Diagnosis and treatment considerations for women with COPD

The worldwide prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is growing faster in women than in men. Over the past two decades, COPD-related mortality rates have also grown faster in women, and since the year 2000 more women than men have died from COPD. The greater prevalence of COPD and related mortality reported for men in earlier epidemiological studies may be due to under-diagnosis of women. In addition, factors such as prevalence of symptoms, triggering stimuli, response to treatment, susceptibility to smoking, frequency of exacerbations, impairment in quality of life response to oxygen therapy, presence of malnutrition, airway hyper-responsiveness and depression are more frequently seen in women with COPD. Despite these differences, the current guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of men or women with COPD are the same. It is important for healthcare professionals to recognise the gender differences in patients with COPD to optimise assessment, monitoring and treatment of this disease. This article reviews the clinical differences between men and women with COPD, current treatment guidelines and its implications for improvement in the management of women with COPD.

Sex differences in mortality in patients with COPD

Little is known about survival and clinical prognostic factors in females with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the present study was to determine the survival difference between males and females with COPD and to compare the value of the different prognostic factors for the disease. In total, 265 females and 272 males with COPD matched at baseline by BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea, exercise capacity) and American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society/Global Initiative of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria were prospectively followed. Demographics, lung function, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire, BODE index, the components of the BODE index and comorbidity were determined. Survival was documented and sex differences were determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The strength of the association of the studied variables with mortality was determined using multivariate and receiver operating curves analysis. All-cause (40 versus 18%) and respiratory mortality (24 versus 10%) were higher in males than females. Multivariate analysis identified the BODE index in females and the BODE index and Charlson comorbidity score in males as the best predictors of mortality. The area under the curve of the BODE index was a better predictor of mortality than the forced expiratory volume in one second for both sexes. At similar chronic obstructive pulmonary disease severity by BODE index and forced expiratory volume in one second, females have significantly better survival than males. For both sexes the BODE index is a better predictor of survival than the forced expiratory volume in one second.

The modified BODE index: validation with mortality in COPD

Peak oxygen uptake (V'(O(2))) remains the gold standard measurement of exercise capacity and has been associated with survival. A modified BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea, exercise capacity) index replacing the 6-min walk distance (6MWD) with V'(O(2)) as % predicted (mBODE%) has been developed and found to have excellent correlation with the conventional BODE index. The objectives of the present study were to compare the ability of the conventional BODE and the mBODE% to predict mortality in 444 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) followed for a mean+/-SD period of 71+/-34 months. Anthropometrics, spirometry, lung volumes, comorbidity, cardiopulmonary cyclo-ergometry test and 6MWD were determined at entry. The mean BODE indices for the cohort were: BODE 4.1+/-2 and mBODE% 5.5+/-2. Both indices were significantly correlated with mortality. Logistic regression analysis with COPD survival as the dependent variable identified the BODE index, Charlson's and exercise capacity (in W) as variables associated with this outcome. In conclusion, the conventional BODE index, which uses the 6-min walk distance, predicts mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as the modified index using peak oxygen uptake. The results support the use of the simpler index, which includes the 6-min walk distance in the comprehensive evaluation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The 6-min walking distance: long-term follow up in patients with COPD

The 6-min walking distance (6MWD) test is used in clinical practice and research into patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, little is known about natural long-term change in this parameter. The 6MWD was measured at baseline and then annually for 5 yrs in 294 patients with COPD and its annual rate of decline was determined. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was also measured and the relationship between changes in both markers was explored. At baseline, the median 6MWD was 380 m (range 160-600 m). It declined by 19% (16 m.yr(-1)) over the 5 yrs compared with baseline in patients with American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society stage III COPD (FEV1 30-50% predicted) and by 26% (15 m.yr(-1)) in patients with stage IV COPD (FEV1 <30% pred). Over the 5-yr follow-up, the proportion of patients with a minimal clinically significant decline of 54 m increased with the severity of the disease. It was 24% in stage II, 45% in stage III, and 63% in stage IV disease. In contrast, the rate of decline of FEV1 was greater in patients with milder airflow obstruction and lesser in patients with lower absolute FEV1 values. In conclusion, the 6-min walking distance test provides increasingly useful information as the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases.

Pulmonary rehabilitation and the BODE index in COPD

The BODE index, which integrates body mass index, airflow limitation (forced expiratory volume in one second), dyspnoea and 6-min walk distance, predicts mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves some components of BODE. It was hypothesised that changes in BODE may reflect the effects of PR. To test this, participation in PR was offered to 246 patients (BODE quartiles 2-4). The patients were divided as follows: no PR (130 who declined rehabilitation or who dropped out from PR), and PR (116 who completed PR). BODE was determined at entry, after PR, and at 1 and 2 yrs. Other outcomes were: length of stay (LOS) for respiratory-related hospitalisations and mortality. At entry, the two groups had similar age and comorbidity but different BODE. After PR, the BODE improved by 19% and returned to baseline after 2 yrs. The BODE worsened in the no PR group by 4% at 12 months and 18% at 2 yrs. Respiratory mortality at 2 yrs for PR was 7%, compared with 39% for no PR. LOS at 1 yr for COPD decreased 20% in PR, while it increased 25% in no PR. In conclusion, pulmonary rehabilitation participation improves BODE and is associated with better outcomes. The BODE index change after pulmonary rehabilitation provides valuable prognostic information.

