Defining COPD: from simplistic approach to multilateral assessment of COPD

My article Defining COPD: from simplistic approach to multilateral assessment of COPD is appearing online today in Spinger Journal -  Current Respiratory Care Reports. Current Respiratory Care Reports provides clear expert reviews of the most important original papers recently published in the field of respiratory care.  

A source for current research, diagnostic and management techniques for patients with respiratory-related disorders

• Offers expert reviews of important recent research papers in the field of respiratory care
• Provides supplementary reviews, featuring recent clinical trials
• Presents commentaries from well-known figures in the field.

Defining COPD: from simplistic approach to multilateral assessment of COPD

Abstract  of my article:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multisystemic pathology, which cannot be characterized, diagnosed or assessed only by the severity of airflow limitation. Thus, it appears there is urgent unmet need of new approach in COPD. In this article we review the most recent multidimensional classification of COPD, based on analysis of functional and physiologic parameters, health status, and risk of exacerbations. A, B, C, D system will permit a more accurate risk stratification of patients. In addition, new trends are presented in assessment of COPD: from phenotypes, multidimensional indices, scale-free networks and diseasome to radical concept of P4 medicine (Personalized, Predictive, Preventive, and Participatory elements).  

Keywords   

COPD – Comorbidity – Exacerbation – CAT – Systemic effects – Assessment – GOLD classification – Severity – Phenotypes – Scale-free networks – Diseasome

World COPD Day 2011 in Moldova

Dear RESPIRATORY friends,

We discussed about  World COPD Day 2011 for many times, but now we want to tell you what we realized at the local level!

In November 2011 we organized more than 25 conferences (in the capital of Moldova - Chisinau and all big cities) dedicated to World COPD Day 2011 for family doctors and specialists in respiratory medicine, with presentation about Update of GOLD 2011 by Doctor Alexandru CORLATEANU, GOLD National Leader and ERS National Delegate for Moldova and Doctor Moscovciuc Ana about Local COPD guidelines.  

Also this year we tried to continue our media campaign in social media and blogs! We want to thank you for your support!!!

"Are you short of breath? You may have COPD! Ask your doctor about a simple breathing test called spirometry."

In Republic of Moldova  World COPD Day 2011 was celebrated for the first time! For us it is great result and we will continue to work hard for increasing of awareness to chronic respiratory diseases in the world!

2011 UPDATE of Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Stable COPD

Dear Respiratory Friends,

Yesterday in Annals of Internal Medicine was published update of A Clinical Practice Guideline on Diagnosis and Management of Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

 

This guideline is an official statement of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), American Thoracic Society (ATS), and European Respiratory Society (ERS). It represents an update of the 2007 ACP clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is intended for clinicians who manage patients with COPD. This guideline addresses the value of history and physical examination for predicting airflow obstruction; the value of spirometry for screening or diagnosis of COPD; and COPD management strategies, specifically evaluation of various inhaled therapies (anticholinergics, long-acting β-agonists, and corticosteroids), pulmonary rehabilitation programs, and supplemental oxygen therapy.

You can access free of charge this Guidelines:

• Guidelines for health care professionals
• Summary for patients. 

The ERS COPD Audit is a study which will change guidelines

COPD audit team announced that the 13 participating countries have completed 16.024 clinical and 420 hospital data. In total 19.446 clinical cases have been collected but 3.420 cases had to be withdrawn for different reasons like misdiagnose or incompleteness. 

The Data Analysis team of this COPD Audit has started the database cleaning process which will be followed by the descriptive analysis. COPD audit team aim to present the first preliminary results at the annual congress of the European Respiratory Society, Amsterdam 25 - 28 September.

Initial analysis of the COPD Audit results already demonstrates considerable differences in the organization and delivery of care between European hospitals and countries. Outcomes for patients suggest there remains much to be done to reach the evidence based standards advised in guidelines.

Who is that woman? You might have thought looking at the COPD Audit website or other promotional materials. The 'face of the COPD Audit' is Beatrice Hirsch, originally from South Africa, now living in Toronto (Canada). She witnessed, first hand, the rise of Nelson Mandela.

Beatrice has been diagnosed with chronic bronchitis for about 30 years. She was a smoker. At that time she didn't think something was wrong with her lungs. Smoking was a thing to do among people who were part of the "in" crowd; everybody smoked back then. Beatrice was extremely overweight and therefore she assumed her lack of breath was because of her weight. Now she knows better.

At present Beatrice is a volunteer in a hospital and meets with people who have recently been diagnosed with COPD. She tries to show them that life goes on, that it is possible to live quite well with COPD. Still there is one thing she misses the most, and that is dancing. She loved to dance.

Preliminary results of the COPD Audit will be launched following sessions during the ERS Annual Congress (24-28 September 2011 - Amsterdam):

Sunday 25 Sept. 10:45-12:45 - Room Emerald: Diagnosis of COPD exacerbations on hospital admission

Sunday 25 Sept. 13:00-14:30 - Room 4.1: Optimizing healthcare for COPD across Europe

Wednesday 28 Sept. 10:45-12:45 - Room Forum: Provision of non-pharmacological treatment options for COPD patients in 13 European countries

Moreover you can discuss COPD care and auditing face-to-face with the COPD Audit Steering Board during the 'Meet the Experts' session, Monday 26 Sept. 13:00-14:00 - ERS stand A.01

For more information and pre-ordering the official COPD Audit report, please visit the ERS stand A.01

International team of ERS COPD Audit is doing great job for improvement of care of all COPD patients. ERS COPD Audit will help to respiratory specialists to make their work more efficient and help to breathe easier COPD patients! As a result of this huge multinational study will be elaboration and updating of COPD Guidelines!

Unmet needs in COPD: COPD Guidelines 2011

Dear Respiratory friends,

Today I would to share with you my presentation “Unmet needs in COPD” dedicated to modern COPD guidelines. The presentation took place last week at the Congress of Internal Medicine in Chisinau, Moldova.

There can be figured 3 main parts:

•  COPD is a multifaceted disease
•  Multilateral evaluation COPD
•  Priorities in COPD management.

In my report I tried to analyse the new information extracted from different studies and highlight update from COPD guidelines. Also several slides were dedicated to the material referring to the hypothesis – potential link between BODE index classification and comorbidities in COPD patients. I will further develop and present this idea at the European Respiratory Society Congress at Amsterdam in September 2011.

Unmet needs in COPD: COPD Guidelines 2011

View more presentations from Alexandru Corlateanu.

Let me know if you are interested to get this presentation in power point format and simply email me: alexandru_corlateanu@yahoo.com.

I will be happy to get a feedback from you. Thanks!