5-grade ordinal scale (Fleischner Society classification system). Spearman correlation coefficient between LAV% and FEV1/FVC was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic determined the optimal LAV% cutoff values for predicting a FEV1/FVC < 70% or a visual emphysema grade of moderate or higher (Fleischner grade 3-5).

RESULTS

Significant correlation between LAV% and FEV1/FVC was found (ϱ = -0.477, P < 0.001). Increasing LAV% corresponded to higher visual emphysema grades. For patients with absent visual emphysema, mean LAV% was 2.98 ± 3.30, for patients with trace emphysema 3.22 ± 2.75, for patients with mild emphysema 3.90 ± 3.33, for patients with moderate emphysema 6.41 ± 3.46, for patients with confluent emphysema 9.02 ± 5.45, and for patients with destructive emphysema 16.90 ± 8.19. Optimal LAV% cutoff value for predicting a FEV1/FVC < 70 was 6.1 (area under the curve = 0.764, sensitivity = 0.773, specificity = 0.665), while for predicting a visual emphysema grade of moderate or higher, it was 4.7 (area under the curve = 0.802, sensitivity = 0.766, specificity = 0.742). Furthermore, correlation between visual emphysema grading and FEV1/FVC was found. In patients with FEV1/FVC < 70% a high proportion of subjects had emphysema grade 3 (moderate) or higher, whereas in patients with FEV1/FVC ≥ 70%, a larger proportion had emphysema grade 3 (moderate) or lower. The sensitivity for visual emphysema grading predicting a FEV1/FVC < 70% was 56.3% with an optimal cutoff point at a visual grade of 4 (confluent), demonstrating a lower sensitivity compared with LAV% (77.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant correlation between AI-based LAV% and FEV1/FVC as well as visual CT emphysema grades can be found in routine chest CT suggesting that AI-based LAV% measurement might be integrated as an add-on functional parameter in the evaluation of chest CT in the future.

Evaluation of Exacerbation and Symptom-Free Time in Patients with COPD

In clinical practice, clinicians mainly focus on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations and symptoms, while patients may prefer to evaluate periods free of COPD exacerbations and deteriorated symptoms. The latter would suit the positive health approach that centralizes people and their beliefs. We aimed to identify patient characteristics and health outcomes relating to: 1) COPD exacerbation-free days; 2) days with no more symptoms than usual; and 3) combined COPD exacerbation and comorbid flare-up-free days (i.e. chronic heart failure, anxiety, depression flare-ups) using negative binomial regression analyzes. Data were obtained from two self-management intervention trials including COPD patients with and without comorbidities. 313 patients (mean age 66.0 years, 63.6% male, 68.7% comorbidity) were included. Better baseline chronic respiratory questionnaire (CRQ) fatigue (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.03 (95% CI 1.01-1.05), p = 0.02) and mastery scores (IRR = 1.03 (95% CI 1.00-1.06), p = 0.04) and fewer courses of antibiotics (IRR = 0.95 (95% CI 0.94-0.96), p < 0.01) were related to more COPD exacerbation-free days. Additionally, better baseline CRQ fatigue (IRR = 1.05 (95% CI 1.00-1.10), p = 0.04) and mastery scores (IRR = 1.06 (95% CI 1.00-1.12), p = 0.04), fewer courses of antibiotics (IRR = 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.96), p < 0.01), and improved CRQ dyspnea scores over 12 months of follow-up (IRR = 1.07 (95% CI 1.01-1.12), p < 0.01) were correlated to more days free of deteriorated symptoms. Less baseline dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council score) (IRR = 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.98), p < 0.01) and fewer courses of antibiotics (IRR = 0.94 (95% CI 0.93-0.95), p < 0.01) were associated with more combined COPD exacerbation and comorbid flare-up-free days. Healthcare professionals should be aware that less fatigue and better mastering of COPD relate to more exacerbation and symptom-free time in COPD patients.

Evaluating a Remote Monitoring Program for Respiratory Diseases: Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic respiratory diseases and those in the postdischarge period following hospitalization because of COVID-19 are particularly vulnerable, and little is known about the changes in their symptoms and physiological parameters. Continuous remote monitoring of physiological parameters and symptom changes offers the potential for timely intervention, improved patient outcomes, and reduced health care costs.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated whether a real-time multimodal program using commercially available wearable technology, home-based Bluetooth-enabled spirometers, finger pulse oximeters, and smartphone apps is feasible and acceptable for patients with chronic respiratory diseases, as well as the value of low-burden, long-term passive data collection.

METHODS

In a 3-arm prospective observational cohort feasibility study, we recruited 60 patients from the Royal Free Hospital and University College Hospital. These patients had been diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or post-COVID-19 condition (n=20 per group) and were followed for 180 days. This study used a comprehensive remote monitoring system designed to provide real-time and relevant data for both patients and clinicians. Data were collected using REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture; Vanderbilt University) periodic surveys, Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapses-base active app questionnaires, wearables, finger pulse oximeters, smartphone apps, and Bluetooth home-based spirometry. The feasibility of remote monitoring was measured through adherence to the protocol, engagement during the follow-up period, retention rate, acceptability, and data integrity.

RESULTS

Lowest-burden passive data collection methods, via wearables, demonstrated superior adherence, engagement, and retention compared with active data collection methods, with an average wearable use of 18.66 (SD 4.69) hours daily (77.8% of the day), 123.91 (SD 33.73) hours weekly (72.6% of the week), and 463.82 (SD 156.70) hours monthly (64.4% of the month). Highest-burden spirometry tasks and high-burden active app tasks had the lowest adherence, engagement, and retention, followed by low-burden questionnaires. Spirometry and active questionnaires had the lowest retention at 0.5 survival probability, indicating that they were the most burdensome. Adherence to and quality of home spirometry were analyzed; of the 7200 sessions requested, 4248 (59%) were performed. Of these, 90.3% (3836/4248) were of acceptable quality according to American Thoracic Society grading. Inclusion of protocol holidays improved retention measures. The technologies used were generally well received.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide evidence supporting the feasibility and acceptability of remote monitoring for capturing both subjective and objective data from various sources for respiratory diseases. The high engagement level observed with passively collected data suggests the potential of wearables for long-term, user-friendly remote monitoring in respiratory disease management. The unique piloting of certain features such as protocol holidays, alert notifications for missing data, and flexible support from the study team provides a reference for future studies in this field.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.2196/28873.

Role of prostanoids, nitric oxide and endothelin pathways in pulmonary hypertension due to COPD

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is classified as Group 3 PH, with no current proven targeted therapies. Studies suggest that cigarette smoke, the most risk factor for COPD can cause vascular remodelling and eventually PH as a result of dysfunction and proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs). In addition, hypoxia is a known driver of pulmonary vascular remodelling in COPD, and it is also thought that the presence of hypoxia in patients with COPD may further exaggerate cigarette smoke-induced vascular remodelling; however, the underlying cause is not fully understood. Three main pathways (prostanoids, nitric oxide and endothelin) are currently used as a therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with different groups of PH. However, drugs targeting these three pathways are not approved for patients with COPD-associated PH due to lack of evidence. Thus, this review aims to shed light on the role of impaired prostanoids, nitric oxide and endothelin pathways in cigarette smoke- and hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodelling and also discusses the potential of using these pathways as therapeutic target for patients with PH secondary to COPD.

