Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases-Journal of the Copd Foundation最新文献

Rationale: Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of hospitalization and death, particularly among patients with chronic bronchitis and frequent exacerbations. Results of placebo-controlled clinical trials indicate that treatment escalation with either long-term oral roflumilast or azithromycin can reduce COPD exacerbations. However, head-to-head comparative data from clinical trials are lacking, so the relative harms and benefits of these treatments are unclear.

Objective: The RofLumilast or Azithromycin to preveNt COPD Exacerbations (RELIANCE) study is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, pragmatic clinical trial embedded in clinical practice to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment escalation with long-term azithromycin versus roflumilast in patients with COPD and chronic bronchitis.

Methods/design: We solicited preferences from patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders during the design and implementation phases of the study, including feedback that informed modifications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria did not require assessments outside of clinical practice, with exclusions principally for safety. The composite endpoint of first all-cause hospitalization or death served as the primary outcome. Enrollment was initially through university-affiliated clinical centers but was subsequently expanded to recruit patients in community-based practices who might not otherwise participate in research. We employed human-centered design principles to improve the usability of study activities from the perspective of participants, study staff, and treating clinicians.

Final design: The final study design offered the option for patients with COPD and chronic bronchitis at high-risk of hospitalization or death to be remotely consented, prescribed a medication according to the randomized treatment allocation, and complete virtual follow-up study visits in a decentralized clinical trial.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the relationships and usefulness of physical activity, physical performance, and physical function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), focusing on 2 newly proposed skeletal muscle indices: the upper limb skeletal muscle mass index (USMI) and lower limb skeletal muscle mass index (LSMI).

Methods: A total of 80 stable patients with COPD who participated in outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation at Osaka Fukujuji Hospital were enrolled. The primary measurements were the USMI, LSMI, and skeletal muscle index (SMI). The explanatory measurements included physical activity, incremental shuttle walking distance (ISWD), quadriceps strength, handgrip strength, the Nagasaki University Respiratory Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire, and pulmonary function. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used for the statistical analyses.

Results: USMI showed no significant correlations with physical activity parameters or ISWD. In contrast, LSMI was significantly correlated with weekly exercise volume (r=0.42, p<0.01), daily exercise volume (r=0.42, p<0.01), time spent in activities ≥3 metabolic equivalents of task (r=0.40, p<0.01), and ISWD (r=0.46, p<0.01). Multiple regression analysis identified ISWD as an independent factor for USMI, LSMI, and SMI.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that LSMI, similar to SMI, was associated with physical activity and exercise capacity in patients with COPD. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating, maintaining, and strengthening lower limb skeletal muscle mass and suggest that LSMI may serve as a useful clinical evaluation index.

Introduction: High rates of medication nonadherence contribute to poor outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the mechanisms driving nonadherence remain poorly understood.

Methods: We conducted qualitative semistructured interviews to evaluate barriers and facilitators of inhaler adherence. The Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation model of Behavior informed the semistructured interview guide and analysis.

Results: Short-term lapses in inhaler use commonly resulted from inhaler unaffordability, not possessing the inhaler, forgetfulness, and geographical or logistical issues accessing health care services. Participants overcame these barriers by requesting more affordable inhalers, keeping inhalers in strategic locations, routinizing inhaler use, utilizing reminders or cues, having extra inhalers, and leaning on social support. Nearly half of participants reported using their inhalers differently than prescribed because of insufficient knowledge, skills, or complex motivational barriers. Participants who reported using an incorrect dosage schedule or poor inhaler technique were unaware of their inhaler misuse. Although participants collectively saw some benefit to using inhalers, many were intentionally nonadherent due to conflicting motivational factors. Common motivational barriers to adherence included beliefs that inhalers were not always necessary, nonadherence carried little risk, their self-identity conflicted with having COPD, and emotional distress related to numerous medications. There were strong interactions between reinforcement and other motivational factors that created feedback loops which strengthened or weakened adherence.

Conclusions: Barriers to medication adherence were common and varied by individual. Knowledge and skills barriers are well-suited for interventions that utilize instruction or enablement, whereas motivational barriers could be addressed through reinforcement or interventions tailored at the individual level.

Background: Lung resection is the preferred treatment option for lung cancer. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be denied surgery due to lung function impairment or other comorbidities.

