International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Is asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease associated with walking endurance in patients with COPD?
Symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with impaired walking endurance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is unknown whether asymptomatic PAD is associated with impaired walking endurance in patients with COPD. ⋯ Asymptomatic PAD is not associated with walking endurance in patients with COPD. Therefore, it is important to detect and treat asymptomatic PAD early so that COPD patients do not progress to become exercise intolerant. Limited by the small sample size and predominantly male (99%) population in the study, further large-scale prospective studies are needed to verify the results.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Comparative StudyIncreased hypoxemia in patients with COPD and pulmonary hypertension undergoing bronchoscopy with biopsy.
Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) are considered to be at risk for complications associated with flexible bronchoscopy (FB), but data concerning the degree of PH are often lacking. We investigated whether COPD patients with PH who undergo bronchoscopy are at greater risk for complications. ⋯ PH is common among COPD patients undergoing FB. PH patients undergoing BAL and TBB are at higher risk of decreased O2 saturation than those without PH. Further studies should assess the risk among COPD patients with moderate-to-severe PH.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2015
Clinical TrialBronchoscopic lung volume reduction by endobronchial valve in advanced emphysema: the first Asian report.
Endobronchial valve (EBV) therapy is increasingly being seen as a therapeutic option for advanced emphysema, but its clinical utility in Asian populations, who may have different phenotypes to other ethnic populations, has not been assessed. ⋯ EBV therapy was as effective and safe in Korean patients as it has been shown to be in Western countries. (
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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.
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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.