Association of IL4RA polymorphism in predicting susceptibility toward chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: The cytokine IL-4 plays vital role in the intercellular signalling network during immune responses to allergen exposure. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 202 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and 203 healthy individuals. The genotyping of IL4RAQ576R gene polymorphism was determined using PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results: Significant association between mutant genotype (GG) and combined (AA+AG) genotype for the risk of COPD was found (odds ratio [OR]: 4.32; p = 0.04). A significant protective effect was observed between the IL4RAQ576R polymorphism and Global Strategy for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage four patients in a recessive model (AA+AG vs GG; p = 0.002). In GOLD A, a substantial relationship was found between the AG and wild-type genotypes (AA) for COPD risk (OR: 2.38; p = 0.03). A strong association was found for COPD duration of 5-10 years (OR: 8.80; p = 0.01). Conclusion: IL4RAQ576R polymorphism is associated with COPD susceptibility.

Pulse amplitude ratio under noninvasive ventilation as a new method in the diagnosis of left heart failure in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Left heart failure (LHF) is commonly associated with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) but its role is often underestimated.

AIM OF STUDY

To evaluate the performance of a new diagnostic technique based on the measurement of the pulse amplitude ratio (PAR) using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for the early identification LHF in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) for AECOPD.

RESULTS

73 patients were included in this study: 32 in LHF group and 41 in non LHF- group. The two groups had comparable demographic and clinical characteristics at admission. The mean values of PAR_NIV was significantly higher among LHF patients (0.86 vs. 0.71; p < 0.01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PAR_NIV was 0.75. Using the best cut-off (0.6), the sensitivity of PAR_NIV was 93% with a specificity 21%, a positive predictive value of 48%, and a negative predictive value of 81%. Correlation between PAR_NIV and BNP was significant (r = 0.52; p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Measurement of PAR_NIV in patients presenting to the ED with AECOPD had a good diagnostic performance for the detection of LHF and could represent an interesting alternative for the currently available methods. Trial registration The study was registered in the Clinical Trial Registration System (clinicaltrials.gov) under the study number NCT05189119, https://register.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000BOO4&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0000QAM&ts=2&cx=qrmluh .

Moderate to severe ARDS: COVID-19 patients compared to influenza patients for ventilator parameters and mortality

Background

This study aimed to compare ventilatory parameters recorded the first days of ARDS, and mortality at day 60 between COVID-19 and influenza ARDS patients with PaO2/FiO2≤150 mmHg.

Methods

We compared 244 COVID-19 ARDS patients with 106 influenza ARDS patients. Driving pressure (DP), respiratory system compliance (CRs), ventilator ratio (VR), corrected minute ventilation (VEcorr), and surrogate of mechanical power [index=(4×DP)+respiratory rate] were calculated from day1 to day 5 of ARDS. A propensity score analysis and a principal component analysis (PCA) were performed.

Results

On day 1 of ARDS, COVID-19 patients had significantly higher PaO2/FiO2ratio (median [IQR], 97 mmHg [79–129]versus83 [62.2–114]), p=0.001), and lower DP (13 cmH20 [11–16.0]versus14 [12.0–16.7], p=0.01), VR (2.08 [1.73–2.49versus2.52 [1.97–3.03], p<0.001), VEcorr (12.7 L·mn−1[10.2–14.9]versus14.9 [11.6–18.6], p<0.001), index (80 [70–89]versus84 [75–94], p=0.004). PCA demonstrated an important overlap of ventilatory parameters recorded on day 1 between the two groups. From day 1 to day 5 repeated values of PaO2/FiO2ratio, PaCO2, VR and VEcorr differed significantly between influenza and COVID-19 patients in the unmatched and matched populations. Mortality at day 60 did not differ significantly after matching (29%versus21.7%, p=0.43).

Conclusions

Ventilation was more impaired in influenza than in COVID-19 ARDS patients the first day of ARDS with important overlap of values. However, mortality at day 60 did not differ significantly in the matched population.

Tidal volume expandability and ventilatory efficiency as predictors of mortality in Taiwanese male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A 10-year follow-up study - Is V̇O2peak or FEV1% the gold standard?

Despite our knowledge of the risk factors for mortality associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the mortality rate for this condition continues to increase. This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of physiological variables on all-cause mortality in COPD patients compared to peak oxygen uptake (V ˙ O2peak) and forced expired volume in one second (FEV1). We conducted a retrospective study of 182 COPD patients with complete lung function tests, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), and survival data. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratios for all-cause mortality. The median follow-up period was 6.8 (IQR 3.9-9.2) years. Out of the 182 patients in our study, sixty-two (34.1%) succumbed to various causes. Of these, 27.4% (n = 17) experienced acute exacerbations, 24.2% (n = 15) had advanced cancer, and 12.9% (n = 8) had cardiovascular disease as the primary cause of death. Another 25.8% (n = 16) passed away due to other underlying conditions, while 6.5% (n = 4) had an unknown cause of death. One patient's demise was attributed to a benign tumor, and another's to a connective tissue disease. The ratio of tidal volume to total lung capacity (VTpeak/TLC) and the ratio of minute ventilation and V ˙ O2 at nadir (V ˙ E/V ˙ O2nadir) (AUR 0.83, 95% CI 0.76-0.91) were superior predictors of all-cause mortality compared to V ˙ O2peak and FEV1%. A mortality prediction formula was derived using these variables. This study highlights the potential of VTpeak/TLC and V ˙ E/V ˙ O2nadir as predictive markers for COPD all-cause mortality in COPD. CPET is an effective tool for evaluating COPD mortality; however, the predictive equation requires further validation.

Effects of exercise-based home pulmonary rehabilitation on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: An overview of systematic review

BACKGROUND

Clinical research on exercise-based home pulmonary rehabilitation (HPR) effectiveness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment is rising, as are associated systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs). However, different SRs/MAs vary in outcome indicators, analysis methodologies, literature quality, and findings. This overview aimed to describe the findings of these SRs/MAs and assess their methodological quality.

METHODS

From inception until April 2022, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wan Fang. Two researchers searched these SRs/MAs separately, collected the data, and cross-checked it using predetermined rules. The Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of each contained SR/MA. The evidence was assessed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2009 (PRISMA-2009). The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to determine the validity of the results.

RESULTS

A total of 433 records were found, with 44 chosen for full-text review. There were 11 SRs/MAs that matched the inclusion criteria. Our overview included studies published from 2010 to 2022. According to the AMSTAR 2 tool, one had low methodological quality, while the other 10 SRs/MAs had very low quality. The PRISMA statement revealed a low rate of complete reporting for eight items. The GRADE tool, on the other hand, revealed that the evidence quality for most outcomes was very low to moderate.

CONCLUSION

According to current research, exercise-based HPR may benefit COPD patients. Nevertheless, this finding is restricted by the low quality of the included SRs/MAs. And more high-quality and large-sample studies are needed in the future.

PROSPERO

ID: CRD42022322768. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails.

Healthcare providers' attitudes, beliefs and barriers to pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the attitude of healthcare providers (HCPs) towards the delivering of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and identify factors and barriers that might influence referral.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional online survey consisting of nine multiple-choice questions.

SETTINGS

Saudi Arabia.

PARTICIPANTS

980 HCPs including nurses, respiratory therapists (RT) and physiotherapists.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

HCPs attitudes towards and expectations of the delivery of PR to COPD patients and the identification of factors and barriers that might influence referral in Saudi Arabia.

RESULTS

Overall, 980 HCPs, 53.1% of whom were men, completed the survey. Nurses accounted for 40.1% of the total sample size, and RTs and physiotherapists accounted for 32.1% and 16.5%, respectively. The majority of HCPs strongly agreed that PR would improve exercise capacity 589 (60.1%), health-related quality of life 571 (58.3%), and disease self-management in patients with COPD 589 (60.1%). Moreover, the in-hospital supervised PR programme was the preferred method of delivering PR, according to 374 (38.16%) HCPs. Around 85% of HCPs perceived information about COPD, followed by smoking cessation 787 (80.3%) as essential components of PR besides the exercise component. The most common patient-related factor that strongly influenced referral decisions was 'mobility affected by breathlessness' (64%), while the 'availability of PR centres' (61%), the 'lack of trained HCPs' (52%) and the 'lack of authority to refer patients' (44%) were the most common barriers to referral.

