COPD
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COPD patients are at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality independent of smoking habits. Recent studies suggest CT emphysema is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk as evidenced by its association with arterial stiffness and impaired endothelial function. We examined the relationship between demographics, lung function, CT emphysema and airway wall thickness and thoracic aortic calcification, another marker of cardiovascular risk, in the National Lung Screening Trial. ⋯ Subjects with COPD were older, more often male, heavier smokers and had more CT emphysema and greater aortic calcification than those without COPD. Calcium score was associated with age, pack-years, CT emphysema, wall area%, and lung function on univariate testing but only with age and CT emphysema on multivariate analysis. We conclude that CT emphysema is independently associated with thoracic calcification and thus may be used to assess cardiovascular risk in smokers with and without COPD.
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The natural history of lung hyperinflation in patients with airway obstruction is unknown. In particular, little information exists about the extent of air trapping and its reversibility to bronchodilator therapy in those with mild airway obstruction. We completed a retrospective analysis of data from individuals with airway obstruction who attended our pulmonary function laboratory and had plethysmographic lung volume measurements pre- and post-bronchodilator (salbutamol). ⋯ Indices of lung hyperinflation increased exponentially as airway obstruction worsened. Those with the greatest resting lung hyperinflation showed the largest bronchodilator-induced volume deflation effects. Reduced air trapping was the predominant response to acute bronchodilation across severity subgroups.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomised crossover trial comparing volume assured and pressure preset noninvasive ventilation in stable hypercapnic COPD.
Recent randomised controlled trials suggest non-invasive ventilation may offer benefit in the long-term management of ventilatory failure in stable COPD. The best mode of ventilation is unknown and newer volume assured modes may offer advantages by optimising ventilation overnight when treatment is delivered. This study compares volume assured with pressure preset non-invasive ventilation. ⋯ No significant differences were seen in primary or secondary outcomes following 8 weeks of treatment when comparing volume assured and pressure preset ventilation. Primary outcomes assessed: mean (standard deviation) PaO(2) 7.8 (1.2) vs 8.1(1) kPa, PaCO(2) 6.7 (1.1) vs 6.3 (1.2) kPa and mean nocturnal oxygenation 90 (4) vs 91 (3)% volume assured versus pressure preset, respectively. Volume assured and pressure preset non-invasive ventilation appear equally effective in the long-term management of ventilatory failure associated with stable COPD.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Onset of effect of aclidinium, a novel, long-acting muscarinic antagonist, in patients with COPD.
ABSTRACT Aclidinium bromide is a novel, long-acting, inhaled muscarinic antagonist in development for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to assess the rate of onset of bronchodilation with aclidinium compared with placebo and tiotropium. This was a double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter, crossover study in COPD patients with a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) ≥30% and <60% predicted. ⋯ At 30 minutes, the relative increase from baseline in FEV(1) was significantly higher for aclidinium and tiotropium versus placebo (12% and 11% versus 3%; p < 0.0001). Aclidinium and tiotropium also significantly increased FEV(1) (p < 0.01) and improved the perception of dyspnea compared with placebo at all measured time points from 10 minutes to 3 hours post-dose. In conclusion, aclidinium provided effective bronchodilation, similar to that seen with tiotropium, with significant improvements compared with placebo observed from 10 minutes post-dose.