Association between lung function and dyspnoea and its variation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

BACKGROUND

Dyspnoea is a common symptom of respiratory disease. However, data on its prevalence in general populations and its association with lung function are limited and are mainly from high-income countries. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of dyspnoea across several world regions, and to investigate the association of dyspnoea with lung function.

METHODS

Dyspnoea was assessed, and lung function measured in 25,806 adult participants of the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Dyspnoea was defined as ≥2 on the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnoea scale. The prevalence of dyspnoea was estimated for each of the study sites and compared across countries and world regions. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of dyspnoea with lung function in each site. Results were then pooled using random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of dyspnoea varied widely across sites without a clear geographical pattern. The mean prevalence of dyspnoea was 13.7 % (SD=8.2 %), ranging from 0 % in Mysore (India) to 28.8 % in Nampicuan-Talugtug (Philippines). Dyspnoea was strongly associated with both spirometry restriction (FVC

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of dyspnoea varies substantially across the world and is strongly associated with lung function impairment. Using the mMRC scale in epidemiological research should be discussed.

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Key Words

• Breathlessness
• Dyspnoea
• Lung function
• Spirometry

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Affiliation(s)

A Müller Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health, Vienna, Austria; Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
E F Wouters Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health, Vienna, Austria; Sigmund Freud University, Faculty of Medicine, Vienna, Austria; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
P Koul Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, India
T Welte Department of Respiratory Medicine/Infectious Disease, Member of the German Centre for Lung Research, Hannover School of Medicine, Hannover, Germany
I Harrabi Faculté de Médecine, Sousse, Tunisia
A Rashid RCSI and UCD Malaysia Campus, Penang, Malaysia
L C Loh RUMC, Penang, Malaysia
M Al Ghobain King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud ben Abdulaziz University for Health Science, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A Elsony The Epidemiological Laboratory, Khartoum, Sudan
R Ahmed The Epidemiological Laboratory, Khartoum, Sudan
J Potts National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
K Mortimer University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
F Rodrigues Pulmonology Department, Lisbon North Hospital Centre, Lisbon, Portugal; Institute of Environmental Health, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Lisbon Medical School, Lisbon University, Lisbon, Portugal
S N Paraguas Philippine College of Chest Physicians, Manila, Philippines
S Juvekar KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
D Agarwal KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
D Obaseki Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada
T Gislason Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; Department of Sleep, Landspitali - The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
T Seemungal Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
A A Nafees Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
C Jenkins Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
H B Dias Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Politecnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
F M E Franssen Department of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, the Netherlands
M Studnicka Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
C Janson Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
H H Cherkaski Faculty of Medicine, University Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria
M El Biaze Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fes, Morocco
P A Mahesh Department of Respiratory Medicine, JSS Medical College and Hospital, Mysore, Karnataka, India
J Cardoso Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal; NOVA Medical School, Nova University Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
P Burney National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
S Hartl Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health, Vienna, Austria; Sigmund Freud University, Faculty of Medicine, Vienna, Austria
D J A Janssen Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, the Netherlands
A F S Amaral National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK; NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK

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The GOLD Summit on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low- and middle-income countries

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the top three causes of death worldwide, but governments and non-governmental organisations have not given its prevention and treatment the priority it requires. This is particularly true in low- and middle-income countries, where most of the people suffering from this disease live. The United Nations (UN) has targeted a reduction of premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by a third by 2030; however, a coordinated UN/World Health Organization (WHO) strategy to address the burden of COPD (one of the most important NCDs) is still lacking. To explore the extent of the problem and inform the development of policies to improve the situation, the Board of Directors of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) held a 1-day Summit. The key themes that emerged were the need to ensure accurate data on prevalence, raise awareness of the disease among the public, healthcare professionals and governments, including the fact that COPD aetiology goes beyond smoking (and other inhaled pollutants) and includes poor lung development in early life, and ensure that spirometry and both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies are available and affordable. Here, we present the actions that must be taken to address the impact of COPD. We believe that the WHO is particularly well-positioned to co-ordinate an attack on COPD, and GOLD will do all it can to help and rally support.