CONCLUSION

PR is perceived as an effective management strategy for patients with COPD. A supervised hospital-based programme is the preferred method of delivering PR, with information about COPD and smoking cessation considered essential components of PR besides the exercise component. A lack of PR centres, well-trained staff and the authority to refer patients were major barriers to referring patients with COPD. Further research is needed to confirm HCP perceptions of patient-related barriers.

Glucosamine use, smoking and risk of incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a large prospective cohort study

Chronic inflammation exerts pleiotropic effects in the aetiology and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Glucosamine is widely used in many countries and may have anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to prospectively evaluate the association of regular glucosamine use with incident COPD risk and explore whether such association could be modified by smoking in the UK Biobank cohort, which recruited more than half a million participants aged 40-69 years from across the UK between 2006 and 2010. Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for potential confounding factors were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) as well as 95 % CI for the risk of incident COPD. During a median follow-up of 8·96 years (interquartile range 8·29-9·53 years), 9016 new-onset events of COPD were documented. We found that the regular use of glucosamine was associated with a significantly lower risk of incident COPD with multivariable adjusted HR of 0·80 (95 % CI, 0·75, 0·85; P < 0·001). When subgroup analyses were performed by smoking status, the adjusted HR for the association of regular glucosamine use with incident COPD were 0·84 (0·73, 0·96), 0·84 (0·77, 0·92) and 0·71 (0·62, 0·80) among never smokers, former smokers and current smokers, respectively. No significant interaction was observed between glucosamine use and smoking status (P_{for interaction} = 0·078). Incident COPD could be reduced by 14 % to 84 % through a combination of regular glucosamine use and smoking cessation.

Factors Related with Hospital Attendance and Mortality in Patients with COPD: A Case-Control Study in a Real-Life Setting

Introduction

The rising trend in hospital admissions among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is worrying, not only because of the increasing costs, but also because of the worsening quality of life. We aimed to identify the predictive factors of hospital admission, re-admission and mortality of COPD patients through using information exclusively registered in electronic clinical records.

Methods

We conducted a population-based case-control study. All data were sourced from the different information systems comprising the Galician Health Service electronic record database. We included in the study patients diagnosed with COPD (code R95 in the medical record), ≥35 years old and with at least one spirometry performed ≤3 years prior inclusion. We fitted three logistic regression models, each one to ascertain the factors that influence the probability of admission, re-admission, and mortality, and calculated odds ratios (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

COPD patients were admitted due to respiratory causes a mean of 1.51 times across the period December 2016-December 2017, with 55% requiring re-admission in the next 90 days. The factor most closely associated with the re-admission profile was home oxygen therapy (OR 3.06 95% CI 2.42-3.87), followed by male gender (OR 2.01 95% CI 1.48-2.72), a CHA2D-VASc scale score >2 (OR 1.28 95% CI 1.16-1.42), and severity by clinical risk group stratification (OR 1.14 95% CI 1.04-1.26). Male sex (OR 1.47 CI 95% 1.04-2.09), having been readmitted ≥2 times (OR 1.34 CI 95% 1.11-1.61) and being ≥70 years old (OR 1.05 CI 95% 1.03-1.08) increase the probability of dying from COPD during the study period.

Conclusion

These results confirm the complexity of management of COPD exacerbations, and indicate the need to establish strategies that would ensure continuity of care after hospital admission, with the aim of preventing re-admissions and death.

Prevalence, symptom burden and under-diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Polish lung cancer screening population: a cohort observational study

OBJECTIVES

Lung cancer screening using low-dose CT may be not effective without considering the presence of comorbidities related to chronic smoking. The aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in group of phighlight the potential benefits atients participating in the largest Polish lung cancer screening programme MOLTEST-BIS and attempt to confirm the necessity of combined lung cancer and COPD screening.

DESIGN

Cohort, prospective study.

SETTING

Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland PARTICIPANTS: The study included 754 participants in lung cancer screening trial from the Pomeranian region, aged 50-70 years old, current and former smokers with a smoking history ≥30 pack-years.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Questionnaire, physical examination, anthropometric measurements, spirometry test before and after inhaled bronchodilator (400 µg of salbutamol) RESULTS: Obstructive disorders were diagnosed in 186 cases (103 male and 83 female). In the case of 144 participants (19.73%), COPD was diagnosed. Only 13.3% of participants with COPD were known about the disease earlier. According to classification of airflow limitation 55.6% of diagnosed COPD were in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 1 (mild), 38.9% in GOLD 2 (moderate), 4.9% in GOLD 3 (severe) and 0.7% in GOLD 4 (very severe) stage. Women with recognition of COPD were younger than men (63.7 vs 66.3 age) and they smoked less cigarettes (41.1 vs 51.9 pack-years).

CONCLUSIONS

Prevalence of COPD in Polish lung cancer screening cohort is significant. The COPD in this group is remarkably under-diagnosed. Most diagnosed COPD cases were in the initial stage of advancement. This early detection of airflow limitation highlights the potential benefits arising from combined oncological-pulmonary screening.NKBBN.

Behaviour change and physical activity interventions for physical activity engagement in community dwelling adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol for a systematic review

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex respiratory disease and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Pulmonary rehabilitation is recognised as the gold standard of care in the management of COPD, however engagement with pulmonary rehabilitation is low and maintenance of a physically active lifestyle in community dwelling adults with COPD is poor. Supporting positive behaviour change in people with COPD could help to increase their engagement with physical activity. This systematic review will examine behaviour change and physical activity interventions delivered to community dwelling adults with COPD with the aim of increasing physical activity engagement. Interventions will be mapped against Michie’s theoretical domains framework (TDF) to inform clinical practice and health policy.

Methods: The following databases will be searched from inception until December 2021: Web of Science, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (via EBSCO), EMBASE, APA PsychINFO, CINAHL (via EBSCO), AMED, PROSPERO, Cochrane Airways Trials Register. Reference lists of the relevant studies and grey literature will be searched using Grey Literature Report, Open Grey and Google Scholar search engines. Relevant studies will be systematically reviewed and subject to quality appraisal to determine the impact of behaviour change and physical activity interventions on outcomes of community-dwelling adults with COPD. Interventions will be mapped to Michie’s TDF and a narrative synthesis with respect to nature, effectiveness on target population and setting/environment will be provided. Findings will be reported in relation to the generalisability of the primary results and research question, and will include secondary findings on quality of life, self-reported participation in physical activity, exercise capacity, adverse events and intervention adherence. The review will be presented according to the PRISMA guidelines 2020.

Conclusions: This systematic review is necessary to explain the impact of behaviour change and physical activity interventions on outcomes of community dwelling people with COPD.

