scholarly journals New Perspectives in COPD Management

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (6 Supplement) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yawn

LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Collaborate with patients to inform treatment decision-making that addresses their symptoms, goals, and concerns • Individualize guideline-recommended therapy to reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, improve lung function, manage daily symptoms such as breathlessness, and help achieve the patient’s goals • Select an inhaler and an optimal dose of medication to best meet a patient’s needs and capabilities

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teri L. Malo ◽  
Isaac Lipkus ◽  
Tobi Wilson ◽  
Hyo S. Han ◽  
Geza Acs ◽  
...  

Introduction. This study aimed to evaluate whether OncotypeDx test results predict receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients who received an OncotypeDx recurrence score (RS).Materials and Methods. Pathology records were used to identify breast cancer patients who had OncotypeDx testing between December 2004 and January 2009 (n=118). Patient sociodemographic information, tumor characteristics, RS, and treatment-specific data were collected via chart review. RS was classified as follows: low (RS≤17), intermediate (RS = 18–30), or high (RS≥31). Bivariate analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between adjuvant chemotherapy receipt and each sociodemographic and clinical characteristic; significant sociodemographic and clinical variables were included in a multivariable logistic regression model.Results. In multivariable analysis controlling for tumor size, histologic grade, and nuclear grade, only RS remained significantly associated with chemotherapy uptake. Relative to low RS, an intermediate (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 21.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.62–237.52) or high (AOR, 15.07; 95% CI, 1.28–288.21) RS was associated with a greater odds of chemotherapy uptake.Discussion. Results indicate that RS was significantly associated with adjuvant chemotherapy uptake, suggesting that OncotypeDx results were used to inform treatment decision making, although it is unclear if and how the information was conveyed to patients.


Lung ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 199 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-137
Author(s):  
Michael G. Crooks ◽  
Albertus C. den Brinker ◽  
Susannah Thackray-Nocera ◽  
Ralph van Dinther ◽  
Caroline E. Wright ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Acute exacerbations of COPD (AE-COPD) are a leading cause of health service utilisation and are associated with morbidity and mortality. Identifying the prodrome of AE-COPD by monitoring symptoms and physiological parameters (telemonitoring) has proven disappointing and false alerts limit clinical utility. We report objective monitoring of cough counts around AE-COPD and the performance of a novel alert system identifying meaningful change in cough frequency. Methods This prospective longitudinal study of cough monitoring included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients experienced in telemonitoring that had two or more AE-COPD in the past year. Participants underwent cough monitoring and completed a daily questionnaire for 90 days. The automated system identified deteriorating trends in cough and this was compared with alerts generated by an established telemonitoring questionnaire. Results 28 patients [median age 66 (range 46–86), mean FEV-1% predicted 36% (SD 18%)] completed the study and had a total of 58 exacerbations (43 moderate and 15 severe). Alerts based on cough monitoring were generated mean 3.4 days before 45% of AE-COPD with one false alert every 100 days. In contrast, questionnaire-based alerts occurred in the prodrome of 88% of AE-COPD with one false alert every 10 days. Conclusion An alert system based on cough frequency alone predicted 45% AE-COPD; the low false alert rate with cough monitoring suggests it is a practical and clinically relevant tool. In contrast, the utility of questionnaire-based symptom monitoring is limited by frequent false alerts.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (137) ◽  
pp. 451-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Cazzola ◽  
Luigino Calzetta ◽  
Clive Page ◽  
Josè Jardim ◽  
Alexander G. Chuchalin ◽  
...  

In order to clarify the possible role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the treatment of patients with chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we have carried out a meta-analysis testing the available evidence that NAC treatment may be effective in preventing exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD and evaluating whether there is a substantial difference between the responses induced by low (≤600 mg per day) and high (>600 mg per day) doses of NAC.The results of the present meta-analysis (13 studies, 4155 COPD patients, NAC n=1933; placebo or controls n=2222) showed that patients treated with NAC had significantly and consistently fewer exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD (relative risk 0.75, 95% CI 0.66–0.84; p<0.01), although this protective effect was more apparent in patients without evidence of airway obstruction. However, high doses of NAC were also effective in patients suffering from COPD diagnosed using spirometric criteria (relative risk 0.75, 95% CI 0.68–0.82; p=0.04). NAC was well tolerated and the risk of adverse reactions was not dose-dependent (low doses relative risk 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.97; p=0.40; high doses relative risk 1.11, 95% CI 0.89–1.39; p=0.58).The strong signal that comes from this meta-analysis leads us to state that if a patient suffering from chronic bronchitis presents a documented airway obstruction, NAC should be administered at a dose of ≥1200 mg per day to prevent exacerbations, while if a patient suffers from chronic bronchitis, but is without airway obstruction, a regular treatment of 600 mg per day seems to be sufficient.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niamh Kelly ◽  
Lewis Winning ◽  
Christopher Irwin ◽  
Fionnuala Lundy ◽  
Dermot Linden ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundA growing body of evidence suggests a role for oral bacteria in lung infections. This systematic review aimed to analyse the association between poor periodontal health and the frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. MethodsPubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and Medline were searched for studies published until May 2020, with no language restriction. Studies reporting periodontal condition, or periodontal treatment outcomes, with data on the frequency of exacerbations of COPD, were identified. The primary outcome was the frequency of exacerbations and secondary outcomes included quality of life and hospitalisation. Studies were assessed for eligibility and quality by two assessors independently.Results Searches identified 532 records and 8 met the inclusion criteria. The data from intervention studies showed reduction in the frequency of exacerbations following periodontal treatment. Data from observational studies suggest association of worse plaque scores with exacerbation but not pocket depth or clinical attachment loss. Better periodontal health was also associated with reduced frequency of COPD exacerbations, hospitalisations and improved quality of life in COPD patients. Due to the high heterogeneity no meta-analysis was performed. The quality of some of the included studies was low and there was evidence of high risk of bias.ConclusionThe data supports possible association between poor periodontal health, the frequency of exacerbations and quality of life in COPD patients. The evidence is limited by high risk of bias suggesting need for well-designed and adequately powered randomised control trials.The PROSPERO registration number CRD42020180328