Objective: We aimed to describe the predictors of lung resection and long-term survival in patients with COPD with early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Study design and methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with COPD who were treated for resectable NSCLC between 2009 and 2019 in a tertiary care hospital. The decision to operate or not followed a thorough clinical evaluation. Survival status was obtained from a provincial registry. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictors of surgery. A propensity score technique was used to control for confounding by indication. Hazard ratios for survival were estimated from a Cox regression model, adjusted for measured baseline confounders and propensity score as covariates.

Results: A total of 1307 patients with COPD were included, including 918 who underwent surgery. Of those, 147 (38%) did not have surgery and were treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy, 86 (22%) were treated with conventional radiotherapy, and 156 (40%) did not receive any active treatment. Predictors of surgery included age, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, adenocarcinoma versus squamous cell carcinoma, and stage 2A versus stage 1A. Propensity score-adjusted survival was significantly reduced with nonsurgical versus surgical approaches.

Interpretation: Lung resection was associated with better survival in patients with COPD and resectable lung cancer compared to nonsurgical approaches.

Rationale: The variation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) population-level exacerbation rates at fine spatial scales is unclear but is important for understanding the potential role of neighborhood-level factors in risk for COPD exacerbations. We aim to describe the spatial distribution of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and readmissions for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPDs) across census tracts in Travis County, Texas, and understand the neighborhood characteristics that may contribute to census tract-level morbidity.

Methods: We used the Texas Health Care Information Collection data set and the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey to calculate census tract-specific population-based incidence rates (PBIRs) and readmission rates from January 2016 through December 2020. Conditional autoregressive models were used to map estimated PBIRs of acute care use outcomes across census tracts. We then examined associations of neighborhood characteristics with census tract-level rates of acute care use.

Results: Census tract-level incidence rates of COPD-related ED visits and hospital admissions exhibited spatial patterning across Travis County. In contrast, there was less spatial patterning of census tract-level readmission rates across census tracts. Several census tract demographic, socioeconomic, and built environment characteristics were associated with census tract-level COPD-related ED visit and hospitalization rates, but not with COPD readmission rates.

Conclusion: There is a spatial pattern of ED visit and hospitalization PBIRs for AECOPDs within Travis County and several associations with neighborhood characteristics. Readmission rates did not exhibit clear spatial patterning across census tracts and did not have similar associations with neighborhood characteristics.

Objective: Untreated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are associated with short-term changes in lung function and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aims to examine the association between untreated exacerbations and long-term HRQoL, as well as differences in characteristics between treated and untreated exacerbations.

Methods: A secondary analysis was performed using data from a prospective observational cohort study of participants with COPD. Participants’ HRQoL was measured using the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) at baseline and at 12 months. Exacerbations were ascertained with phone calls every 2 weeks, with detailed information regarding exacerbations obtained by research staff. Exacerbations were considered treated if participants took prednisone or antibiotics. Mixed models were used to analyze differences in treated and untreated exacerbation characteristics. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the association between the number of treated and untreated exacerbations and a change in CRQ at 12 months.

Results: Among 410 participants, 355 experienced 1097 exacerbations during the 12-month study period, of which 460 (42%) were treated. Treated exacerbations were more severe and lasted longer (25.5 versus 19.9 days, p<0.001) compared to untreated exacerbations. Each additional untreated exacerbation experienced was associated with a significant worsening of long-term HRQoL scores compared to those without exacerbations: CRQ dyspnea (adjusted b= -0.10; 95% confidence interval -0.18 to -0.03), CRQ fatigue (b= -0.07; -0.14 to -0.01), and CRQ emotional function (b= -0.08; -0.14 to -0.02).

Conclusion: Untreated COPD exacerbations occurred frequently and were associated with worse long-term HRQoL, despite being shorter and less severe than treated exacerbations.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease with a high prevalence and cost burden on the health care system. Overall, adherence to prescribed therapies is low and associated with worse outcomes.

Objective: Cost-related nonadherence (CRN) is a type of nonadherence that could be addressed through policy. We evaluated the long-term association of CRN on COPD outcomes in a well-profiled cohort.