PROSPERO registration: CRD42021264965 (29.06.2021)

Respiratory health disorders among workers in some Egyptian welding enterprises

Welding fumes contain a complex mixture of metallic oxides that pose a risk to welders' respiratory systems. This study aimed to evaluate respiratory health disorders among workers in some Egyptian welding enterprises and their relationship to the workplace environment. This research was performed from January 1^st, 2019 to February 28^th, 2021 in welding enterprises in Birket El-Sabaa, a randomly selected district of Menoufia governorate, Egypt. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on 110 welders and 110 non-occupationally exposed subjects. Environmental studies were carried out for total welding fumes, respirable dust, and manganese air levels. Spirometric measures and manganese levels in whole blood were applied. Analysis of the personal air samples revealed that the mean values of welding fumes, respirable dust, and manganese air levels were higher than the international permissible levels. Welders had a higher significant prevalence of respiratory manifestations (rhinitis, cough, expectoration, wheezes, dyspnea, and chronic bronchitis) as well as decreased spirometric measures (FVC%, FEV₁%, FEV₁/FVC%, and FEF_25-75%) than controls. The mean value of whole blood manganese level was statistically significantly higher among welders than that of the controls (3.35 ± 0.5 and 1.81 ± 0.79 ng/mL; respectively). A significant relationship was reported between longer work time and the prevalence of respiratory manifestations and decreased spirometric measurements. The use of masks/respirators was associated with a reduced prevalence of respiratory manifestations. Finally, welders that are exposed to welding fumes at concentrations higher than the permissible levels in welding establishments suffer from adverse respiratory problems, as shown by increased prevalence of respiratory manifestations and lower spirometric measurements. Regular use of high-quality personal protective equipment, especially masks, as well as periodic medical examinations for welders, is highly urged.

Association Between TNF-α-308, +489, -238 Polymorphism, and COPD Susceptibility: An Updated Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) polymorphism may play an important role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) susceptibility. However, the results are still inconclusive. Eligible studies were searched in Cochrane Library database, EMBASE, Pudmed, Web of science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang database. Finally, a total of 27 case-control studies with 3473 COPD cases and 4935 controls were included in the present analysis. We also performed trial sequential analysis (TSA) to confirm our results. Overall, association between TNF-α-308G/A polymorphism and COPD susceptibility was identified in allelic model (A vs. G, OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.01-1.45, p = 0.04) when smoking status was not adjusted. In ethnicity subgroup analysis, we found that the TNF-α -308G/A polymorphism was associated to COPD among Asians (GA vs. GG, OR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.04-1.77, p = 0.02) when smoking status was not adjusted. However, no significant association was found in Asian smokers or Caucasian smokers. In conclusion, our study suggest that TNF-α-308 GA genotype is related to COPD in the Asian population. In addition, the TNF-α+489G/A, - 238G/A variants do not increase the risk of COPD. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42021273980.

Association of demographic variables and smoking habits with the severity of lung function in adult smokers

Background:

This study aims to evaluate the association between demographic and smoking variables with the severity of lung function loss (Stage I to IV) and spirometry data in smokers.

Materials and Methods:

Three hundred and fifty smoker men over the age of 20 who had visited in AL-Zahra hospital were involved. Spirometry tests were performed for measuring forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1, and FEV1%FVC. COPD was categorized into four stages by the (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) criteria of postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.70. FEV1/FVC <70%, in combination with FEV1 ≥80% (Stage I), or 50%≤FEV1 <80% (Stage II), or 30%≤FEV1 <50% (Stage III), or FEV1 ≤30% (Stage IV). Independent t-test, Spearman correlation analysis was used for data analysis. To determine the predicting factors for pulmonary function multiple regressions analysis was performed.

Results:

43 (19.5%) of men were defined as Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) which 7% of them were Stage I, 23.3% were Stage II, 39.5% were III and 30.2% were stage IV. In 60 (27.1%) of men, the index of Fev1/FVC was <80%. The criteria of PRIS in 74 (33.5%) of the patients and BDR in 59 (26.7%) of participation was positive. There were significant differences in the mean of FEV1 with respect to history of lung disease in relatives (P = 0.035), lung disease hospitalization (P < 0.001) and previous diagnosis of asthma variables (P < 0.001). The mean of FVC was significantly different in patients categorized based on lung disease hospitalization (P < 0.001) and previous diagnosis of asthma (P = 0.018). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the mean of FEV1/FVC for variables as follows: Time to start smoking after waking up (P = 0.007), lung disease hospitalization (P < 0.001) and previous diagnosis of asthma (P < 0.001). There was a significant association between stages of lung function loss and age of onset of smoking (β-0.355 P = 0.019) and pack per year (β = 0.354 P = 0.02). A linear regression model showed that lung disease hospitalization and age were the influential variables on FEV1 with (B = −21.79 confidence interval [CI]: −28.7, −14.87, P < 0.001and B = −0.418 CI: −0.63, −0.21, P < 0.001), respectively. The only significant influential variable on FVC was lung disease hospitalization (B = −15.89 CI: −21.49, −10.296, P < 0.001). Body mass index, lung disease hospitalization, time to start smoking after waking up in the morning and age had significant relationship on FEV1/FVC with (B = 0.71CI: 0.32, 1.11, P < 0.001, B = −14.29, CI: −19.61,-8.97, P < 0.001, B = 6.54, CI: 2.26, 10.82, P = 0.003 and B = −0.44, CI: −0.59, −0.28, P < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusion:

The age of onset of smoking and pack-year appears to be associated with the severity of COPD. Hospitalization history due to lung disease, age, the time between waking up in the morning and first cigarette use, BMI, lung disease history in relatives, previous diagnosis of asthma have a negative relationship with lung function.

Inflammatory Biomarkers Are Inaccurate Indicators of Bacterial Infection on Admission in Patients With Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-A Systematic Review and Diagnostic Accuracy Network Meta-Analysis

Introduction: The value of inflammatory biomarkers in the diagnosis of bacterial infection induced acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is currently unclear. Our objective was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of on-admission inflammatory biomarkers in differentiating bacterial origin in AECOPD.

Methods: Systematic literature search was performed to include cross-sectional studies on AECOPD patients with microbiological culture results as gold standard, and at least one on-admission inflammatory biomarker determined from serum: C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, eosinophil percentage, CD64index; or sputum: neutrophil elastase, tumor necrosis factor alfa, interleukin-1-beta (IL-1b), interleukin-8, sputum color, as index tests. We ranked index tests by superiority indices in a network meta-analysis and also calculated pooled sensitivity and specificity.

Results: Altogether, 21 eligible articles reported data on 2,608 AECOPD patients (44% bacterial). Out of the 14 index tests, sputum IL-1b showed the highest diagnostic performance with a pooled sensitivity of 74% (CI: 26–97%) and specificity of 65% (CI: 19–93%). Pooled sensitivity for CRP and PCT were: 67% (CI: 54–77%) and 54% (CI: 39–69%); specificity 62% (CI: 52–71%) and 71% (CI: 59–79%), respectively.

Conclusion: Admission inflammatory biomarkers are inaccurate indicators of bacterial infection in AECOPD.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#myprospero, identifier: 42020161301.

Social network participation towards enactment of self-care in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A qualitative meta-ethnography

BACKGROUND

How people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) engage with supportive social networks to enhance self-care is not understood. The personal rationales for participation in socially directed support have not been addressed in the literature. To determine how people with COPD identify, engage and participate in socially supportive self-care practices, we conducted a systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative studies.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted between June 2010 and June 2021. Of 3536 articles, 8 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Using a meta-ethnography approach to the qualitative synthesis, new concepts were derived from the data to identify aligning themes and develop a conceptual model.

FINDINGS

Interpretations from the papers yielded concepts of (1) accountability and personal responsibility in self-care, (2) valued positive relationships with clinicians, (3) understanding of illness through shared and personal experiences and (4) acknowledging social networks in fostering self-care engagement in people with COPD. The independence-experience (Index) model of synthesized (third order) interpretations highlighted the processes of social networks and self-care practices: (a) fear or avoidance of dependency, (b) learning from experiences of adaptive self-care behaviours and (c) including valued practices in self-care. Self-care strategies are formed through illness experiences and relatable social encounters.

CONCLUSION

The model derived from the third-order interpretations is a framework to describe socially supported self-care and can be used to direct future self-care strategies and target interventions for people with COPD.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The findings and model were presented to the long-term conditions patient and public involvement group. The manuscript is coauthored by a public representative.

