Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a disease of old age?

Hospitalization Pattern for Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases in Australia: A Retrospective Ecological Study

BACKGROUND

Chronic lower respiratory diseases are among the commonest causes of hospital admission worldwide. Identifying the trends in hospital admission due to chronic lower respiratory diseases is important for public health and policy makers.

AIM

The aim of this study was to examine the hospitalization profile related to chronic lower respiratory diseases in Australia during the past 21 years.

METHOD

A retrospective ecological study was conducted using hospital admission data taken from the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD). Hospital admissions data for chronic lower respiratory diseases were extracted for the period between 1998 and 2019. The Pearson Chi-square test for independence was used to estimate the variation in hospital admission rates.

RESULTS

The hospitalization rate for chronic lower respiratory diseases rate decreased by 14.4%, from 568.90 (95%CI 565.50-572.30) in 1998 to 486.95 (95%CI 484.24-489.66) in 2019 per 100,000 persons, p<0.05. Rates of same-day hospitalization for chronic lower respiratory diseases increased by 62.7% from 1998 to 2019, while rates of overnight-stay hospital admission for chronic lower respiratory diseases decreased by 23.7% from 1998 to 2019. During the study duration, the hospitalization rates for bronchiectasis and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increased by 120.0% and 34.7%, respectively. The hospital admissions rates for emphysema, status asthmaticus, simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis, bronchitis, not specified as acute or chronic, unspecified chronic bronchitis, and asthma decreased by 94.8%, 92.6%, 70.7%, 66.3%, 46.0%, and 32.3%, respectively. The rates of hospitalization among patients aged 75 years and above increased by 3.9%, while younger age groups including those aged younger than 15 years, 15-59 years, and 60-74 years showed a reduction in the rate of hospitalization by 53%, 22.8%, and 19.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the hospitalization rate for chronic lower respiratory diseases is seen to have decreased over the study period. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the elderly group have a higher rate of hospitalization. Future studies are needed to investigate factors associated with the increase in the rate of hospitalization among the elderly age group.

The association between small airway dysfunction and aging: a cross-sectional analysis from the ECOPD cohort

BACKGROUND

Aging has been evidenced to bring about some structural and functional lung changes, especially in COPD. However, whether aging affects SAD, a possible precursor of COPD, has not been well characterized.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to comprehensively assess the relationship between aging and SAD from computed tomography, impulse oscillometry, and spirometry perspectives in Chinese.

METHODS

We included 1859 participants from ECOPD, and used a linear-by-linear association test for evaluating the prevalence of SAD across various age subgroups, and multivariate regression models for determining the impact of age on the risk and severity of SAD. We then repeated the analyses in these subjects stratified by airflow limitation.

RESULTS

The prevalence of SAD increases over aging regardless of definitional methods. After adjustment for other confounding factors, per 10-yrs increase in age was significantly associated with the risk of CT-defined SAD (OR 2.57, 95% CI 2.13 to 3.10) and the increase in the severity of air trapping (β 2.09, 95% CI - 0.06 to 4.25 for LAA_-856), airway reactance (β - 0.02, 95% CI - 0.04 to - 0.01 for X5; β 0.30, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.47 for AX; β 1.75, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.66 for Fres), as well as the decrease in expiratory flow rates (β - 3.95, 95% CI - 6.19 to - 1.71 for MMEF%predicted; β - 5.42, 95% CI - 7.88 to - 2.95 for FEF₅₀%predicted) for SAD. All these associations were generally maintained in SAD defined by IOS or spirometry. After stratification of airflow limitation, we further found that the effect of age on LAA_-856 was the most significant among almost all subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Aging is significantly associated with the prevalence, increased risk, as well as worse severity of SAD. CT may be a more optimal measure to assess aging-related SAD. The molecular mechanisms for the role of aging in SAD need to be explored in the future. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024643. Registered on 19 July 2019.

The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Deep Breathing Exercises on Dyspnea and Fatigue Symptoms of COPD Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

This study was conducted to examine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing exercises applied to patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on their dyspnea and fatigue symptoms. The study was a randomized controlled experimental trial and comprised 116 COPD patients who applied to a chest diseases follow-up outpatient clinic hospital located in Gaziantep, Turkey. The data were collected using the "Patient Information Form" including sociodemographic and disease-related characteristics of the patients, COPD and Asthma Fatigue Scale (CAFS), and Dyspnea-12 Scale. Dyspnea-12 Scale and CAFS total scores of the patients in the intervention group showed a statistically significant difference before and after the Progressive Relaxation Exercise and Deep Breathing Exercise applications (P < .05). Although the Dyspnea-12 Scale and CAFS total mean scores showed an increase in the intervention group, they remained the same in the control group. In the present study, it was found that the Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise and Deep Breathing Exercise applied to COPD patients were effective in decreasing their dyspnea and fatigue symptoms.

Can a practice pharmacist improve prescribing safety and reduce costs in polypharmacy patients? A pilot study of an intervention in an Irish general practice setting

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop and assess the feasibility and cost impact of an intervention involving a practice pharmacist embedded in general practice to improve prescribing safety, deprescribe where appropriate and reduce costs.

SETTING

Four-doctor suburban general practice.

