Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases : Journal of the COPD Foundation

INTRODUCTION: COPD is a progressive lung disease that adds significant economic burden to the healthcare system in the United States. Digital platforms integrated into clinical workflows have demonstrated success in improving patient outcomes in COPD, but few studies have explored the impact of an integrated digital and clinical approach on drivers of direct healthcare costs (COPD-related prescriptions, emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations) in a real-world setting. METHODS: We conducted a six-month retrospective matched control analysis to assess the impact of a digital quality improvement (QI) program delivered by clinical pharmacists on healthcare resource utilization among people living with COPD...

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize current evidence of the association between body mass index (BMI) categories and the risk of exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across three electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. Eligible studies should have reported on the association between BMI (either as continuous or categorical) and a risk of COPD exacerbation, as defined according to recognized clinical criteria...

Individuals living in rural areas in the U.S. experienced disparities in COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates, and people with COPD are at high risk of poor outcomes. We sought to determine whether Veterans with COPD living in rural areas experienced different perceptions and practices of COVID-19 mitigation strategies, access to care, and health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to their urban-living counterparts. We performed a one-time survey of Veterans with COPD, collecting COVID-19 related information including individual perception and practice of mitigation practices, COVID-19 vaccination status, access to care, and respiratory symptoms stratified by rural-urban status...

INTRODUCTION: Bronchiectasis occurs in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), but it is unknown whether an association exists independently of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We assessed whether bronchiectasis was associated with COPD in our cohort, and whether it has clinical significance for lung function decline, exacerbation rate, or symptoms. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PiZZ, PiSZ and PiMZ patients from the Birmingham AATD Research Database were studied...

The biological mechanisms leading some tobacco-exposed individuals to develop early-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are poorly understood. This knowledge gap hampers development of disease-modifying agents for this prevalent condition. Accord-ingly, with National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute support, we initiated the SPIROMICS Study of Early COPD Progression (SOURCE), a multicenter observational cohort study of younger individuals with a history of cigarette smoking and thus at-risk for, or with, early-stage COPD...

BACKGROUND: Social distancing early in the COVID-19 pandemic helped mitigate viral spread and protect vulnerable populations. Broad availability of vaccines allowed social re-integration, but effects on mental health, social determinants of health, and attitudes among individuals with COPD, who are high-risk for adverse outcomes following COVID-19 infection, are unknown. METHODS: Participants in the Losartan Effects on Emphysema Progression (LEEP) trial were recruited into an ancillary study from May-November 2020...

BACKGROUND: Patients with COPD often develop other morbidities, suggesting a systemic component to this disease. This retrospective non-interventional cohort study investigated relationships between multimorbidities in COPD and their impact on COPD exacerbations and COPD-related healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) using real-world evidence from Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database. METHODS: Demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed...

BACKGROUND: The interactions between fibroblasts and bronchial epithelial cells play important roles in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Interleukin (IL)-17A triggers the activation of fibroblasts and secretion of inflammatory mediators, which promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bronchial epithelial cells. Fibroblasts secrete C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), which specifically binds to its receptor, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) to mediate inflammatory responses...

BACKGROUND: This present work focused on predicting prognostic outcome of inpatients developing acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), and enhancing patient monitoring and treatment by using objective clinical indicators. METHODS: The present retrospective study enrolled 322 AECOPD patients. Registry data downloaded based on COPD Pay-for-Performance Program database from January 2012 to December 2018 were used to check whether the enrolled patients were eligible...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: The suboptimal use of inhalers in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is probably a major but poorly documented problem in hospitalized patients. We aimed to describe the prevalence of misused inhalers among patients hospitalized with COPD in a department of general internal medicine. METHODS: We conducted a monocentric cross-sectional study in consecutive patients with a diagnosis of COPD and hospitalized between August 2022 and April 2023 in the internal medicine division of Fribourg Hospital, Switzerland...

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rely primarily on inhaled medications to control and treat symptoms. Although the medications delivered by inhaler devices are often quite efficacious when delivered to the lung, the real-world effectiveness of these inhaler devices often falls short. Barriers to effective inhaler use include inhaler misuse and cost-related nonadherence. Inhaler misuse can be reduced with appropriate education which leads to improved outcomes. Education can be provided in multiple settings by a wide array of clinicians and clinical team members including pharmacists, respiratory therapists, nurses, physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and community health workers, among others...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.2023.0422.].

RATIONALE: Physical activity, lung function, and grip strength are associated with exacerbations, hospitalizations, and mortality in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We tested whether baseline inflammatory biomarkers were associated with longitudinal outcomes of these physiologic measurements. METHODS: The COPD Activity: Serotonin Transporter, Cytokines, and Depression (CASCADE) study was a prospective observational study of individuals with COPD...

RATIONALE: COPD is a common comorbidity among patients with lung cancer, and an important determinant of their outcomes, however it is commonly underdiagnosed. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of COPD among a cohort of U.S. lung cancer patients, the timing of COPD diagnosis relative to their lung cancer diagnosis, and the association between earlier diagnosis of COPD and stage of lung cancer, with consideration of patient sociodemographic modifying factors...

As a result of climate change, wildfire frequency, duration, and severity are increasing in the United States. Exposure to wildfire-related air pollutants can lead to negative health outcomes, particularly among patients with pre-existing respiratory diseases (eg, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and those who are at higher risk for developing these conditions. Underserved communities are disproportionately affected for multiple reasons, including lack of financial and social resources, increased exposure to air pollutants at home and at work, and impaired access to healthcare...

BACKGROUND: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is characterized by low alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) levels, predisposing individuals to lung disease. The standard of care, plasma-derived AAT (pdAAT), is delivered as weekly infusions to maintain serum AAT concentrations ≥11µM (≈50% of those in healthy individuals). INBRX-101, a recombinant human AAT-Fc fusion protein, was designed to have a longer half-life and achieve higher AAT levels than pdAAT. METHODS: In this phase 1 dose-escalation study (N=31), adults with AATD received 1 dose (part 1) or 3 doses (part 2) of 10 (part 1), 40, 80, or 120mg/kg INBRX-101 every 3 weeks (Q3W) via intravenous infusion...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a paramount contributor to global morbidity and mortality. Over the past decade, the concept of the "gut-lung axis" has emerged, offering a lens through which to examine the intricate interplay between the host, microbiome, and respiratory diseases, including COPD. An expanding body of evidence underscores that the composition of both the gastrointestinal and respiratory microbiome deviates in COPD patients compared to healthy individuals, leading to distinct host immune responses and clinical manifestations...

BACKGROUND: Patient perception of medication onset of effect is important for adherence. Although the Onset of Effect Questionnaire (OEQ) has been validated in patients with asthma, it has not been evaluated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study evaluated the COPD-OEQ in patients with COPD. METHODS: Two analyses (qualitative and quantitative) were conducted to assess the content validity and psychometric properties of the COPD-OEQ in participants with COPD...