Activities of daily living in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with depressive symptoms

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study assessed the activities of daily living (ADL) and risk factors for developing depressive symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and was carried out at the pulmonology outpatient clinic of the Hospital Universitário Oswaldo Cruz. Two hundred two (202) patients with COPD participated in the study. We evaluated the sociodemographic and anthropometric data, the ADL by means of Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea Questionnaire - Modified version (PFSDQ-M), and the presence of depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). All domains (dyspnea, fatigue and activity changes) of PFSDQ are compromised in patients with depressive symptoms. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 38.6%. The chance of developing these symptoms was higher for those who used more than one bronchodilator (OR: 2.82, CI 95%: 1.47-5.38, p=0.002), presented dyslipidemias (OR: 2.74, CI95%: 1.24-6.07, p=0.012), had a heart disease (OR: 2.82, CI 95%: 1.18-6.74, p=0.020), presented expectoration (OR: 2.44, CI 95%: 1.2-4.95, p=0.014) or did not have a partner (OR: 2.58, CI 95%: 1.36-4.9, p=0.004). COPD patients with depressive symptoms had all domains of ADL compromised compared to patients without these symptoms.

Associations of total and type-specific physical activity with mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Regular physical activity is recommended for all people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the dose of physical activity required to gain mortality benefit in this population is not yet known. This aim of this study was to examine the associations of total and type-specific physical activity with mortality risk in people with COPD.

METHODS

People with COPD aged ≥40 years were identified from the 1997 Health Survey for England and the 1998 and 2003 Scottish Health Survey cohorts. Self-reported total physical activity, moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), walking, domestic physical activity, and sport/exercise were assessed at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between physical activity and mortality risk.

RESULTS

Two thousand three hundred ninety-eight participants with COPD were included in the analysis and followed up for a mean 8.5 (SD 3.9) years. For both total physical activity and MVPA, we observed dose-response associations with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk, and with respiratory mortality risk to a lesser extent. Compared to those who reported no physical activity, participants who met the physical activity guidelines demonstrated the greatest reductions in all-cause (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.45-0.69), CVD (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.32-0.71) and respiratory mortality risk (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.24-0.67). Participants who reported a level of physical activity of at least half the dosage recommended by the guidelines also had a reduced risk of all-cause (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.56-1.00) and CVD mortality (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.88). Dose-response associations with mortality risk were demonstrated for walking and sport/exercise, but not domestic physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a dose-response association between physical activity and all-cause and CVD mortality risk in people with COPD, with protective effects appearing at levels considerably lower than the general physical activity recommendations. People with COPD may benefit from engagement in low levels of physical activity, particularly walking and structured exercise.

Clinical Update on Nursing Home Medicine: 2017

This is the 11th annual Clinical Update from the AMDA meeting article. This year the topics covered are hypertension after the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk factors, diagnosis and management including end-of-life planning, and the difficulties with exacerbations such as breathlessness; diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment and dementia; and wound care and pressure ulcer management.

Asthma, COPD and comorbidities in elderly people

Co-morbidities are a significant problem in the elderly population but are rarely presented and analyzed for interdependencies among the various coexisting chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to present a profile of comorbidities in elderly patients with and without asthma and COPD.

METHODS

Respondents were recruited at 20 sites in Poland. Stratified random sampling from patient databases resulted in 15,973 patients older than 60 years of age. A retrospective analysis of medical history and ICD-10 codes was performed. In addition, patients underwent a spirometry test with a bronchial reversibility test and were administered questionnaires on the prevalence of chronic diseases by doctors.

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 1023 asthmatic patients, 1084 patients with COPD and 1076 control subjects without any signs of bronchoconstriction and with correct spirometry. Patients with asthma exhibited a similar distribution of cardiovascular and metabolic co-morbidities as the control group. However, asthmatic patients had a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension and depression with an odds ratio (OR) = 1.48 (95% CI: 1.38-1.62) and OR = 1.52 (95% CI: 1.44-1.68), respectively. Coronary disease (OR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.97-2.33), cor pulmonale (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 2.87-3.22) and heart failure (OR = 2.71; 95% CI: 2.64-3.11) were predominantly observed in patients with COPD. Patients with severe asthma exhibited a greater predisposition to cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases.

CONCLUSION

Asthma coexisted frequently with arterial hypertension and depression in elderly patients. Patients with COPD have a more exaggerated profile of coexisting diseases, specifically cardiovascular problems.

Clinically relevant subgroups in COPD and asthma

As knowledge of airways disease has grown, it has become apparent that neither chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) nor asthma is a simple, easily defined disease. In the past, treatment options for both diseases were limited; thus, there was less need to define subgroups. As treatment options have grown, so has our need to predict who will respond to new drugs. To date, identifying subgroups has been largely reported by detailed clinical characterisation or differences in pathobiology. These subgroups are commonly called "phenotypes"; however, the problem of defining what constitutes a phenotype, whether this should include comorbid diseases and how to handle changes over time has led to the term being used loosely. In this review, we describe subgroups of COPD and asthma patients whose clinical characteristics we believe have therapeutic or major prognostic implications specific to the lung, and whether these subgroups are constant over time. Finally, we will discuss whether the subgroups we describe are common to both asthma and COPD, and give some examples of how treatment might be tailored in patients where the subgroup is clear, but the label of asthma or COPD is not.

The effect of comorbidities on COPD assessment: a pilot study

Introduction

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently suffer from comorbidities. COPD severity may be evaluated by the Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) combined risk assessment score (GOLD score). Spirometry, body plethysmography, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and high-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) measure lung function and elucidate pulmonary pathology. This study assesses associations between GOLD score and measurements of lung function in COPD patients with and without (≤1) comorbidities. It evaluates whether the presence of comorbidities influences evaluation by GOLD score of COPD severity, and questions whether GOLD score describes morbidity rather than COPD severity.

Methods

In this prospective study, 106 patients with stable COPD were included. Patients treated for lung cancer were excluded. Demographics, oxygen saturation (SpO₂), modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale, COPD exacerbations, and comorbidities were recorded. Body plethysmography and DLCO were measured, and HR-CT performed and evaluated for emphysema and airways disease. COPD severity was stratified by the GOLD score. Correlation analyses: 1) GOLD score, 2) emphysema grade, and 3) airways disease and lung function parameters, described by: forced expiratory volume in the first second in percent of expected value (FEV₁%), inspiratory capacity (IC%), total lung volume (TLC%), IC/TLC, and SpO₂. Correlation analyses between subgroups and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed.

Results

Significant associations were found between GOLD score and both emphysema grade (correlation coefficients [cc]: −0.2, P=0.03) and lung function parameters (cc: −0.5 to −0.7, P-values all <0.001) weakened in patients with >1 comorbidity (cc: −0.4 to −0.5, P-values all 0.001). Significant differences between subgroups were found in GOLD score and both FEV₁% (cc: −0.2, P=0.02) and IC/TLC (cc: −0.2, P=0.02). Comorbidities were associated with GOLD score and composite measures in hierarchical cluster analysis.

Conclusion

The presence of comorbidities influences the relationship between GOLD score and lung function measurements. GOLD score may be more representative of morbidity than of COPD severity.