Small airway determinants of airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Although a variety of pathological changes have been described in small airways of patients with COPD, the critical anatomic features determining airflow limitation remain incompletely characterised.

METHODS

We examined lung tissue specimens from 18 non-smokers without chronic lung disease and 55 former smokers with COPD for pathological features of small airways that could contribute to airflow limitation. Morphometric evaluation was performed for epithelial and subepithelial tissue thickness, collagen and elastin content, luminal mucus and radial alveolar attachments. Immune/inflammatory cells were enumerated in airway walls. Quantitative emphysema scoring was performed on chest CT scans.

RESULTS

Small airways from patients with COPD showed thickening of epithelial and subepithelial tissue, mucus plugging and reduced collagen density in the airway wall (in severe COPD). In patients with COPD, we also observed a striking loss of alveolar attachments, which are connective tissue septa that insert radially into the small airway adventitia. While each of these parameters correlated with reduced airflow (FEV1), multivariable regression analysis indicated that loss of alveolar attachments was the major determinant of airflow limitation related to small airways. Neutrophilic infiltration of airway walls and collagen degradation in airway adventitia correlated with loss of alveolar attachments. In addition, quantitative analysis of CT scans identified an association between the extent of emphysema and loss of alveolar attachments.

CONCLUSION

In COPD, loss of radial alveolar attachments in small airways is the pathological feature most closely related to airflow limitation. Destruction of alveolar attachments may be mediated by neutrophilic inflammation.

Comparison of constipation and nutritional status with disease-related parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

AIM

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of constipation symptoms and nutritional status on disease-related parameters, such as disease duration, spirometry test and quality of life, of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

METHODS

The research was performed with 48 COPD patients attending the centre from January 2019 to August 2019. Assessment of constipation symptoms was done by Constipation Severity Instrument (CSI), whereas for quality of life assessment, St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used. Patient's nutritional status was determined by food frequency questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) of the patients were identified with the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. Statistical assessment of data was done with SPSS 22 program.

RESULTS

According to the relationship between CSI scores and COPD disease parameters, there was a weak positive correlation between the CSI obstructive defecation subscale and SGRQ activity score and weak positive correlation between CSI colonic inertia subscale and COPD duration from the diagnosis. We found a weak negative correlation between protein intake percentage and SGRQ impact score. As the disease duration increased, the total fat, polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E intake of individuals were determined to reduce.

CONCLUSION

According to our results, there were some changes in the nutrient intake depending on the duration of COPD, and possible constipation in COPD patients may affect the quality of life.

Behaviour change and physical activity interventions for physical activity engagement in community dwelling adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol for a systematic review

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex respiratory disease and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Pulmonary rehabilitation is recognised as the gold standard of care in the management of COPD, however engagement with pulmonary rehabilitation is low and maintenance of a physically active lifestyle in community dwelling adults with COPD is poor. Supporting positive behaviour change in people with COPD could help to increase their engagement with physical activity. This systematic review will examine behaviour change and physical activity interventions delivered to community dwelling adults with COPD with the aim of increasing physical activity engagement. Interventions will be mapped against Michie’s theoretical domains framework (TDF) to inform clinical practice and health policy. Methods: The following databases will be searched from inception until December 2021: Web of Science, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (via EBSCO), EMBASE, APA PsychINFO, CINAHL (via EBSCO), AMED, PROSPERO, Cochrane Airways Trials Register. Reference lists of the relevant studies and grey literature will be searched using Grey Literature Report, Open Grey and Google Scholar search engines. Relevant studies will be systematically reviewed and subject to quality appraisal to determine the impact of behaviour change and physical activity interventions on outcomes of community-dwelling adults with COPD. Interventions will be mapped to Michie’s TDF and a narrative synthesis with respect to nature, effectiveness on target population and setting/environment will be provided. Findings will be reported in relation to the generalisability of the primary results and research question, and will include secondary findings on quality of life, self-reported participation in physical activity, exercise capacity, adverse events and intervention adherence. The review will be presented according to the PRISMA guidelines 2020. Conclusions: This systematic review is necessary to explain the impact of behaviour change and physical activity interventions on outcomes of community dwelling people with COPD. PROSPERO registration: CRD42021264965 (29.06.2021)

A randomised trial of a web-based physical activity self-management intervention in COPD

Improving exercise capacity is a primary objective in COPD. Declines in exercise capacity result in reduced physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Self-management interventions can teach patients skills and behaviours to manage their disease. Technology-mediated interventions have the potential to provide easily accessible support for disease self-management. We evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based self-management intervention, focused on physical activity promotion, on exercise capacity in COPD. This 6-month randomised controlled trial (NCT02099799) enrolled 153 persons with COPD at two US sites (VABoston, n=108; VABirmingham, n=45). Participants were allocated (1:1) to the web-based self-management intervention (physical activity promotion through personalised, progressive step-count goals, feedback, online COPD-related education and social support via an online community) or usual care. The primary outcome was exercise capacity (6-min walk distance (6 MWD)). Secondary outcomes included physical activity (daily steps per day), HRQoL (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire Total Score), dyspnoea, COPD-related knowledge and social support. Change in step-count goals reflected intervention engagement. Participants' mean age was 69 (sd=7), and mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s % predicted was 61% (sd=21%). Change in 6MWD did not differ between groups. Intervention participants improved their mean daily step counts by 1312 more than those in the usual care group (p<0.001). Groups did not differ on other secondary outcomes. VABirmingham participants were significantly more engaged with the intervention, although site did not modify the effect of the intervention on 6MWD or secondary outcomes. The intervention did not improve exercise capacity but improved physical activity at 6 months. Additional intervention modifications are needed to optimise its COPD self-management capabilities.

A web-based self-management intervention improved physical activity but not exercise capacity. There is a need to develop and study accessible self-management interventions for COPD.https://bit.ly/3iT1yvU

Advanced human-relevant in vitro pulmonary platforms for respiratory therapeutics

Over the past years, advanced in vitro pulmonary platforms have witnessed exciting developments that are pushing beyond traditional preclinical cell culture methods. Here, we discuss ongoing efforts in bridging the gap between in vivo and in vitro interfaces and identify some of the bioengineering challenges that lie ahead in delivering new generations of human-relevant in vitro pulmonary platforms. Notably, in vitro strategies using foremost lung-on-chips and biocompatible "soft" membranes have focused on platforms that emphasize phenotypical endpoints recapitulating key physiological and cellular functions. We review some of the most recent in vitro studies underlining seminal therapeutic screens and translational applications and open our discussion to promising avenues of pulmonary therapeutic exploration focusing on liposomes. Undeniably, there still remains a recognized trade-off between the physiological and biological complexity of these in vitro lung models and their ability to deliver assays with throughput capabilities. The upcoming years are thus anticipated to see further developments in broadening the applicability of such in vitro systems and accelerating therapeutic exploration for drug discovery and translational medicine in treating respiratory disorders.

Systemic inflammation induced by exacerbation of COPD or pneumonia in patients with COPD induces cardiac troponin elevation

Background

Troponin is a biomarker of myocardial injury. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), troponin is an important determinant of mortality after acute exacerbation. Whether acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) causes troponin elevation is not known. Here, we investigated whether troponin is increased in AECOPD compared to stable COPD.

Methods

We included 320 patients with COPD in the stable state and 63 random individuals from Akershus University hospital’s catchment area. All participants were ≥40 years old (mean 65·1 years, SD 7·6) and 176 (46%) were females. The geometric mean of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) was 6·9 ng/L (geometric-SD 2·6). They were followed regarding hospital admission for the subsequent 5 years.

