New horizons in early stage COPD--improving knowledge, detection and treatment

Proposing the potential of utilizing the CAT score for early detection of COPD in asymptomatic patients, shifting towards a patient-centered approach: A review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) constitutes a significant public health challenge, with delayed diagnosis and underdiagnosis being pervasive issues. The United States Preventive Service Task Force recommends restricting COPD screening to symptomatic smokers, a focus that has exhibited limitations, leading to delayed diagnoses, and imposing a substantial burden on patients, their families, and the healthcare system. This paper explores an alternative approach, highlighting the potential utility of the COPD assessment test (CAT) score as a prescreening tool. A CAT score of 10 or higher could serve as an appropriate threshold for further diagnostic procedures, given its robust correlation with pulmonary function test parameters and is valuable capacity to quantify patients' symptoms. The utilization of CAT as a prescreening tool in primary care signifies a transition towards a more patient-centered and comprehensive approach to COPD diagnosis and care.

Application of standardized management and effect evaluation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients using the big data center of the Internet of Things

Objective

Early detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lower morbidity and perhaps mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the application of standardized management against the background of the rapid development of the big data center of modern internet of things technology.

Methods

Participants ≥40 years of age with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presenting at Xiamen Medical College Affiliated Haicang Hospital from October 2019 to October 2020 were selected as the observation patients based on the Internet of Things big data center for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease standardized management, and control patients from the community were selected for without down to the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease standardized management. Follow-up after 2 years of patient health records and acute episodes using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief version to evaluate the quality of life of the two groups revealed differences.

Results

The results of comparative analysis of the number of acute attacks before and after follow-up in the observation and control groups after propensity score matching showed that the decrease in acute episodes before and after in the observation group was significant compared with that in the control group (t = -3.664, P < 0.001). The quality of life of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients indicated that the effect in the observation group was greater than that in the control group according to the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief version.

Conclusion

In this study, we analyzed the application of modern internet of things technology in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, discussed the effect of standardized management, and promoted the self-management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. The effectiveness and continuity of the standardized management model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease implemented in Xiamen city based on the internet of things big data center were considered true and effective.

Economic Impact of Low Adherence to COPD Management Guidelines in Spain

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the non-adherence level of Spanish clinical practice to guideline recommendations for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to estimate the potential impact on pharmaceutical expenditure resulting from transitioning current treatment patterns according to guidelines.

METHODS

A model was developed to compare current prescribing patterns with two alternative scenarios: the first aligned with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD 2020) recommendations, and the second with the Spanish Guidelines for COPD (GesEPOC 2017). Current treatment practice was obtained from publications that describe treatment patterns by pulmonology departments in Spain. The economic impact between patterns was calculated from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System (NHS), considering the annual pharmacological costs of COPD inhaled maintenance therapy. Two additional analyses were performed: one that included current prescribing patterns of patients managed by pulmonology and primary care centers in Spain (published aggregated data); and another that only considered the appropriate use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) treatment according to guidelines.

RESULTS

It was estimated that 54% and 38% of patients were not treated in line with GOLD and GesEPOC recommendations, respectively, mainly due to a broader use of ICS-based therapies. Adapting treatment to recommendations could provide a potential annual cost-saving of €17,792,022 (according to GOLD) and €5,881,785 (according to GesEPOC). In scenario analysis 1, a 26% of non-adherence to GesEPOC guideline was observed with a potential annual pharmacological cost-saving of €2,707,554. In scenario analysis 2, considering only inappropriate use of ICS treatment, an annual cost-saving of €17,863,750 (according to GOLD) and €9,904,409 (according to GesEPOC) was calculated.

CONCLUSION

More than a third of treatments for COPD patients in Spain are not prescribed in accordance with guideline recommendations. The adaptation of clinical practice to guideline recommendations could provide important cost-savings for the Spanish NHS.

Early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A new perspective

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease with a high incidence, mortality, and disability rate. Because there are few symptoms in the early stages of COPD, diagnosis and treatment are seriously insufficient. It is necessary to find effective clues for early COPD diagnosis and provide appropriate interventions. Several studies suggest that small airway disease is the earliest stage of COPD because it is correlated with subsequent development of airflow obstruction. However, there are currently no globally accepted criteria for defining early COPD. This study mainly introduced risk factors, definition, diagnosis, and treatment of early COPD from a new perspective.

Cost Effectiveness of Case Detection Strategies for the Early Detection of COPD

OBJECTIVES

The value of early detection and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently unknown. We assessed the cost effectiveness of primary care-based case detection strategies for COPD.

METHODS

A previously validated discrete event simulation model of the general population of COPD patients in Canada was used to assess the cost effectiveness of 16 case detection strategies. In these strategies, eligible patients (based on age, smoking history, or symptoms) received the COPD Diagnostic Questionnaire (CDQ) or screening spirometry, at 3- or 5-year intervals, during routine visits to a primary care physician. Newly diagnosed patients received treatment for smoking cessation and guideline-based inhaler pharmacotherapy. Analyses were conducted over a 20-year time horizon from the healthcare payer perspective. Costs are in 2019 Canadian dollars ($). Key treatment parameters were varied in one-way sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

Compared to no case detection, all 16 case detection scenarios had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) below $50,000/QALY gained. In the most efficient scenario, all patients aged ≥ 40 years received the CDQ at 3-year intervals. This scenario was associated with an incremental cost of $287 and incremental effectiveness of 0.015 QALYs per eligible patient over the 20-year time horizon, resulting in an ICER of $19,632/QALY compared to no case detection. Results were most sensitive to the impact of treatment on the symptoms of newly diagnosed patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care-based case detection programs for COPD are likely to be cost effective if there is adherence to best-practice recommendations for treatment, which can alleviate symptoms in newly diagnosed patients.