Upregulation of xanthine oxidase by lipopolysaccharide, interleukin-1, and hypoxia. Role in acute lung injury

LPS and selected cytokines upregulate xanthine dehydrogenase/xanthine oxidase (XDH/XO) in cellular systems. However, the effect of these factors on in vivo XDH/XO expression, and their contribution to lung injury, are poorly understood. Rats were exposed to normoxia or hypoxia for 24 h after treatment with LPS (1 mg/kg) and IL-1beta (100 microg/kg) or sterile saline. Lungs were then harvested for measurement of XDH/XO enzymatic activity and gene expression, and pulmonary edema was assessed by measurement of the wet/dry lung weight ratio (W/D). Although treatment with LPS + IL-1beta or hypoxia independently produced a 2-fold elevation (p < 0. 05 versus exposure to normoxia and treatment with saline) in lung XDH/XO activity and mRNA, the combination of LPS + IL-1beta and hypoxia caused a 4- and 3.5-fold increase in these values, respectively. XDH/XO protein expression was increased 2-fold by hypoxia alone and 1.3-fold by treatment with LPS + IL-1beta alone or combination treatment. Compared with normoxic lungs, W/D was significantly increased by exposure to hypoxia, LPS + IL-1beta, or combination treatment. This increase was prevented by treatment of the animals with tungsten, which abrogated lung XDH/XO activity. In conclusion, LPS, IL-1beta, and hypoxia significantly upregulate lung XDH/XO expression in vivo. The present data support a role for this enzyme in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury.

Regulation of intracellular xanthine oxidase by endothelial-derived nitric oxide

We have previously shown that nitric oxide (NO) donors, such as nitrosoglutathione, inhibit endothelial cell (EC) xanthine dehydrogenase (XD)/xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. The purpose of this study was to assess whether endothelial-derived NO plays any role in the regulation of intracellular XD/XO. We exposed rat pulmonary microvascular EC to L-arginine (precursor of NO) or inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), i.e., NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl esther (L-NAME) and NG-nitro-L-arginine, in conditions of normoxia, hypoxia, and hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. Hypoxia alone caused a 1.9- and a 6.6-fold increase in XO and a 5-fold increase in XO + XD activities after 24 and 48 h of exposure, respectively. The combination of hypoxia and L-NAME (300 microM) treatment amounted at 48 h to a 10- and 7.5-fold increase in XO and XO + XD activities, respectively, compared with normoxic untreated cells. L-NAME also prevented the decline in XD/XO activity that occurred in untreated EC after hypoxia-reoxygenation. On the other hand, treatment with L-arginine caused a dose-dependent decrease in XD/XO activity in hypoxic EC compared with cells provided with L-arginine-free medium. In separate experiments, we assessed the role of L-arginine supplementation on the in vivo regulation of lung XD/XO by exposing male adult Sprague-Dawley rats for a period of 5 days to a hypoxic hypobaric atmosphere (0.5 atm). Exposure to hypoxia produced a significant increase in lung tissue XO activity and an increase in the ratio of XO to XD. L-Arginine supplementation in the drinking water prevented the increase in lung XO and the XO-to-XD ratio in hypoxic rats and caused a significant decrease in XO and XD in rats exposed to normoxia. In conclusion, this study suggests that endogenous NO has a significant role in the regulation of XD/XO both in vitro and in vivo. By inhibiting XD/XO activity, NO may have a modulating effect in conditions of hypoxia and hypoxia-reoxygenation, where this enzyme is thought to be important.

Regulation of bovine endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase by oxygen

Oxygen (O2) may regulate pulmonary vascular resistance through changes in endothelial nitric oxide (NO) production. To determine whether constitutive NO synthase (cNOS) is regulated by O2, we assessed cNOS expression and activity in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells exposed to different concentrations of O2. In a time-dependent manner, changes in O2 concentration from 95 to 3% produced a progressive decrease in cNOS mRNA and protein levels resulting in 4.8- and 4.3-fold reductions after 24h, respectively. This correlated with changes in cNOS activity as determined by nitrite measurements. Compared with 20% O2, cNOS activity was increased 1.5-fold in 95% O2 and decreased 1.9-fold in 3% O2. A decrease in O2 concentration from 94 to 3% shortened cNOS mRNA half-life from 46 to 24 h and caused a 20-fold repression of cNOS gene transcription. Treatment with cycloheximide produced a threefold increase in cNOS mRNA at all O2 concentrations, suggesting that cNOS mRNA expression is negatively regulated under basal condition. We conclude that O2 upregulates cNOS expression through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. A decrease in cNOS activity in the presence of low O2 levels, therefore, may contribute to hypoxia-induced vasoconstriction in the pulmonary circulation.