Relationship between knowledge and quality of asthma care among physicians in South-West Nigeria

INTRODUCTION

Adequate knowledge of asthma management and adherence to international guidelines are known to increase the quality of care offered by Physicians. We conducted this study to assess the level of asthma knowledge and quality of care among physicians practicing in Ondo State.

METHODS

We conducted a cross sectional survey of 96 physicians from various specialties participating in a continuous professional development (CPD) lecture using adapted questionnaires.

RESULT

Respondents ranged in age from 23-62years (42.5±19.4). There were more male (70%). The minority (17%) had additional postgraduate medical qualifications. There was a high distribution of correct answers for individual knowledge questions. The greatest areas of knowledge gaps appeared in diagnostic instruments, asthma severity and drugs. We observed gaps regarding the use of GINA guidelines (6%) and prescribing combined inhaled steroid and long acting bronchodilator for patients who are not controlled on inhaled steroid alone (29%). A large number of the respondents do not confirm the diagnosis of asthma by spirometry (32%). Only 8% of the respondents with high knowledge reported a corresponding high quality of Asthma care.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that although physicians in South-West Nigeria appear to have good knowledge, there are areas of gap in the quality of asthma care with regards to standard guideline. There is need for constant training and re-training of physicians in order to keep them up to date with international guidelines. In addition, increase access to diagnostic facilities and adapting international guideline to local realities will help improve standard of Asthma care.

Gaps in using bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and influenza vaccine among 23 high- and low-income sites

BACKGROUND

Increasing access to essential respiratory medicines and influenza vaccination has been a priority for over three decades. Their use remains low in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where little is known about factors influencing use, or about the use of influenza vaccination for preventing respiratory exacerbations.

METHODS

We estimated rates of regular use of bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and influenza vaccine, and predictors for use among 19 000 adults in 23 high-income countries (HICs) and LMIC sites.

RESULTS

Bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and influenza vaccine were used significantly more in HICs than in LMICs, after adjusting for similar clinical needs. Although they are used more commonly by people with symptomatic or severe respiratory disease, the gap between HICs and LMICs is not explained by the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or doctor-diagnosed asthma. Site-specific factors are likely to influence use differently. The gross national income per capita for the country is a strong predictor for use of these treatments, suggesting that economics influence under-treatment.

CONCLUSION

We still need a better understanding of determinants for the low use of essential respiratory medicines and influenza vaccine in low-income settings. Identifying and addressing these more systematically could improve the access and use of effective treatments.

Malignant Breast Tumour in a 13-Year Old Girl

We report a case of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the breast in a 13-year old girl. She has had wide local excision of the tumour and six cycles of adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy. Four years after treatment, she was free from local recurrence; however, the presence of distant metastasis could not be assessed because of inadequate imaging investigations.

The relation of airway obstruction to asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis and age: results from a population survey of adults

RATIONALE

There is conflicting evidence on whether patients with asthma experience an accelerated decline in lung function with age. We examined the association between postbronchodilator lung function, asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), and atopy with age using a large European sample.

METHODS

In 17 centers in 11 European countries, case-control studies were nested within representative cross-sectional surveys of adults aged less than 75 years. Representative samples of participants with asthma, CRS or both and controls were assessed for postbronchodilator ventilatory function, smoking history, atopy, and treatment. Multiple regression was used to assess the interactive effects of age and diagnostic group on decline in postbronchodilator ventilatory function.