GOLD in Practice: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treatment and Management in the Primary Care Setting

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Early detection and appropriate treatment and management of COPD can lower morbidity and perhaps mortality. Clinicians in the primary care setting provide the majority of COPD care and are pivotal in the diagnosis and management of COPD. In this review, we provide an overview of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2020 report, with a focus on the management of COPD in the primary care setting. We discuss the pathophysiology of COPD; describe COPD risk factors, signs, and symptoms that may facilitate earlier diagnosis of COPD; and reinforce the importance of spirometry use in establishing the diagnosis of COPD. Disease monitoring, as well as a review of the 2020 GOLD treatment recommendations, is also discussed. Patients and families are important partners in COPD management; therefore, we outline simple steps that may assist them in caring for those affected by COPD. Finally, we discuss nonpharmacological treatment options for COPD, COPD monitoring tools that may aid in the evaluation of disease progression and response to therapy, and the importance of developing a COPD action plan on an individualized basis.

Time-ordered comorbidity correlations identify patients at risk of mis- and overdiagnosis

Diagnostic errors are common and can lead to harmful treatments. We present a data-driven, generic approach for identifying patients at risk of being mis- or overdiagnosed, here exemplified by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It has been estimated that 5-60% of all COPD cases are misdiagnosed. High-throughput methods are therefore needed in this domain. We have used a national patient registry, which contains hospital diagnoses for 6.9 million patients across the entire Danish population for 21 years and identified statistically significant disease trajectories for COPD patients. Using 284,154 patients diagnosed with COPD, we identified frequent disease trajectories comprising time-ordered comorbidities. Interestingly, as many as 42,459 patients did not present with these time-ordered, common comorbidities. Comparison of the individual disease history for each non-follower to the COPD trajectories, demonstrated that 9597 patients were unusual. Survival analysis showed that this group died significantly earlier than COPD patients following a trajectory. Out of the 9597 patients, we identified one subgroup comprising 2185 patients at risk of misdiagnosed COPD without the typical events of COPD patients. In all, 10% of these patients were diagnosed with lung cancer, and it seems likely that they are underdiagnosed for lung cancer as their laboratory test values and survival pattern are similar to such patients. Furthermore, only 4% had a lung function test to confirm the COPD diagnosis. Another subgroup with 2368 patients were found to be at risk of "classically" overdiagnosed COPD that survive >5.5 years after the COPD diagnosis, but without the typical complications of COPD.

Protocol Summary of the COPD Assessment in Primary Care To Identify Undiagnosed Respiratory Disease and Exacerbation Risk (CAPTURE) Validation in Primary Care Study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often remains undiagnosed and untreated. To date, COPD screening/case finding has not been designed to identify clinically significant COPD, disease ready for therapies beyond smoking cessation. Herein, we describe the ongoing prospective, pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial to assess specificity and sensitivity of the COPD Assessment in Primary Care To Identify Undiagnosed Respiratory Disease and Exacerbation Risk (CAPTURE) tool consisting of 5 questions and peak expiratory flow. The tool is designed to identify clinically significant COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV₁] to forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio <.70 plus FEV₁% predicted <60% or increased risk for exacerbation) and the trial will explore the impact of CAPTURE-based screening on COPD diagnosis and treatment rates in primary care patients. Of a total planned enrollment of 5000 English- or Spanish-speaking patients 45 to 80 years of age without a prior COPD diagnosis from 100 primary care practices, a total of 68 practices and 3064 patients have been enrolled in the study. Practices are centrally randomized to either usual care or clinician receipt of patient-level CAPTURE results. All clinicians receive basic COPD education with those in intervention practices also receiving CAPTURE interpretation education. In a single visit, patient participants complete a CAPTURE screening, pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry and baseline demographic and health questionnaires to validate CAPTURE sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of identifying undiagnosed, clinically significant COPD. One-year follow-up chart reviews and participant surveys assess the impact of sharing versus not sharing CAPTURE results with clinicians on clinical outcomes including level of respiratory symptoms and events and clinicians' initiation of recommendation-concordant COPD care. This is one of the first U.S. studies to validate and assess impact of a simple COPD screening tool in primary care.

Healthcare system encounters before COPD diagnosis: a registry-based longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

There is high interest in strategies for improving early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These strategies often rely on opportunistic encounters between patients with undiagnosed COPD and the healthcare system; however, the frequency of these encounters is currently unknown.