Methods: We identified 2521 participants with baseline COPD who answered the social and economic questionnaire in the COPD Genetic Epidemiology study cohort. Of these, 408 participants endorsed experiencing CRN. Multivariable regression models were utilized to assess the association of experiencing CRN and COPD outcomes including functional status, health status, and progression of disease.

Results: Experiencing CRN is associated with worse functional status by the 6-minute walk distance, symptom burden by the COPD Assessment Test score, and health status by the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Longitudinal analysis revealed an association of CRN with faster lung function decline and an increased risk of COPD exacerbations.

Conclusion: Policy changes to address out-of-pocket medication costs may improve COPD outcomes and potentially lead to long-term cost savings.

Background: The association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unclear. The study aims to investigate the association between 25(OH)D concentrations and the incidence and survival of COPD in the U.K. Biobank cohort.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using U.K. Biobank data from 328,855 participants with complete 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). This analysis examined the association between 25(OH)D levels and COPD prevalence via logistic regression. Additionally, we prospectively followed a cohort of 327,871 individuals without baseline COPD. We assessed the risk of incident COPD and survival outcomes in this cohort using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to generate survival curves.

Results: The prevalence of COPD was significantly higher in individuals with 25(OH)D deficiency compared to those with a normal level, as evidenced by an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 1.266(1.206–1.330) for COPD. During the median follow-up period of 15 years (interquartile range: 14–16 years), the overall COPD incidence was 262.3 per 10,000 person years, with higher rates among those with 25(OH)D deficiency (345.2 per 10,000 person years) compared to normal levels (232.6 per 10,000 person years) (p<0.001). In fully adjusted models, 25(OH)D deficiency was significantly associated with increased COPD incidence (hazard ratio [HR] 1.874, 95% CI 1.659 to 2.117) and mortality (HR 1.598, 95% CI 1.406–1.816). Subgroup analyses revealed stronger associations with COPD incidence among men, current smokers, and individuals not taking vitamin D supplements, as well as an increased COPD mortality risk among patients with depression (p for interaction <0.05).

Conclusions: Our study suggests that 25(OH)D deficiency is associated with COPD incidence and survival, providing a basis for preventive strategies and interventions.

The article "Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: Insights From Vietnam" published in the July 2025 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation ( JCOPDF) is significantly similar and in some sections, identical, to an article published in the January 2025 issue of the Vietnam Medical Journal. In December of 2024, Dr. Doan Le Minh Hanh, on behalf of all the above listed authors, claimed during the submission process to the JCOPDF that the manuscript had not been published or submitted elsewhere by answering this question affirmatively: "Confirm that the manuscript has been submitted solely to this journal and is not published, in press, or submitted elsewhere." In October 2025, Dr. Hanh notified the JCOPDF of the duplicate publication. As a result of this notification, we retract this article from the literature.

Introduction: In South America, the rise in chronic respiratory diseases and weight-related issues due to the ongoing epidemiological transition has prompted research into their interrelationship.

Methods: We sought to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and bronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) among adults in Peru, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina, using population-based data from 2 cohort studies. We defined BDR as a ≥12% and ≥200mL increase in either forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) or forced vital capacity (FVC) after administration of a short-acting bronchodilator. The analysis also distinguished between FEV₁- and FVC-specific BDR. We used logistic regression adjusted for confounders to evaluate associations with BMI.

Results: Among 7160 participants (55.2% men, mean age 57.3 years), 23.7% had a BMI <25kg/m² and 35.5% had a BMI ≥30 kg/m². Overall, 9.5% met the criteria for BDR; with 7.8% showing FEV₁-specific and 4.9% FVC-specific responses. Compared to a BMI of 20-24.9kg/m², a BMI ≥30kg/m² was associated with higher odds of FVC-specific BDR (adjusted odds ratio = 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.03), whereas a BMI <20kg/m² was associated with FEV₁-specific BDR among participants with asthma (6.61, 1.23-35.6) and chronic bronchitis (4.71, 1.28-15.9), and with higher odds of any BDR in those with chronic bronchitis (3.90, 1.19-11.9).

Conclusion: There was a differential relationship between BMI and types of BDR: higher BMI was associated with FVC-specific responsiveness, whereas lower BMI was linked to FEV₁-specific BDR in individuals with asthma and chronic bronchitis and to overall BDR in those with chronic bronchitis.