International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2016
Elevated circulating PAI-1 levels are related to lung function decline, systemic inflammation, and small airway obstruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) participate in inflammation and tissue remolding in various diseases, but their roles in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are not yet clear. This study aimed to investigate if PAI-1 and suPAR were involved in systemic inflammation and small airway obstruction (SAO) in COPD. ⋯ Our findings first illustrate that elevated serum PAI-1 levels are related to the lung function decline, systemic inflammation, and SAO in COPD, suggesting that PAI-1 may play critical roles in the pathogenesis of COPD.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2016
Multicenter StudyPrevalence of undiagnosed airflow obstruction among people with a history of smoking in a primary care setting.
The purpose of this study was to define the prevalence of undiagnosed airflow obstruction (AO) among subjects with a history of smoking but no previous diagnosis of chronic lung disease. The finding of AO likely represents diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ⋯ One-seventh of smokers have undiagnosed AO. Spirometry screening of smokers should be considered in order to diagnose AO at an early stage, with an emphasis on smoking cessation.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2016
Multicenter Study Observational StudyAssessment of satisfaction with different dry powder inhalation devices in Greek patients with COPD and asthma: the ANASA study.
Poor adherence to inhaled therapy is common in patients with asthma and COPD. An inhaler selection based on patients' preference could be beneficial to adherence and treatment effectiveness. Properly designed questionnaires can assess patients' satisfaction with their medication devices. The aim of this study was to estimate, using the Feeling of Satisfaction with Inhaler (FSI-10) questionnaire, the ease of use and satisfaction of patients regarding three different marketed dry powder inhalers (DPIs): Diskus(®) (DK), Elpenhaler(®) (EH), and Turbuhaler(®) (TH). The FSI-10 is a self-completed questionnaire to assess patients' opinions regarding ease of use, portability, and usability of devices, irrespective of the drug used. ⋯ All DPIs tested were highly acceptable by asthma and COPD patients of different ages; nevertheless, EH received significantly higher ratings in most of the questionnaire domains. COPD patients in advanced stages of the disease generally expressed higher level of satisfaction with their devices.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2016
Multicenter Study Observational StudyDrop in lung function during asthma and COPD exacerbations - can it be assessed without spirometry?
When assessing patients with exacerbation of asthma or COPD, it may be useful to know the drop in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) compared with stable state, in particular when considering treatment with oral corticosteroids. The objective of the study was to identify indicators of drop in FEV1 during exacerbations. ⋯ Increased wheezing, as experienced by the patient, and a decreased SpO2 value strongly indicated a drop in lung function during asthma and COPD exacerbations and should probably be taken into account when treatment with oral corticosteroids is considered.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2016
The efficacy of aclidinium/formoterol on lung function and symptoms in patients with COPD categorized by symptom status: a pooled analysis.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience respiratory symptoms, which impair quality of life. This pooled analysis of two Phase III studies assessed the impact of aclidinium/formoterol on patients with COPD categorized by symptom status. ⋯ Aclidinium/formoterol 400/12 µg provided consistent improvements in bronchodilation and symptoms versus monotherapies and reduced exacerbations versus placebo in more symptomatic patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, regardless of the definition used. Furthermore, patients with a low symptom burden achieved benefits with aclidinium/formoterol versus monotherapies in postdose FEV1, dyspnea, and early-morning symptoms.