METHODS

We used administrative health data for the province of British Columbia, Canada, from 1996 to 2015. We identified patients with COPD using a validated case definition, and assessed their visits to pharmacists, primary care and specialist physicians in the 5 years prior to the initial diagnosis of COPD. We used generalised linear models to compare the rate of outpatient visits between COPD and non-COPD comparator subjects matched on age, sex and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

We assessed 112 635 COPD and non-COPD pairs (mean 68.6 years, 51.0% male). Patients with COPD interacted with pharmacists most frequently in the 5 years before diagnosis (mean 14.09, IQR 4-17 visits/year), followed by primary care (10.29, IQR 4-13 visits/year) and specialist (8.11, IQR 2-11 visits/year) physicians. In the 2 years prior to diagnosis, 72.1% of patients with COPD had a respiratory-related primary care visit that did not result in a COPD diagnosis. Compared with non-COPD subjects, patients with COPD had higher rates of primary care (rate ratio (RR) 1.40, 95% CI 1.39 to 1.41), specialist (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.37) and pharmacist (RR 1.62, 95% CI 1.60 to 1.63) encounters.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with COPD used higher rates of outpatient services before diagnosis than non-COPD subjects. Case detection technologies implemented in pharmacy or primary care settings have opportunities to diagnose COPD earlier.

A novel approach towards non-obstructive detection and classification of COPD using ECG derived respiration

The alarming rate of mortality and disability due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has become a serious health concern worldwide. The progressive nature of this disease makes it inevitable to detect this disease in its early stages, leads to a greater demand for developing non-obstructive and reliable technology for COPD detection. The use of highly patient-effort dependent, time-consuming, and expensive methods are some major inherent limitations of previous techniques. Lack of knowledge about the disease and inadequacy of proper diagnostic tool for early detection of COPD is another reason behind the 3rd leading cause of death worldwide. For this reason, this study aims to explore the utility of ECG Derived Respiration (EDR) for classification between COPD patients and normal healthy subjects as EDR can be easily extracted from ECG. ECG and respiration signals collected from 30 normal and 30 COPD subjects were analysed. Error calculation and statistical analysis were performed to observe the similarity between original respiration and EDR signal. The morphological pattern changes of respiration and EDR signals were analysed and three different features were extracted from those. Classification was performed by different classifiers employing Decision Tree, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN). Apart from obtaining comparable classification performance it was seen that EDR has better potential than the original respiration signal for classification of COPD from normal population.

Impact of COPD diagnosis timing on clinical and economic outcomes: the ARCTIC observational cohort study

Purpose: Assess the clinical and economic consequences associated with an early versus late diagnosis in patients with COPD.

Patients and methods: In a retrospective, observational cohort study, electronic medical record data (2000–2014) were collected from Swedish primary care patients with COPD. COPD indicators (pneumonia, other respiratory diseases, oral corticosteroids, antibiotics for respiratory infections, prescribed drugs for respiratory symptoms, lung function measurement) registered prior to diagnosis were applied to categorize patients into those receiving early (2 or less indicators) or late diagnosis (3 or more indicators registered >90 days preceding a COPD diagnosis). Outcome measures included annual rate of and time to first exacerbation, mortality risk, prevalence of comorbidities and health care utilization.

Results: More patients with late diagnosis (n=8827) than with early diagnosis (n=3870) had a recent comorbid diagnosis of asthma (22.0% vs 3.9%; P<0.0001). Compared with early diagnosis, patients with late diagnosis had a higher exacerbation rate (hazard ratio [HR] 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.83–1.96; P<0.0001) and shorter time to first exacerbation (HR 1.61, 95% CI: 1.54–1.69; P<0.0001). Mortality was not different between groups overall but higher for late versus early diagnosis, after excluding patients with past asthma diagnosis (HR 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02–1.18; P=0.0095). Late diagnosis was also associated with higher direct costs than early diagnosis.

Conclusion: Late COPD diagnosis is associated with higher exacerbation rate and increased comorbidities and costs compared with early diagnosis. The study highlights the need for accurate diagnosis of COPD in primary care in order to reduce exacerbations and the economic burden of COPD.

Early management of COPD: where are we now and where do we go from here? A Delphi consensus project

PURPOSE

There is a lack of consensus on the most appropriate early diagnostic strategy, criteria for early access to treatment and follow-up approach for patients with COPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A Delphi consensus project investigated the early management of COPD. We formulated two questionnaires for completion by pneumologists in Italy.

RESULTS

A total of 207 specialists completed questionnaire 1 and 184 of them questionnaire 2, between November 2016 and October 2017. Early diagnosis of COPD was considered uncommon for 93.2% of the expert panel. Regardless of the definition of "early diagnosis" - a diagnosis made before the clinical manifestation of the disease for most responders (60.4%) - experts were confident of the positive effects of early disease management, which they consider is effective in modifying the natural history of the disease. Lack of awareness of the disease was considered the first limiting factor to early COPD management for 78% of respondents. The most effective steps to reduce functional decline were considered to be smoking cessation, followed by long-acting β2-agonist (LABA)/long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), LAMA, LABA, and finally inhaled corticosteroid/LABA (P<0.01 for each paired comparison). Specialists considered it "inappropriate" for general practitioners to perform both the early diagnosis and therapy of COPD without the involvement of a specialist.

CONCLUSION

Early management of COPD is uncommon, and although data on the effects of early disease management on long-term outcomes are limited, Italian experts are confident of the clinical efficacy of this approach.