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuong Nguyen Thi Thu ◽  
Minh Ngo Thị Huong ◽  
Ngan Tran Thi ◽  
Hoi Nguyen Thanh ◽  
Khue Pham Minh

Abstract Background The role of antibiotics in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations and their effectiveness in combination have not been clearly established. To determine whether using a combination of fluoroquinolones and beta-lactams improves the clinical and microbiological efficacy of antibiotics on day 20 of treatment, we conducted an open-label randomized trial based on clinical outcomes, microbiological clearance, spirometry tests, and signs of systemic inflammation in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD. Methods We enrolled 139 subjects with COPD exacerbations, defined as acute worsening of respiratory symptoms leading to additional treatment. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: 79 patients using beta-lactam antibiotics alone and 60 using beta-lactam antibiotics plus fluoroquinolones. Clinical and microbiological responses, spirometry tests, symptom scores, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were evaluated. Results Clinical success, lung function, and symptoms were similar in patients with or without fluoroquinolone administration on days 10 and 20. Combination therapy was superior in terms of microbiological outcomes and reduction in serum CRP value. Although equivalent to monotherapy in terms of clinical success, the combination showed superiority in terms of microbiological success and a decrease in CRP. The combination therapy group had a higher microbiological success rate with gram-negative bacteria than the monotherapy group with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (100% vs. 33.3%, respectively) and Acinetobacter baumanii (100% vs. 20%, respectively) (P < 0.05). Conclusions Concomitant use of fluoroquinolone and beta-lactam antibiotics for bacterial infections during COPD exacerbations caused by gram-negative bacteria appear to be effective and should be applied in clinical practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 00011-2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jørgen Vestbo ◽  
Peter Lange

Exacerbations have significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Most guidelines emphasise prevention of exacerbations by treatment with long-acting bronchodilators and/or anti-inflammatory drugs. Whereas most of this treatment is evidence-based, it is clear that patients differ regarding the nature of exacerbations and are likely to benefit differently from different types of treatment. In this short review, we wish to highlight this, suggest a first step in differentiating pharmacological exacerbation prevention and call for more studies in this area. Finally, we wish to highlight that there are perhaps easier ways of achieving similar success in exacerbation prevention using nonpharmacological tools.


Author(s):  
Madhuvanthi Suresh ◽  
Jessica Young ◽  
Vincent Fan ◽  
Carol Simons ◽  
Catherine Battaglia ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive, debilitating illness characterized by exacerbations that require timely intervention. COPD patients often rely on informal caregivers—relatives or friends—for assistance with functioning and support. Caregivers perform roles that may be particularly important during acute exacerbations in monitoring symptoms and seeking medical intervention. However, little is known about caregivers’ roles and experiences as they support their patients during exacerbations. Purpose To explore the experiences, roles in care seeking, and needs of caregivers during COPD exacerbations. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 caregivers of Veterans with COPD who experienced a recent exacerbation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results Five themes arose: (a) caregivers reported continuously monitoring changes in patients symptom severity to identify exacerbations; (b) caregivers described emotional reactions evoked by exacerbations and constant vigilance; (c) caregivers described disagreements with their patient in interpreting symptoms and determining the need for care seeking; (d) caregivers noted uncertainty regarding their roles and responsibilities in pursuing care and their approaches to promote care varied; and (e) expressed their need for additional information and support. Caregivers of patients with COPD often influence whether and when patients seek care during exacerbations. Discrepancies in symptom evaluations between patients and caregivers paired with the lack of information and support available to caregivers are related to delays in care seeking. Clinical practice should foster self-management support to patient–caregiver dyads to increase caregiver confidence and patient openness to their input during exacerbations.


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