RESULTS

A total of 3337 participants provided adequate data (778 with asthma, 399 with CRS, 244 with both asthma and CRS and 1916 controls who had neither asthma nor CRS). Participants with asthma had lower FEV1 /FVC (-4.09% (95% CI: -5.02, -3.15, P < 0.001) and a steeper slope of FEV1 /FVC against age (-0.14%/annum [95%CI: -0.19, -0.08]) equivalent to smoking 1-2 packs of cigarettes per day. Those with atopy had a slope equivalent to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

People with asthma have a steeper decline in postbronchodilator lung function with age, but neither CRS nor atopy alone were associated with such decline.

Frequency of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV-1 infected patients in north central Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is the most common severe life threatening fungal infection in AIDS patients. It is an important cause of morbidity and mortality There is paucity of data on the prevalence of CM in Nigeria. We aimed to determine the frequency of CM, the clinical presentation and immunological profile.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was carried out at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). A total of 100 HIV-1 infected patients suspected of having meningitis or meningoencephalitis were subjected to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis (including Indian ink preparation and fungal culture by conventional methods) and CD4 count was determined using flow cytometry (count bit Y-R 1004 Partec Muster Germany).

RESULTS

The freguency of CM was 36% in our cohort. The commonest clinical presentation included headache (100.0%), neck stiffness (77.8%), fever (72.0%), vomiting 55.6%), personality changes (55.6%), photophobia (27.8%) and convulsions (27.8%). The mean duration of symptoms was 24 +/- 22 days with a median of 17 days. The mean CD4 count was 89 +/- 60 cells/mm3 with a median of 82 cells/mm3.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of CM and the associated severe immunosuppression underscores the importance of early diagnosis of HIV infection which may reduce the incidence of CM. There is the urgent need for access to Amphotericin B and fluconazole in resource constrained settings in addition to a wide access to HAART.

Churg Strauss syndrome: a review

BACKGROUND

Churg Strauss syndrome is a medical condition of unknown aetiology characterized by asthma, eosinophilia and finally vasculitis involving small vessels in the limbs and nasal sinuses and the lungs. The purpose of this review is to highlight the natural history of this condition, the pathogenesis, clinical features and treatment modalities available and the prognosis.

METHODS

Literature on the subject was reviewed using manual library search, articles in journals, internet search and conference abstracts.

RESULT

Churg Strauss syndrome has been reported to be predominantly common in middle aged individuals in their middle age of life with a history of new onset or worsened asthma. The condition has a male predisposition. Prior to the advent of steroid therapy this condition invariably leads to death, but since the introduction of prednisolone therapy and other immunosuppressive therapy the outlook has improved for sufferers and long-term survival has been seen.

CONCLUSION

Suspicion of this condition should be based on a good history, physical examination and laboratory investigations and diagnosis based on the criteria that has been drawn by the American College of Rheumatology.

Urethral fibrosis with pyonephrosis in a patient with situs inversus totalis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Cases of a case of situs inversus totalis are very rare and therefore when encountered, they are likely to be missed or poorly managed.

OBJECTIVE

To present a case of situs inversus totalis with a view to creating more awareness about this rare clinical entity.

PATIENT AND METHOD

The patient, a 22 year old boy was referred from a private clinic after a failed and complicated attempted appendicectomy carried out by a general medical practitioner. The patient was admitted, resuscitated and had investigations done. Some of the investigations done were abdominal ultrasound scan, computerized axial tomography scan, a chest x ray, complete blood count, urinalysis and electrolyte and urea.

RESULTS

Investigations showed features of situs inversus totalis. There was also bilateral hydronephrosis, worse on the right side. The patient also had features of renal failure. He died after three days on admission. Autopsy finding confirmed bilateral pyonephrosis which was worse on the right side. There was associated urethral fibrosis. Cause of death was urethral fibrosis resulting in obstructive uropathy, pyonephrosis and renal failure.

CONCLUSION

Situs inverses totalis is rare but can psented in diverse ways and thus the diagnosis may be missed and the patient wrongly managed. A high index of clinical suspicion is required if we the diagnosis is to be made early and wrong treatments avoided.