Population-based study of LAMA monotherapy effectiveness compared with LABA/LAMA as initial treatment for COPD in primary care

This epidemiological study aimed to describe and compare the characteristics and outcomes of COPD patients starting treatment with a long-acting anti-muscarinic (LAMA) or a combination of a long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA)/LAMA in primary care in Catalonia (Spain) over a one-year period. Data were obtained from the Information System for the Development in Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP), a population database containing information of 5.8 million inhabitants (80% of the population of Catalonia). Patients initiating treatment with a LAMA or LABA/LAMA in 2015 were identified, and information about demographic and clinical characteristics was collected. Then, patients were matched 1:1 for age, sex, FEV1%, history of exacerbations, history of asthma and duration of treatment, and the outcomes between the two groups were compared. During 2015, 5729 individuals with COPD started treatment with a LAMA (69.8%) or LAMA/LABA (30.2%). There were no remarkable differences between groups except for a lower FEV1 and more previous hospital admissions in individuals on LABA/LAMA. The number of tests and referrals was low and decreased in both groups during follow-up. For the same severity status, the evolution was similar with a reduction in exacerbations in both groups. Treatment was changed during follow-up in up to 34.2% of patients in the LABA/LAMA and 26.3% in the LAMA group, but adherence was equally good for both. Our results suggest that initial therapy with LAMA in monotherapy may be adequate in a significant group of mild to moderate patients with COPD and a low risk of exacerbations managed in primary care.

A single rather than combined long-acting inhaler therapy may be adequate for most patients when treating mild to moderate chronic lung disease. Marc Miravitlles at the Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain, and co-workers have shown that, in the initial stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), treatment with an inhaled drug called a long-acting anti-muscarinic agent (LAMA) is as effective as an alternative inhaler that combines LAMA with another drug (LABA). The researchers identified 5729 COPD patients from Catalonia starting on inhaled treatment in 2015 and followed up on their progress after 1 year. Patients starting on LAMA monotherapy were matched closely in terms of demographics and previous medical history to those starting on LAMA/LABA treatment. The team found no remarkable differences in clinical characteristics between the groups over the year.

What have we learned from observational studies and clinical trials of mild to moderate COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is well established that patients with mild to moderate disease represent the majority of patients with COPD, and patients with mild COPD already have measurable physiological impairment with increased morbidity and a higher risk of mortality compared with healthy non-smoking individuals. However, this subpopulation is both underdiagnosed and undertreated. In addition, most clinical trials include cohorts of patients with worse lung function and quality of life, which are very different from the milder patients usually seen in primary care.

Clinical trials have shown that mild-moderate COPD patients present an improvement in lung function after treatment with long-acting bronchodilators (LABD). Inhaled therapy has also shown benefits in terms of symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and exacerbation prevention in this population. Early intervention might have also a positive effect to prevent functional impairment. Nevertheless, there is scarce evidence from randomised clinical trials and real-life studies about the importance of pharmacological treatment in early stages of COPD to improve long-term outcomes. New concepts such as clinically important deterioration may help to investigate the impact of interventions on the natural history of the disease.

EARLY versus MILD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is very a common, with great morbidity and mortality, disease. Since the beginning of the disease cannot be detected with precision and by using only FEV1 to monitor the evolution of the disease, the Natural History of COPD is rather obscure and sometimes controversial. Therefore, the terms EARLY COPD and MILD COPD have been used indistinguishably in the medical literature. In this review we discuss the two terms trying to clarify some of the definition issues, starting with a synopsis of the Naturel History of the disease. We recommend to use the term EARLY COPD for the pre-clinical stage of the disease (stage 0) and the term MILD COPD when the diagnosis is confirmed by spirometry and FEV1 is above 80% predicted. However, COPD is a complex disease and spirometric evaluation alone (MILD COPD, stage I), cannot fully describe the clinical status of the patient. We conclude that biomarkers to detect the starting point and been able to follow the natural history of the disease more accurately, beyond FEV, are urgently needed.

The Role of Fixed-Dose Dual Bronchodilator Therapy in Treating COPD

The incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is rising in the United States, and the disease represents a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Primary care providers face many challenges in COPD diagnosis and treatment, as different clinical phenotypes require personalized treatment approaches. Patient adherence and inhaler technique also contribute to treatment outcomes. Around 48% of primary care providers are unaware of guidelines and recommendations for COPD diagnosis and treatment, which may lead to misdiagnosis or undertreatment of COPD symptoms. Inadequately treated COPD can impair patients' quality of life and ability to perform everyday activities. Long-acting bronchodilator therapy is the cornerstone treatment for patients with COPD; combinations of bronchodilators of different pharmacological classes have shown improved efficacy vs monotherapy. We review the rationale behind fixed-dose dual bronchodilator therapy, evidence for the 4 currently Food and Drug Administration-approved long-acting anticholinergic bronchodilators/long-acting β₂-agonists fixed combinations, patient suitability for the available inhaler devices, and practical guidance to optimize personalized care for patients with COPD.

Characterizing undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A significant proportion of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain undiagnosed. Characterizing these patients can increase our understanding of the 'hidden' burden of COPD and the effectiveness of case detection interventions.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare patient and disease factors between patients with undiagnosed persistent airflow limitation and those with diagnosed COPD. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for observational studies of adult patients meeting accepted spirometric definitions of COPD. We extracted and pooled summary data on the proportion or mean of each risk factor among diagnosed and undiagnosed patients (unadjusted analysis), and coefficients for the adjusted association between risk factors and diagnosis status (adjusted analysis).