Results

During the 5-year follow-up, we noted 474 hospitalisations: Totally, 150 and 80 admissions were due to AECOPD or pneumonia, respectively. The geometric mean ratio with geometric SE (GSE) between cTnT at admission and stable state in AECOPD and pneumonia was 1·27 (GSE=1.11, p=0·023) and 1·28 (GSE=1.14, p=0·054), respectively. After inclusion of blood leucocyte count and C reactive protein at hospitalisation, these ratios attenuated to zero. However, we estimated an indirect of AECOPD and pneumonia on the ratio between hs-cTnT at admission and the stable state to 1·16 (p=0·022) and 1·22 (p=0·008), representing 91% (95% CI 82% to 100%) and 95% (95% CI 83% to 100%) of the total effects, respectively.

Conclusion

AECOPD and pneumonia in patients with COPD is associated with higher cTnT levels. This association appears to be mediated by systemic inflammation.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the behaviour and health status of patients with COPD: results from the German COPD cohort COSYCONET

Background:

Infection control measures for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might have affected management and clinical state of patients with COPD. We analysed to which extent this common notion is fact-based.

Methods:

Patients of the COSYCONET cohort were contacted with three recurring surveys (COVID1, 2 and 3 at 0, 3 and 6 months, respectively). The questionnaires comprised behaviour, clinical and functional state, and medical treatment. The responses to the questionnaires were compared amongst themselves and with pre-COVID information from the last visit of COSYCONET.

Results:

Overall, 594 patients were contacted and 375 patients (58% males, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) 61±22% predicted) provided valid data in COVID1 and COVID2. Five patients reported infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most patients – except for patients with higher education – reported compliance with recommended protective measures, whereby compliance to hygiene, contact and access to physicians slightly improved between COVID1 and COVID2. Also, patients obtained more information from physicians than from public media. In the majority of cases, the personal physician could not be substituted by remote consultation. Over time, symptoms slightly increased and self-assessed physical capacity decreased. Results of COVID3 were similar. Women and patients with more exacerbations and dyspnoea avoided medical consultations, whereas Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) D patients were more amenable to tele-consultation.

Conclusion:

In well-characterised COPD patients, we observed on average slight deteriorations of clinical state during the period of COVID-19 restrictions, with high and partially increasing adherence to protective measures. The data suggest that in particular, women and GOLD D patients should be actively contacted by physicians to identify deteriorations.

During the period of #COVID19 restrictions, slight deteriorations of clinical state with increasing adherence to protective measures were observed. In particular, women and GOLD D patients are at risk of deterioration.https://bit.ly/2S7fhEo

Multicentre comparison of self-management in patients with COPD

In patients with COPD, self-management plays an important role in disease management. Recently, self-management programmes have expanded patient education practices to include a variety of disease management techniques. We hypothesised that COPD patients have insufficient and/or different self-management needs according to institution. We compared information needs of patients between specialised clinics in Canada (SCC) and Japan and a hospital outpatient clinic in Japan (HCJ), all employing different self-management interventions.  This cross-sectional study evaluated patients' information needs for disease management using the Lung Information Needs Questionnaire (LINQ). Furthermore, we assessed pulmonary function tests, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnoea scale and frequencies of hospitalisations and emergency visits.  The total number of patients was 183. Those attending SCC were younger (p=0.047), with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s % predicted (p<0.0001), and scored higher on the mMRC dyspnoea scale. Total LINQ scores showed differences between institutions (p<0.0001). There was no difference for the smoking domain; however, SCC recorded significantly lower information needs for all other domains (p<0.02). No significant difference in emergency visits was seen between institutions, but HCJ recorded the highest rate of emergency visits, while SCC had significantly higher rates of hospitalisation (p=0.004). Differences were seen for frequency and duration of education between institutions.  These results highlight the differences in information needs by institution and the importance of assessing individual needs. We believe, despite representing only one aspect of self-management, our findings reflect real-world circumstances, adding to the argument that self-management education should be structured, but flexible, to meet the changing needs of COPD patients.

Associations of genetic risk and smoking with incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Genetic and smoking contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but whether a combined polygenic risk score (PRS) is associated with incident COPD and whether it has a synergistic effect on the smoking remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of PRS with COPD and explore whether smoking behaviors could modify such association.

METHODS

Multivariable Cox proportional models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association of the PRS and smoking with COPD.

RESULTS

The study included 439 255 participants (mean age 56.5; 53.9% female), with a median follow-up of 9.0 years. The PRS_lasso containing 2.5 million variants showed better discrimination and a stronger association for incident COPD than the PRS₂₇₉ containing 279 genome-wide significance variants. Compared with the low genetic risk, the HRs of the medium and high genetic risk were 1.39 (95% CI, 1.31-1.48) and 2.40 (95% CI, 2.24-2.56), respectively. The HR of high genetic risk and current smoking was 11.62 (95% CI, 10.31-13.10) times of low genetic risk and never smoking. There were significant interactions between the PRS_lasso and smoking status for incident COPD (p for interaction<0.001). From low genetic risk to high genetic risk, the HRs of current smoking increased from 4.32 (95% CI, 3.69-5.06) to 6.89 (95% CI, 6.21-7.64), and the population-attributable risks of smoking increased from 42.7% to 61.1%.

CONCLUSION

PRS constructed from millions of variants below genome-wide significance showed significant associations with incident COPD. Participants with a high genetic risk may be more susceptible to developing COPD when exposed to smoking.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals That Placenta-Specific Protein 9 Inhibits Proliferation and Stimulates Motility of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Placenta-specific protein 9 (PLAC9) is a putative secretory protein that was initially identified in the placenta and is involved in cell proliferation and motility. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that PLAC9 is repressed in lung cancers (LCs), especially lung adenocarcinomas, compared to that in the paired adjacent normal tissues, indicating that PLAC9 might be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases. To investigate the potential role of PLAC9 in the abnormal reprogramming of airway epithelial cells (AECs), a key cause of pulmonary diseases, we constructed a stable PLAC9-overexpressing human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE-GFP-Plac9). We utilized the proteomic approach isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) to analyze the effect of PLAC9 on cellular protein composition. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analyses revealed that GO terms and pathways associated with cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and cell motility and migration were significantly enriched among the proteins regulated by PLAC9. Our in vitro results showed that PLAC9 overexpression reduced cell proliferation, altered cell cycle progression, and increased cell motility, including migration and invasion. Our findings suggest that PLAC9 inhibits cell proliferation through S phase arrest by altering the expression levels of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and promotes cell motility, likely via the concerted actions of cyclins, E-cadherin, and vimentin. Since these mechanisms may underlie PLAC9-mediated abnormal human bronchial pathogenesis, our study provides a basis for the development of molecular targeted treatments for LCs.

Phenotypic and Genomic Variability of Serial Peri-Lung Transplantation Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates From Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Cystic fibrosis (CF) represents one of the major genetic and chronic lung diseases affecting Caucasians of European descent. Patients with CF suffer from recurring infections that lead to further damage of the lungs. Pulmonary infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa is most prevalent, further increasing CF-related mortality. The present study describes the phenotypic and genotypic variations among 36 P. aeruginosa isolates obtained serially from a non-CF and five CF patients before, during and after lung transplantation (LTx). The classical and genomic investigation of these isolates revealed a common mucoid phenotype and only subtle differences in the genomes. Isolates originating from an individual patient shared ≥98.7% average nucleotide identity (ANI). However, when considering isolates from different patients, substantial variations in terms of sequence type (ST), virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were observed. Whole genome multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) confirmed the presence of unique STs per patient regardless of the time from LTx. It was supported by the monophyletic clustering found in the genome-wide phylogeny. The antibiogram shows that ≥91.6% of the isolates were susceptible to amikacin, colistin and tobramycin. For other antibiotics from the panel, isolates frequently showed resistance. Alternatively, a comparative analysis of the 36 P. aeruginosa isolates with 672 strains isolated from diverse ecologies demonstrated clustering of the CF isolates according to the LTx patients from whom they were isolated. We observed that despite LTx and associated measures, all patients remained persistently colonized with similar isolates. The present study shows how whole genome sequencing (WGS) along with phenotypic analysis can help us understand the evolution of P. aeruginosa over time especially its antibiotic resistance.