PARTICIPANTS

Inclusion criteria: patients receiving 10+ repeat drugs per month.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

deceased, <18 years of age, nursing home resident, no longer attending, late-stage life-limiting condition, unsuitable on clinical/capacity grounds. 137 patients were eligible. 78 were recruited as participants, all of whom completed the study.

INTERVENTION

Pharmacist conducting holistic medication reviews in the study group over a 6-month period.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Anonymised medication changes, cost, biochemical monitoring and clinical measurements data were collected. Cost analysis of having a pharmacist as part of the general practice team was calculated.

RESULTS

In total, 198 potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs), and 163 opportunities for deprescribing were identified; 127 PIPs (64.1%) were actioned; 104 deprescribing opportunities were actioned (63.8%). The pharmacist identified 101 instances in which further investigations were warranted prior to prescription issue, of which 80 were actioned (79.2%). It was calculated that monthly savings of €1252 were made as a result of deprescribing.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has shown that the integration of pharmacists within general practice in Ireland is feasible and is an effective means of improving prescribing safety and implementing deprescribing through medication reviews. The combination of safety and cost concerns support taking a holistic approach to deprescribing with the patient. This study highlights the ease with which a pharmacist could integrate into the general practice setting in Ireland and points to how this could be sustainably funded.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict pulmonary function and the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a Korean population

BACKGROUND

Early suspicion followed by assessing lung function with spirometry could decrease the underdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary care. We aimed to develop a nomogram to predict the FEV₁/FVC ratio and the presence of COPD.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 4241 adult patients who underwent spirometry between 2013 and 2019. By linear regression analysis, variables associated with FEV₁/FVC were identified in the training cohort (n = 2969). Using the variables as predictors, a nomogram was created to predict the FEV₁/FVC ratio and validated in the test cohort (n = 1272).

RESULTS

Older age (β coefficient [95% CI], - 0.153 [- 0.183, - 0.122]), male sex (- 1.904 [- 2.749, - 1.056]), current or past smoking history (- 3.324 [- 4.200, - 2.453]), and the presence of dyspnea (- 2.453 [- 3.612, - 1.291]) or overweight (0.894 [0.191, 1.598]) were significantly associated with the FEV₁/FVC ratio. In the final testing, the developed nomogram showed a mean absolute error of 8.2% between the predicted and actual FEV₁/FVC ratios. The overall performance was best when FEV₁/FVC < 70% was used as a diagnostic criterion for COPD; the sensitivity, specificity, and balanced accuracy were 82.3%, 68.6%, and 75.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The developed nomogram could be used to identify potential patients at risk of COPD who may need further evaluation, especially in the primary care setting where spirometry is not available.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Women: A Biologically Focused Review with a Systematic Search Strategy

Purpose

Evidence suggests that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms and progression may differ between men and women. However, limited information is currently available on the pathophysiological and biological factors that may underlie these sex-related differences. The objective of this review is to systematically evaluate reports of potential sex-related differences, including genetic, pathophysiological, structural, and other biological factors, that may influence COPD development, manifestation, and progression in women.

Patients and Methods

A PubMed literature search was conducted from inception until January 2020. Original reports of genetic, hormonal, and physiological differences, and biological influences that could contribute to COPD development, manifestation, and progression in women were included.

Results

Overall, 491 articles were screened; 29 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results from this analysis demonstrated between-sex differences in inflammatory, immune, genetic, structural, and physiological factors in patients with COPD.

Conclusion

Various biological differences are observed between men and women with COPD including differences in inflammatory and metabolic pathways related to obesity and fat distribution, immune cell function and autophagy, extent and distribution of emphysema and airway wall remodeling. An enhanced understanding of these differences has the potential to broaden our understanding of how COPD develops and progresses, thereby providing an opportunity to ultimately improve diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of COPD in both men and women.

Prevalence and correlates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic respiratory symptoms in rural southwestern Uganda: a cross-sectional, population-based study

Background

The global burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) disproportionately affects resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but population-based prevalence estimates in SSA are rare. We aimed to estimate the population prevalence of COPD and chronic respiratory symptoms in rural southwestern Uganda.

Methods

Adults at least 18 years of age who participated in a population-wide census in rural southwestern Uganda completed respiratory questionnaires and lung function testing with bronchodilator challenge at health screening events in June 2015. We defined COPD as post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity ratio less than the lower limit of normal. We fit multivariable linear and log binomial regression models to estimate correlates of abnormal lung function and respiratory symptoms, respectively. We included inverse probability of sampling weights in models to facilitate population-level estimates.

Results

Forty-six percent of census participants (843/1814) completed respiratory questionnaires and spirometry, of which 565 (67%) met acceptability standards. COPD and respiratory symptom population prevalence were 2% (95% confidence interval (CI)  = 1%-3%) and 30% (95% CI = 25%-36%), respectively. Respiratory symptoms were more prevalent and lung function was lower among women and ever-smokers (P < 0.05). HIV serostatus was associated with neither respiratory symptoms nor lung function.

Conclusions

COPD population prevalence was low despite prevalent respiratory symptoms. This work adds to the growing body of literature depicting lower-than-expected COPD prevalence estimates in SSA and raises questions about whether the high respiratory symptom burden in rural southwestern Uganda represents underlying structural lung disease not identified by screening spirometry.