RESULTS

Two thousand eighty-three records were identified through database searching and 16 articles were used in the meta-analyses. Diagnosed patients were less likely to have mild (v. moderate to very severe) COPD (odds ratio [OR] 0.30, 95%CI 0.24-0.37, 6 studies) in unadjusted analysis. This association remained significant but its strength was attenuated in the adjusted analysis (OR 0.72, 95%CI 0.58-0.89, 2 studies). Diagnosed patients were more likely to report respiratory symptoms such as wheezing (OR 3.51, 95%CI 2.19-5.63, 3 studies) and phlegm (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.38-3.38, 3 studies), had more severe dyspnea (mean difference in modified Medical Research Council scale 0.52, 95%CI 0.40-0.64, 3 studies), and slightly greater smoking history than undiagnosed patients. Patient age, sex, current smoking status, and the presence of coughing were not associated with a previous diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Undiagnosed patients had less severe airflow obstruction and fewer respiratory symptoms than diagnosed patients. The lower disease burden in undiagnosed patients may significantly delay the diagnosis of COPD.

The boundaries of mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): design of the searching clinical COPD onset (SOON) study

INTRODUCTION

Clinical onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the point at which the disease is first identifiable by physicians. It is a poorly defined stage which seems to include both mild spirometric and non-spirometric disease, and could be described as early grade COPD, for practical purposes. While dyspnoea; chronic bronchitis and CT imaging evidence of emphysema and airway disease may be present very early, the lone significance of dyspnoea, the most relevant symptom in COPD in identifying these individuals, has been scarcely assessed.The Searching Clinical COPD Onset (SOON) Study was designed primarily to detect clinical, physiological and structural differences between dyspnoeic and non-dyspnoeic individuals with early grade COPD. It is hypothesised that presence of dyspnoea in early disease may identify a subtype of individuals with reduced exercise capacity, notwithstanding of their spirometry results. In addition, dyspnoeic individuals will share worse quality of life, lower physical activity, greater lung hyperinflation greater emphysema and airway thickness and reduced peripheral muscle mass than their non-dyspnoeic counterpart.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

SOON is a monocentric study, with a cross sectional design aimed at obtaining representative samples of current or ex-smoker-adults aged ≥45 and ≤80 years. Two hundred and forty participants will be enrolled into four strata, according to normal spirometry or mild spirometric obstruction and presence or not of dyspnoea modified Medical Research Council score ≥1. The primary outcome will be the difference between dyspnoeic and non-dyspnoeic individuals on the 6-min walk test performance, regardless of their spirometry results. To account for the confounding effect of heart failure on dyspnoea, stress echocardiography will be also performed. Secondary outcomes will include clinical (quality of life, physical activity), physiological (exercise testing) and structural characteristics (emphysema, airway disease and peripheral muscle mass by CT imaging).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Institutional Ethics Committee from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile has approved the study protocol and signed informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The findings of the trial will be disseminated through relevant peer-reviewed journals and international conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03026439.

Childhood Lung Function Predicts Adult Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overlap Syndrome

RATIONALE

The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing, yet there are limited data on early life risk factors.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the role of childhood lung function in adult COPD phenotypes.

METHODS

Prebronchodilator spirometry was performed for a cohort of 7-year-old Tasmanian children (n = 8,583) in 1968 who were resurveyed at 45 years, and a selected subsample (n = 1,389) underwent prebronchodilator and post-bronchodilator spirometry. For this analysis, COPD was spirometrically defined as a post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC less than the lower limit of normal. Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) was defined as the coexistence of both COPD and current asthma. Associations between childhood lung function and asthma/COPD/ACOS were examined using multinomial regression.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

At 45 years, 959 participants had neither current asthma nor COPD (unaffected), 269 had current asthma alone, 59 had COPD alone, and 68 had ACOS. The reweighted prevalence of asthma alone was 13.5%, COPD alone 4.1%, and ACOS 2.9%. The lowest quartile of FEV₁ at 7 years was associated with ACOS (odds ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-6.52), but not COPD or asthma alone. The lowest quartile of FEV₁/FVC ratio at 7 years was associated with ACOS (odds ratio, 16.3; 95% confidence interval, 4.7-55.9) and COPD (odds ratio, 5.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-17.4), but not asthma alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Being in the lowest quartile for lung function at age 7 may have long-term consequences for the development of COPD and ACOS by middle age. Screening of lung function in school age children may identify a high-risk group that could be targeted for intervention. Further research is needed to understand possible modifiers of these associations and develop interventions for children with impaired lung function.

Which is the Best Screening Strategy for COPD among Smokers in Primary Care?

We developed a questionnaire to detect cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and compared its reliability with other strategies. In order to develop the new questionnaire (COPD screening questionnaire from Terrassa [EGARPOC]) we used data from an epidemiological study on the prevalence of COPD in smokers and calculated the odds ratio for each variable showing significance for the diagnosis of COPD on regression analysis. For comparison among questionnaires and the portable spirometer COPD-6, a cross-sectional multicenter study was performed. The study included 407 smokers or ex-smokers over the age of 40 years with no known diagnosis of COPD, who completed the different questionnaires (EGARPOC, Respiratory Health Screening Questionnaire, COPD-population screener and 2 questions) and underwent spirometry with the COPD-6. We determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (S, Sp, PPV and NPV, respectively) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic ROC curve (AUC ROC) of all the questionnaires and the different COPD-6 cut-offs. The prevalence of COPD was 26.3%. The EGARPOC questionnaire showed an S of 81.8%, an Sp of 70.6%, and an NPV of 91.8%; 73.3% of individuals were correctly classified, and the AUC ROC was 0.841. On comparing the questionnaires by the Chi-square test, the 2-question questionnaire showed the worst discrimination; while with an optimal cut-off of forced expiratory volume in one 1 second (FEV₁)/FEV₆ of 0.78, the COPD-6 was significantly better than the questionnaires in the detection of COPD. Using a cut-off of FEV₁/FEV₆ of 0.78 the COPD-6 was found to be the best screening tool for COPD in primary care compared to the questionnaires tested, which did not show differences among them.

