Assessment of Health-related Quality of Life in Different Phenotypes of COPD (article from 2017 Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews)

Introduction: Phenotypic characterization of COPD subjects may rely on clinical and physiological manifestations, imaging, assessment of patient-related outcomes (health related quality of life), COPD comorbidities, COPD exacerbations and systemic inflammation. The aim of the study was to evaluate and to analyze the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in COPD patients classified into different phenotypes.

Methods: 395 consecutive COPD patients were enrolled into the study. Spirometric data were analyzed (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC). HRQL was assessed by the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ).

Results: The cohort consisted of 395 COPD patients with mean age 62.7 ± 9.4 years, 79 % were males. Patients were divided in 4 groups according to phenotypes: 44% of the patients were nonexacerbators, 35% frequent exacerbators with chronic bronchitis (CB), 12% frequent exacerbators without CB, and 8% were patients with asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). There were statistically significant differences in HRQL and lung function between COPD phenotypes. Frequent exacerbators with chronic CB and without CB had the similar total SGRQ scores, CCQ scores and CAT, and these scores were worse in comparison with HRQL of non-exacerbators and patients with ACOS.

Conclusion: Frequent exacerbators with chronic CB and without CB have a more severe deterioration of the HRQL and worse lung function then non-exacerbators and patients with ACOS.

full text:

http://www.eurekaselect.com/154321

Pulmonary rehabilitation and cardiovascular risk in COPD: a systematic review (Free Full text from 2017 COPD Research and Practice)

Introduction

Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is an effective intervention in COPD however the value of PR in reducing cardiovascular risk in COPD (measured by aortic pulse wave velocity, PWV) is unclear and there is no existing systematic review.

Objectives
To conduct a systematic review examining whether PR results in alteration of CV risk in COPD (as measured by aPWV).

Methods

An electronic systematic search concordant with PRISMA guidelines was conducted. The search was complete to the 27th of May 2017. Six databases were examined: Embase, Medline, AMED, Web of Science, Cochrane clinical trials, and CINAHL.

Results

This study generated 767 initial matches, which were filtered using inclusion/exclusion criteria. Three studies (201 COPD participants) were included. Our analysis does not confirm that PR affects aPWV but studies were heterogeneous.

Conclusion

There is currently insufficient information on the effect of PR on reducing CV risk in COPD. Therefore controversy remains, with the possibility that there might be some subjects who benefit and others who might experience an increase in CV risk in response to PR. These results will be of value to those interested in gaining a better understanding of the benefits of PR on CV risk in COPD. 

Free full text:

https://copdrp.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40749-017-0026-9