Markers of disease activity in COPD: an 8-year mortality study in the ECLIPSE cohort

Rationale

There are no validated measures of disease activity in COPD. Since “active” disease is expected to have worse outcomes (e.g. mortality), we explored potential markers of disease activity in patients enrolled in the ECLIPSE cohort in relation to 8-year all-cause mortality.

Methods

We investigated 1) how changes in relevant clinical variables over time (1 or 3 years) relate to 8-year mortality; 2) whether these variables inter-relate; and 3) if any clinical, imaging and/or biological marker measured cross-sectionally at baseline relates to any activity component.

Results

Results showed that 1) after 1 year, hospitalisation for COPD, exacerbation frequency, worsening of body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea and exercise (BODE) index or health status (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ)) and persistence of systemic inflammation were significantly associated with 8-year mortality; 2) at 3 years, the same markers, plus forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) decline and to a lesser degree computed tomography (CT) emphysema, showed association, thus qualifying as markers of disease activity; 3) changes in FEV₁, inflammatory cytokines and CT emphysema were not inter-related, while the multidimensional indices (BODE and SGRQ) showed modest correlations; and 4) changes in these markers could not be predicted by any baseline cross-sectional measure.

Conclusions

In COPD, 1- and 3-year changes in exacerbation frequency, systemic inflammation, BODE and SGRQ scores and FEV₁ decline are independent markers of disease activity associated with 8-year all-cause mortality. These disease activity markers are generally independent and not predictable from baseline measurements.

In patients with COPD, 1- and 3-year changes in exacerbation frequency, systemic inflammation, BODE and SGRQ scores, and FEV₁ decline, are independent markers of disease activity associated with 8-year all-cause mortalityhttps://bit.ly/2CyifcN

IL-36 Cytokines Promote Inflammation in the Lungs of Long-Term Smokers

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive inflammatory lung disease with high morbidity and mortality. The IL-36 family are proinflammatory cytokines that are known to shape innate immune responses, including those critical to bacterial pneumonia. The objective of this study was to determine whether IL-36 cytokines promote a proinflammatory milieu in the lungs of long-term smokers with and without COPD. Concentrations of IL-36 cytokines were measured in plasma and BAL fluid from subjects in a pilot study (n = 23) of long-term smokers with and without COPD in vivo and from a variety of lung cells (from 3-5 donors) stimulated with bacteria or cigarette smoke components in vitro. Pulmonary macrophages were stimulated with IL-36 cytokines in vitro, and chemokine and cytokine production was assessed. IL-36α and IL-36γ are produced to varying degrees in murine and human lung cells in response to bacterial stimuli and cigarette smoke components in vitro. Moreover, whereas IL-36γ production is upregulated early after cigarette smoke stimulation and wanes over time, IL-36α production requires a longer duration of exposure. IL-36α and IL-36γ are enhanced systemically and locally in long-term smokers with and without COPD, and local IL-36α concentrations display a positive correlation with declining ventilatory lung function and increasing proinflammatory cytokine concentrations. In vitro, IL-36α and IL-36γ induce proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines in a concentration-dependent fashion that requires IL-36R and MyD88. IL-36 cytokine production is altered in long-term smokers with and without COPD and contributes to shaping a proinflammatory milieu in the lungs.

The Impact of COPD Exacerbations in the Year Following Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial

Background

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an effective treatment for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its benefits are poorly maintained. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COPD exacerbations in the year following pulmonary rehabilitation on outcomes at 12 months.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis from a trial of home versus hospital-based rehabilitation in COPD, with 12 months of follow-up. Moderate and severe exacerbations were identified using administrative data (prescriptions) and hospital records (admissions) respectively. The impact of exacerbations at 12 months following pulmonary rehabilitation was evaluated for quality of life (Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire, CRQ), dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council, mMRC), exercise capacity (6-minute walk distance, 6MWD) and objectively measured physical activity (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, MVPA).

Results

A total of 166 participants were included, with mean age (SD) 69 (9) years and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 49 (19)% predicted. Moderate exacerbations occurred in 68% and severe exacerbations in 34% of participants. Experiencing a severe exacerbation was an independent predictor of worse 12-month outcomes for CRQ (total, fatigue and emotional function domains), mMRC, 6MWD and MVPA (all p<0.05). Participants who completed pulmonary rehabilitation were less likely to have a severe exacerbation (29% vs 48%, p=0.02). Severe exacerbations were more likely in those with worse baseline CRQ total (odds ratio 0.97, 95% CI 0.95 to 0.99) and FEV1%predicted (0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99).

Conclusion

Severe exacerbations occur frequently following pulmonary rehabilitation and predict worse 12-month outcomes. Strategies to maintain the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation should address exacerbation prevention and management.

Identification of biomarkers associated with clinical severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

We sought to identify the biomarkers related to the clinical severity of stage I to stage IV chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Gene expression profiles from the blood samples of COPD patients at each of the four stages were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus Database (GEO, accession number: GSE54837). Genes showing expression changes among the different stages were sorted by soft clustering. We performed functional enrichment, protein-protein interaction (PPI), and miRNA regulatory network analyses for the differentially expressed genes. The biomarkers associated with the clinical classification of COPD were selected from logistic regression models and the relationships between TLR2 and inflammatory factors were verified in clinical blood samples by qPCR and ELISA. Gene clusters demonstrating continuously rising or falling changes in expression (clusters 1, 2, and 7 and clusters 5, 6, and 8, respectively) from stage I to IV were defined as upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively, and further analyzed. The upregulated genes were enriched in functions associated with defense, inflammatory, or immune responses. The downregulated genes were associated with lymphocyte activation and cell activation. TLR2, HMOX1, and CD79A were hub proteins in the integrated network of PPI and miRNA regulatory networks. TLR2 and CD79A were significantly correlated with clinical classifications. TLR2 was closely associated with inflammatory responses during COPD progression. Functions associated with inflammatory and immune responses as well as lymphocyte activation may play important roles in the progression of COPD from stage I to IV. TLR2 and CD79A may serve as potential biomarkers for the clinical severity of COPD. TLR2 and CD79A may also serve as independent biomarkers in the clinical classification in COPD. TLR2 may play an important role in the inflammatory responses of COPD.

Extra-pulmonary manifestations of COPD and the role of pulmonary rehabilitation: a symptom-centered approach

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex and heterogenous disease that is associated with a range of respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms, which highly contribute to the daily burden of the disease. Symptoms burden remains high despite optimal bronchodilator therapy, but pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective intervention to improve patients' symptoms. A comprehensive interdisciplinary approach within the framework of a PR program is warranted to tackle these complex symptoms and their consequences. Areas covered: This narrative review describes how symptoms of dyspnea, fatigue, cough, sputum, anxiety, depression, pain, sleep disturbances, and cognitive decline arise in COPD and can contribute to several non-pulmonary manifestations of the disease. It also describes evidence of the effectiveness of interdisciplinary PR programs to counteract these symptoms. A literature search was performed on PubMed and Scopus between June and July 2020. Expert opinion: Respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms are highly prevalent, often not comprehensively assessed, and result in several extra-pulmonary manifestations of the disease (physical, emotional and social). Interdisciplinary PR programs can improve these negative manifestations through different pathways, contributing for an effective symptoms' management. A thorough assessment of symptoms (beyond dyspnea) should be routinely performed and may support the identification of treatable traits, allowing the tailoring of PR interventions and assessment of their real-life impact.

Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on linear and nonlinear dynamics of heart rate variability in patients with heart failure

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-heart failure (HF) coexistence on linear and nonlinear dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV). Forty-one patients (14 with COPD-HF and 27 HF) were enrolled and underwent pulmonary function and echocardiography evaluation to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Heart rate (HR) and R-R intervals (iRR) were collected during active postural maneuver (APM) [supine (10 min) to orthostasis (10 min)], respiratory sinus arrhythmia maneuver (RSA-M) (4 min), and analysis of frequency domain, time domain, and nonlinear HRV. We found expected autonomic response during orthostatic changes with reduction of mean iRR, root mean square of successive differences between heart beats (RMSSD), RR tri index, and high-frequency [HF (nu)] and an increased mean HR, low-frequency [LF (nu)], and LF/HF (nu) compared with supine only in HF patients (P<0.05). Patients with COPD-HF coexistence did not respond to postural change. In addition, in the orthostatic position, higher HF nu and lower LF nu and LF/HF (nu) were observed in COPD-HF compared with HF patients. HF patients showed an opposite response during RSA-M, with increased sympathetic modulation (LF nu) and reduced parasympathetic modulation (HF nu) (P<0.05) compared with COPD-HF patients. COPD-HF directly influenced cardiac autonomic modulation during active postural change and controlled breathing, demonstrating an autonomic imbalance during sympathetic and parasympathetic maneuvers compared with isolated HF.

Impact of Education on COPD Severity and All-Cause Mortality in Lifetime Never-Smokers and Longtime Ex-Smokers: Results of the COSYCONET Cohort

Background

Beyond smoking, several risk factors for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been described, among which socioeconomic status including education is of particular interest. We studied the contribution of education to lung function and symptoms relative to smoking in a group of never-smokers with COPD compared to a group of long-time ex-smokers with COPD.

Methods

We used baseline data of the COSYCONET cohort, including patients of GOLD grades 1-4 who were either never-smokers (n=150, age 68.5y, 53.3% female) or ex-smokers (≥10 packyears) for at least 10 years (n=616, 68.3y, 29.9% female). Socioeconomic status was analyzed using education level and mortality was assessed over a follow-up period of 4.5 years. Analyses were performed using ANOVA and regression models.

Results

Spirometric lung function did not differ between groups, whereas CO diffusing capacity and indicators of lung hyperinflation/air-trapping showed better values in the never-smoker group. In both groups, spirometric lung function depended on the education level, with better values for higher education. Quality of life and 6-MWD were significantly different in never-smokers as well as patients with higher education. Asthma, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, and bronchiectasis were more often reported in never-smokers, and asthma was more often reported in patients with higher education. Higher education was also associated with reduced mortality (hazard ratio 0.46; 95% CI 0.22-0.98).

Conclusion

Overall, in the COSYCONET COPD cohort, differences in functional status between never-smokers and long-time ex-smokers were not large. Compared to that, the dependence on education level was more prominent, with higher education associated with better outcomes, including mortality. These data indicate that non-smoking COPD patients' socioeconomic factors are relevant and should be taken into account by clinicians.

Serum biomarkers in patients with stable and exacerbated COPD-bronchiectasis overlap syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Bronchiectasis (B), commonly seen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is associated with exacerbations and predicts mortality.

OBJECTIVES

To differentiate patient groups with COPD-(B+) or COPD-(B-) and their exacerbations by using inflammatory markers.

METHODS

Consecutive COPD patients were divided into two groups according to findings on high resolution thorax CT (HRCT) images using Smith and modified Reiff scores. Patients were prospectively followed for possible future exacerbations. Serum fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were studied during exacerbation and stable periods.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven patients were included and (85 M, 2 F), mean aged was 68.1 ± 9 (46-87). HRCT confirmed bronchiectasis in 38 (43.7%) patients, most commonly in tubular form (89.4%) and in lower lobes. COPD-B(+) group had lower body mass index (P = 0.036), more advanced stage of disease (P = 0.004) and more frequent exacerbation (P = 0.01). The HRCT scores were correlated with exacerbation rate (r = 0.356, P < 0.05). Fibrinogen and CRP values were higher in exacerbation (P = 0.01, P = 0.013, respectively) especially in COPD-B(+) patients. suPAR and PAI-1 levels were also higher in COPD-B(+) patients although it was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Bronchiectasis is common and causes frequent exacerbations in COPD. Identifying of COPD-B(+) phenotype by HRCT scoring systems has considerable importance for both therapeutic options and clinical outcome of the disease. In addition to fibrinogen and CRP, high serum levels of suPAR and PAI-1 suggest us their significant roles in increased systemic inflammation associated with coexisting of COPD and bronchiectasis.

Contributions of burning incense on indoor air pollution levels and on the health status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background

Among Buddhist or Taoist Taiwanese residents, burning incense is a common source of indoor particulate matter (PM), including PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, and can adversely affect the health status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). However, few studies have focused on the effects of intermittent burning of incense on PM concentration levels and the health status of patients with COPD. This correlational cohort study aimed to investigate the association between burning incense exposure duration, indoor air pollution levels, and lung function in patients with COPD in Taiwan.

Methods

We assessed 18 outpatients at seven time points with moderate-to-severe COPD using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and lung function tests. PM level changes were assessed at seven intervals using generalized estimating equations.

Results

Participants were primarily male (84%), with a mean age of 72.1 (standard deviation (SD)  ± 9.3) years, and with a mean COPD duration of 3.7 (SD  ± 3.1) years. Both PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 levels were the same as the background levels 1 h after incense burning. Burning incense may not influence lung function or symptom severity in patients with COPD in a short-time period. Air quality returned to baseline levels 1 h after burning incense.

Conclusion

Patients with COPD should avoid staying in rooms where incense is burnt, for up to 1 h. The small sample size and short study period may have influenced our results. Future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-ups are recommended.

Effects of Vibration Training in Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have reported positive effects of exercise training in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) on physical capacity and quality of life. However, evidence is rare on the effects of specific forms of training and further pathophysiological mechanisms in these patients.

OBJECTIVES

In this multicenter study we aimed to explore the clinical effects of whole-body vibration training (WBVT) in patients with ILD on various outcome measures, including proinflammatory cytokines and myostatin.

METHODS

We randomly assigned 26 patients with different forms of multidisciplinary confirmed fibrotic ILDs either to the WBVT group (n = 11; 55% male, 61 ± 14 years old, forced vital capacity 83.2 ± 29.3% predicted, 6-min walking distance [6MWD] 478 ± 79 m) performing 3 months of a standardized training (3 times per week), or to a control training group (CTG, n = 15; 60% male, 63 ± 9 years old, FVC 74.6 ± 20.5% predicted, 6MWD 455 ± 85 m) performing sham WBV training. Training in the two groups was performed on a GalileoTM vibration plate (6-20 vs. 5 Hz). The functional assessments before and after the intervention period included pulmonary function, 6MWD test, chair rise test, ultrasonographic measurement of quadriceps muscle thickness (cross-sectional area), quality of life questionnaires, and serum samples.

RESULTS

We observed a significant increase in 6MWD (∆Training = 30 m [12-67], p = 0.024) and a decrease of myostatin (∆Training = -465 pg/mL [-713 to -166], p = 0.008) in the WBVT group. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in the CTG.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrates that WBVT is able to significantly increase 6MWD and decrease myostatin in patients with fibrotic ILDs. Therefore, WBVT seems to be a beneficial and feasible training modality in ILD patients. Clinical Trial Registry: German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00012930).