Socioeconomic Effects of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease from the Public Payer's Perspective in Poland

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the third most common cause of death worldwide and the total number of people affected reaches over 200 million. It is estimated that approximately 50 % of persons having COPD are not aware of it. In the EU, it is estimated that the total annual costs of COPD exceed €140 billion, and the expected increase in the number of cases and deaths due to COPD would further enhance economic and social costs of the disease. In this article we present the results of cost analysis of health care benefits associated with the treatment of COPD and with the disease-related incapacity for work. The analysis is based on the data of the National Health Fund and the Social Insurance Institutions, public payers of health benefits in Poland. The annual 2012 expenditures incurred for COPD treatment was €40 million, and the benefits associated with incapacity for work reached more than €55 million. The extent of these expenditures indicates that it is necessary to optimize the functioning system, including the allocation of resources for prevention, social awareness, and detection of COPD at early stages when treatment costs are relatively low.

Strategies for Management of the Early Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

Lung function reportedly declines with age and that this decline is accelerated during disease progression. However, a recent study showed that the decline might peak in the mild and moderate stage. The prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be improved if the disease is diagnosed in its early stages, prior to the peak of decline in lung function. This article reviews recent studies on early COPD and the possibility of applying the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation 2008 and 2015 for early detection of COPD in Korea.

Prevalence, Risk Factors and Diagnostic Accuracy of COPD Among Smokers in Primary Care

The prevalence of COPD is high, and most cases remain undiagnosed. In contrast, some patients labeled and treated as COPD do not have spirometric confirmation. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of COPD among smokers aged 45 years or older and investigate the accuracy of diagnosis of COPD in primary care. A population-based, epidemiological study was conducted in a primary care centre among subjects older than 45 years with a history of smoking. The participants underwent a clinical questionnaire and spirometry with bronchodilator test. Additionally, participants with newly diagnosed COPD, defined as postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC<0.7, underwent 4-week treatment with formoterol and budesonide to rule out reversible airflow obstruction. A total of 1,738 individuals (84.4% male) with a mean age of 59.9 years were included. The prevalence of COPD was 24.3% (95%, CI 22.3-26.4), with an overall underdiagnosis of 56.7%. Patients with COPD were older, more frequently male, with a lower body mass index, a longer history of smoking, lower educational level, previous occupational exposure, and more cardiovascular co-morbidity (all p < 0.001). After 4 weeks of treatment, 16% of initially obstructed patients had normal spirometry; in addition, 15.6% of individuals with a diagnosis of COPD did not have airflow obstruction. One out of four smokers 45 years or older presenting in primary care have airflow obstruction, mostly undiagnosed. However, among those with an initial diagnosis of COPD up to 16% will normalise spirometry after 4 weeks of treatment. There is also a significant number of individuals misdiagnosed with COPD.

Characteristics of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at the First Visit to a Pulmonary Medical Center in Korea: The KOrea COpd Subgroup Study Team Cohort

The Korea Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders Subgroup Study Team (Korea COPD Subgroup Study team, KOCOSS) is a multicenter observational study that includes 956 patients (mean age 69.9 ± 7.8 years) who were enrolled from 45 tertiary and university-affiliated hospitals from December 2011 to October 2014. The initial evaluation for all patients included pulmonary function tests (PFT), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), COPD Assessment Test (CAT), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, and the COPD-specific version of St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-C). Here, we report the comparison of baseline characteristics between patients with early- (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] stage I and II/groups A and B) and late-stage COPD (GOLD stage III and IV/groups C and D). Among all patients, the mean post-bronchodilator FEV1 was 55.8% ± 16.7% of the predicted value, and most of the patients were in GOLD stage II (520, 56.9%) and group B (399, 42.0%). The number of exacerbations during one year prior to the first visit was significantly lower in patients with early COPD (0.4 vs. 0.9/0.1 vs. 1.2), as were the CAT score (13.9 vs. 18.3/13.5 vs. 18.1), mMRC (1.4 vs. 2.0/1.3 vs.1.9), and SGRQ-C total score (30.4 vs. 42.9/29.1 vs. 42.6) compared to late-stage COPD (all P < 0.001). Common comorbidities among all patients were hypertension (323, 37.7%), diabetes mellitus (139, 14.8%), and depression (207, 23.6%). The data from patients with early COPD will provide important information towards early detection, proper initial management, and design of future studies.

Risk stratification for COPD diagnosis through an active search strategy in primary care

Background

The aim of this study was to identify the percentage of undiagnosed patients with COPD through the implementation of an active search strategy in a selected subject population.

