International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
-
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Clinical TrialHome-based pulmonary rehabilitation improves clinical features and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by chronic airflow limitation that leads beyond the pulmonary changes to important systemic effects. COPD is characterized by pulmonary and systemic inflammation. However, increases in the levels of inflammatory cytokines in plasma are found even when the disease is stable. ⋯ Around 25 patients were enrolled, and 14 completed the pre- and post-HBPR ratings. There was a significant increase in the walked distance and the maximal inspiratory pressure, improvements on two components from the health-related quality-of-life questionnaire, and a decrease in plasma IL-8 levels after the intervention. The HBPR is an important and viable alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation for the treatment of patients with COPD; it improves exercise tolerance, inspiratory muscle strength, quality of life, and systemic inflammation in COPD patients.
-
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Misidentification of airflow obstruction: prevalence and clinical significance in an epidemiological study.
The fixed threshold criterion for the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) <0.7 is widely applied for diagnosis of airflow obstruction (AO). However, this fixed threshold criterion may misidentify AO, because thresholds below the fifth percentile of normal FEV1/FVC (lower limit of normal; LLN) vary with age. This study aims to identify the prevalence of AO misidentification and its clinical significance. ⋯ The prevalence of AO misidentification in this population was significant, and all were underestimated subjects. Most underestimated subjects had clinical significance as related to obstructive airway diseases and chronic respiratory symptoms, mostly associated with rhinitis.
-
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Comparative StudyDialectal influence on chronic pulmonary disease assessment test: the reliability and validity study.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients living in many countries are familiar with local dialects rather than the official language. We, therefore, compare the reliability and validity of the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) in Thai and northern Thai dialect versions, in stable COPD patients living in the northern part of Thailand. ⋯ The two Thai versions of CAT were proven to be good clinical tools with high reliability and acceptable validity for assessing the quality of life of Thai COPD patients. However, the northern Thai dialect version is more suitable for evaluating COPD patients living in the northern part of Thailand.
-
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Observational StudyLong-term evaluation of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD.
Personalized, global pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) management of patients with COPD is effective, regardless of the place in which this rehabilitation is provided. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to study the long-term outcome of exercise capacity and quality of life during management of patients with COPD treated by home-based PR. ⋯ Home-based PR for unselected patients with COPD is effective in the short term, and this effectiveness is maintained in the medium term (6 months) and long term (12 months). Home-based PR is an alternative to outpatient management provided all activities, such as exercise conditioning, therapeutic education, and self-management are performed.
-
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
A score to predict short-term risk of COPD exacerbations (SCOPEX).
There is no clinically useful score to predict chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. We aimed to derive this by analyzing data from three existing COPD clinical trials of budesonide/formoterol, formoterol, or placebo in patients with moderate-to-very-severe COPD and a history of exacerbations in the previous year. ⋯ SCOPEX incorporates easily identifiable patient characteristics and can be readily applied in clinical practice to target therapy to reduce COPD exacerbations in patients at the highest risk.