Rate of severe exacerbations, healthcare resource utilisation and clinical outcomes in patients with COPD in low-income and middle-income countries: results from the EXACOS International Study

INTRODUCTION

The EXAcerbations of Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and their OutcomeS (EXACOS) International Study aimed to quantify the rate of severe exacerbations and examine healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) and clinical outcomes in patients with COPD from low-income and middle-income countries.

METHODS

EXACOS International was an observational, cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection from medical records for a period of up to 5 years. Data were collected from 12 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Mexico, Panama, Russia and Taiwan. The study population comprised patients ≥40 years of age with COPD. Outcomes/variables included the prevalence of severe exacerbations, the annual rate of severe exacerbations and time between severe exacerbations; change in lung function over time (measured by the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)); peripheral blood eosinophil counts (BECs) and the prevalence of comorbidities; treatment patterns; and HCRU.

RESULTS

In total, 1702 patients were included in the study. The study population had a mean age of 69.7 years, with 69.4% males, and a mean body mass index of 26.4 kg/m2. The mean annual prevalence of severe exacerbations was 20.1%, and 48.4% of patients experienced ≥1 severe exacerbation during the 5-year study period. As the number of severe exacerbations increased, the interval between successive exacerbations decreased. A statistically significant decrease in mean (SD) FEV1 from baseline to post-baseline was observed in patients with ≥1 severe exacerbation (1.23 (0.51) to 1.13 (0.52) L; p=0.0000). Mean BEC was 0.198 x109 cells/L, with 64.7% of patients having a BEC ≥0.1 x109 cells/L and 21.3% having a BEC ≥0.3 x109 cells/L. The most common comorbidity was hypertension (58.3%). An increasing number of severe exacerbations per year was associated with greater HCRU.

DISCUSSION

The findings presented here indicate that effective treatment strategies to prevent severe exacerbations in patients with COPD remain a significant unmet need in low-income and middle-income countries.

Effect of Altitude on Respiratory Functional Status in COVID-19 Survivors: Results from a Latin American Cohort-FIRCOV

Laura Gochicoa-Rangel, Santiago C. Arce, Carlos Aguirre-Franco, Wilmer Madrid-Mejía, Mónica Gutiérrez-Clavería, Lorena Noriega-Aguirre, Patricia Schonffeldt-Guerrero, Agustín Acuña-Izcaray, Arturo Cortés-Telles, Luisa Martínez-Valdeavellano, Federico Isaac Hernández-Rocha, Omar Ceballos-Zúñiga, Rodrigo Del Rio Hidalgo, Sonia Sánchez, Erika Meneses-Tamayo, and Iván Chérrez-Ojeda; and on Behalf of the Respiratory Physiology Project in COVID-19 (FIRCOV). Effect of altitude on respiratory functional status in COVID-19 survivors: results from a Latin American Cohort-FIRCOV. High Alt Med Biol 24:37-48, 2023. Persistent symptoms and lung function abnormalities are common in COVID-19 survivors. Objectives: To determine the effect of altitude and other independent variables on respiratory function in COVID-19 survivors. Methods: Analytical, observational, cross-sectional cohort study done at 13 medical centers in Latin America located at different altitudes above sea level. COVID-19 survivors were invited to perform pulmonary function tests at least 3 weeks after diagnosis. Results: 1,368 participants (59% male) had mild (20%), moderate (59%), and severe (21%) disease. Restriction by spirometry was noted in 32%; diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was low in 43.7%; and 22.2% walked less meters during the 6-minute walk test (6-MWT). In multiple linear regression models, higher altitude was associated with better spirometry, DLCO and 6-MWT, but lower oxygen saturation at rest and during exercise. Men were 3 times more likely to have restriction and 5.7 times more likely to have a low DLCO. Those who had required mechanical ventilation had lower DLCO and walked less during the 6-MWT. Conclusions: Men were more likely to have lower lung function than women, even after correcting for disease severity and other factors. Patients living at a higher altitude were more likely to have better spirometric patterns and walked farther but had lower DLCO and oxygen saturation.

2139. Immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus prefusion F (RSVPreF3) candidate vaccine co-administered with the seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine in older adults

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause severe respiratory disease in older adults (OAs). However, there is no approved vaccine against RSV disease in OAs. Co-administration of vaccines against RSV and influenza could be considered given their overlapping seasonality. Here, we assessed the immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of an RSV prefusion F Older Adult (RSVPreF3 OA) investigational vaccine when co-administered with the seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine (FLU-QIV) in OAs.

Methods

In this Phase 3, open-label, controlled, multi-country study (NCT04841577), OAs aged ≥ 60 years recruited in New Zealand, Panama and South Africa were randomized 1:1 to receive either RSVPreF3 OA and FLU-QIV simultaneously on day 1 (Co-Ad group), or FLU-QIV on day 1 and RSVPreF3 OA on day 31 (Control group). The co-primary objectives were to demonstrate the non-inferiority of i) RSVPreF3 OA in terms of RSV-A neutralizing antibody geometric mean titers (GMT) ratio and ii) FLU-QIV in terms of hemagglutinin inhibition antibody GMT ratio for each Flu strain when co-administered versus when administered alone. Blood samples were collected from all participants pre vaccination and 1 month post vaccination. Non-inferiority was demonstrated if the upper limit (UL) of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the group GMT ratio (Control/Co-Ad) was ≤ 1.5. Secondary descriptive outcomes included reactogenicity and safety.

Results

885 participants received at least 1 dose of the study interventions. Of these, 838 were included in the per protocol set at 1 month post vaccination. The demographic characteristics of the participants were similar across groups. The study co-primary objectives were met; for both vaccines, the UL of the 95% CI of the GMT ratio was ≤ 1.5 (Table 1). The observed safety events were balanced between Co-Ad and Control groups (Table 2). The reactogenicity profile of the Co-ad group compared with the Control group was driven by the RSVPreF3 OA investigational vaccine.

Conclusion

Our results support simultaneous seasonal vaccination with RSVPreF3 OA and FLU-QIV in adults ≥ 60 years, as co-administration elicits a statistically non-inferior immune response to the administration of each vaccine alone, with no safety concerns identified.

Disclosures

Nathali Montenegro, MD, GSK: Support for the present abstract/study Lorena Noriega-Aguirre, MD, ScD, Astra Zeneca: Advisor/Consultant|Astra Zeneca: Honoraria|Astra Zeneca: Support for attending meetings and/or travel|Boehringer Ingelheim: Honoraria|Boehringer Ingelheim: Support for attending meetings and/or travel|GSK: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Support for the present abstract/study|Novartis: Honoraria Mohammed Bensellam, PhD, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA: Agency worker on assignment at GSK Nathalie De Schrevel, PhD, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA: Employee|GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA: Ownership Interest Sherine Kuriyakose, MSc, GSK: GSK Employee Axel Lambert, MSc, GSK: GSK Employee Aurélie Olivier, PhD, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA: I’m an employee of GSK Biologicals|GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA: Ownership Interest Veronica Hulstrøm, PhD MD, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA: Employee.