Methods

An observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in a primary care setting in Spain. General practitioners gave their diagnostic impression of COPD (yes/no) on the basis of clinical criteria of subjects with respiratory symptoms and tobacco exposure. Subsequently, post-bronchodilator spirometry and quality-of-life tests were performed. Multivariate logistic regression techniques using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify the combination of variables that best discriminates COPD.

Results

A total of 2,758 patients were screened at 368 primary care centers, of which 1,725 patients were included in the study. Seven hundred and ninety-three patients (46%) were diagnosed with COPD. Clinical judgment resulted in suspected COPD in 1,393 (81%) of the subjects. The best variables to discriminate COPD were a history of lower respiratory tract infections, cough, and dyspnea. This combination identified COPD with a ROC_AUC of 0.61 denoting a poor discriminative ability.

Conclusion

Employing an active search strategy leads to a new COPD diagnosis in almost half of the subjects. Screening of COPD with post-bronchodilator spirometry should be considered mandatory for any high-risk subject visiting the general practitioner clinic for any reason.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in asymptomatic smokers

Background

Physicians do not routinely recommend smokers to undergo spirometry unless they are symptomatic.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that there are a significant number of asymptomatic smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we estimated the prevalence of COPD in a group of asymptomatic smokers.

Methods

Two thousand nine hundred and sixty-one smokers with a cumulative consumption history of at least 10 pack-years, either smokers with symptoms or smokers without symptoms (WOS) were invited to perform a spirometry and complete a symptom questionnaire.

Results

Six hundred and thirty-seven (21.5%) smokers had no symptoms, whereas 2,324 (78.5%) had at least one symptom. The prevalence of COPD in subjects WOS was 1.5% when considering the whole group of smokers (45/2,961) and 7% when considering only the group WOS (45/637). From 329 smokers with COPD, 13.7% were WOS. Subjects WOS were younger, had better lung function and lower cumulative consumption of cigarettes, estimated as both cigarettes per day and pack-years. According to severity of airflow limitation, 69% vs 87% of subjects were classified as Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages I–II in the WOS and smokers with symptoms groups, respectively (P<0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mL) was the only predictive factor for COPD in asymptomatic smokers.

Conclusion

Prevalence of COPD in asymptomatic smokers is 1.5%. This number of asymptomatic smokers may be excluded from the benefit of an “early” intervention, not just pharmacological but also from smoking cessation counseling. The higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second may contribute to prevent early diagnosis.

The Relationship of the Fibrinogen Cleavage Biomarker Aα-Val360 With Disease Severity and Activity in α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

BACKGROUND

New markers of COPD and emphysema disease activity are urgently required since current measures of disease severity do not reflect the total disease burden nor predict disease progression. A recently described in vivo marker of neutrophil elastase activity (Aα-Val360) may be an effective marker of COPD and emphysema disease activity, and the current study explores its use in patients with α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) across the disease severity spectrum with particular interest in whether it can be used as an early predictor of the need for intervention.

METHODS

Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between Aα-Val360 and full lung-function tests, CT scan densitometry, and other biomarkers were explored in this study of a registry of untreated patients with PiZZ AATD.

RESULTS

The Aα-Val360 related cross-sectionally to physiologic, radiologic, and symptomatic markers of disease severity though not disease progression. Similar cross-sectional relationships were observed in subjects with mild physiologic abnormalities; however, in this subgroup, baseline Aα-Val360 concentration did relate to subsequent disease progression.

CONCLUSIONS

In cross-sectional studies, Aα-Val360 reflects disease severity in AATD and may be a useful marker of disease activity in patients with early disease in whom therapeutic intervention may be indicated.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessment test scores corresponding to modified Medical Research Council grades among COPD patients

BACKGROUND/AIMS

In assigning patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to subgroups according to the updated guidelines of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, discrepancies have been noted between the COPD assessment test (CAT) criteria and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) criteria. We investigated the determinants of symptom and risk groups and sought to identify a better CAT criterion.

METHODS

This retrospective study included COPD patients seen between June 20, 2012, and December 5, 2012. The CAT score that can accurately predict an mMRC grade ≥ 2 versus < 2 was evaluated by comparing the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) and by classification and regression tree (CART) analysis.

RESULTS

Among 428 COPD patients, the percentages of patients classified into subgroups A, B, C, and D were 24.5%, 47.2%, 4.2%, and 24.1% based on CAT criteria and 49.3%, 22.4%, 8.9%, and 19.4% based on mMRC criteria, respectively. More than 90% of the patients who met the mMRC criteria for the 'more symptoms group' also met the CAT criteria. AUROC and CART analyses suggested that a CAT score ≥ 15 predicted an mMRC grade ≥ 2 more accurately than the current CAT score criterion. During follow-up, patients with CAT scores of 10 to 14 did not have a different risk of exacerbation versus those with CAT scores < 10, but they did have a lower exacerbation risk compared to those with CAT scores of 15 to 19.

CONCLUSIONS

A CAT score ≥ 15 is a better indicator for the 'more symptoms group' in the management of COPD patients.

New developments in the assessment of COPD: early diagnosis is key

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic lung disease in the world, and its associated health burdens and costs are mounting. Until recently, it was generally accepted that targeting the diagnosis of COPD early in its course was a relatively fruitless effort, since treatments other than already ubiquitous smoking-cessation efforts were unlikely to alter its course. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that the majority of patients with objective COPD are not aware of their condition, and this leads to a significant delay in diagnosis, more aggressive smoking-cessation intervention, and potential treatment. Novel methods of diagnostic testing, community health programs, and primary-care provider recommendations hold promise to expand the recognition of COPD in its incipient stages - where recent evidence suggests a rapid decline in lung function occurs and may be prevented if acted upon. This review explores the evidence to support the efforts to justify programs aimed at early diagnosis, alternative diagnostic strategies that may augment traditional spirometry, therapeutic modalities that could potentially be used in the future to alter early lung-function decline, and emphasizes the necessary cooperative role that physicians, patients, communities, and governments need to play to realize the significant health impact that stands to be gained.

Randomized trial of pragmatic education for low-risk COPD patients: impact on hospitalizations and emergency department visits

BACKGROUND

Most interventions aimed at reducing hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have employed resource-intense programs in high-risk individuals. Although COPD is a progressive disease, little is known about the effectiveness of proactive interventions aimed at preventing hospitalizations and ED visits in the much larger population of low-risk (no known COPD-related hospitalizations or ED visits in the prior year) patients, some of whom will eventually become high-risk.

METHODS

We tested the effect of a simple educational and self-efficacy intervention (n = 2243) versus usual care (n = 2182) on COPD/breathing-related ED visits and hospitalizations in a randomized study of low-risk patients at three Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers in the upper Midwest. Administrative data was used to track VA admissions and ED visits. A patient survey was used to determine health-related events outside the VA.

RESULTS

Rates of COPD-related VA hospitalizations in the education and usual care group were not significantly different (3.4 versus 3.6 admissions per 100 person-years, respectively; 95% CI of difference -1.3 to 1.0, P = 0.77). The much higher patient-reported rates of non-VA hospitalizations for breathing-related problems were lower in the education group (14.0 versus 19.0 per 100 person-years; 95% CI -8.6 to -1.4, P = 0.006). Rates of COPD-related VA ED visits were not significantly different (6.8 versus 5.3; 95% CI -0.1 to 3.0, P = 0.07), nor were non-VA ED visits (32.4 versus 36.5; 95% CI -9.3 to 1.1, P = 0.12). All-cause VA admission and ED rates did not differ. Mortality rates (6.9 versus 8.3 per 100 person-years, respectively; 95% CI -3.0 to 0.4, P = 0.13) did not differ.

CONCLUSION

An educational intervention that is practical for large numbers of low-risk patients with COPD may reduce the rate of breathing-related hospitalizations. Further research that more closely tracks hospitalizations to non-VA facilities is needed to confirm this finding.

Impairment of quality of life in women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

There is ample evidence of the differences between genders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that contribute to these differences.

METHODS

This was a multi-center, cross-sectional observational study including 4574 patients of 40 years of age and older who attended primary care and pulmonary clinics. Data were collected on COPD characteristics, comorbidities, quality of life as assessed by both the EuroQoL 5D questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the Airways Questionnaire 20 (AQ20), and prevalence of anxiety and depression. Data collected were compared between males and females.

RESULTS

Mean age was 67 years and 740 patients (16.7%) were female. Women were significantly younger, had better pulmonary function, and smoked less; however, they showed poorer quality of life (EQ-5D: 0.6 [SD = 0.3] versus 0.7 [0.3]; p < 0.001; and AQ20: 10.4 [SD = 4.6] versus 9.2 [SD = 4.5]; p < 0.001) and a higher rate of anxiety (34.5% versus 20.6%; p < 0.001) and depression (31.7% versus 22.1%; p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, female gender was significantly associated to poorer quality of life (AQ20) but not to a higher rate of dyspnea.

CONCLUSION

Women with COPD are younger and have lower rates of impaired lung function; however, they show poorer quality of life and more frequent COPD-associated anxiety and depression.

[Validation of the Spanish version of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-Population Screener (COPD-PS). Its usefulness and that of FEV₁/FEV₆ for the diagnosis of COPD]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly undiagnosed disease. The use of short screening questionnaires designed to detect chronic airflow obstruction may help to the early diagnosis of COPD.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

This was an observational, cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed to validate the translated into Spanish version of the COPD-PS questionnaire. Socio-demographic and clinical data of participants were collected, as well as their answers to the COPD-PS and EQ-5D questionnaires. The ratio FEV(1)/FEV(6) was measured with the COPD-6 device. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire and the diagnostic yield of the FEV(1)/FEV(6) ratio were analysed, both referred to the gold standard of post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC < 0.7.

RESULTS

Ten primary care centers participated in the study and included 94 controls and 79 cases with chronic airflow obstruction. Questionnaire characteristics were: feasibility, 2.3% of participants did not answer at least one item; mean time to fill the questionnaire was 47.7 seconds; 4.7% of individuals had a 0 score. Validity, moderate correlation with EQ-5D scores and moderate-high with FEV(1); the scores of COPD-PS were related to all parameters associated with COPD. A cut off of 4 units had the best sensitivity/specificity ratio and correctly classified 78% of participants. For the FEV(1)/FEV(6) ratio, a cut off of 0.75 correctly classified 85% of individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

The COPD-PS questionnaire demonstrated good psychometric properties. A cut off score of 4 has excellent predictive value. A ratio of 0.75 in the FEV(1)/FEV(6) provides an excellent correlation with the ratio FEV(1)/FVC and is useful for the identification of individuals with chronic airflow obstruction.