International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2012
Comparative StudyTotal lung capacity by plethysmography and high-resolution computed tomography in COPD.
To characterize and compare total lung capacity (TLC) measured by plethysmography with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and to identify variables that predict the difference between the two modalities. ⋯ In COPD, TLC by plethysmography can be up to 2 L greater than inspiratory HRCT. Gas trapping independently predicts patients for whom TLC by plethysmography differs significantly from HRCT.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2012
Clinical diaries in COPD: compliance and utility in predicting acute exacerbations.
Daily diaries are often used to collect data on disease activity, but are burdensome and compliance may be poor. Their use in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and impact on the prevention and treatment of exacerbations is poorly researched. ⋯ Good compliance can be achieved using daily diaries in COPD, although this is worse in those with a poor educational level. Diary-keeping is not accurate in predicting acute exacerbations, but could be substantially simplified without loss of efficiency.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2012
Correlates of COPD and chronic bronchitis in nonsmokers: data from a cross-sectional study.
Our objective was to assess the prevalence of chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their correlates among a Lebanese nonsmoker group. ⋯ A substantial percentage of the nonsmoking population may exhibit chronic bronchitis or COPD. The significant correlates mentioned above should be taken into consideration in order to reduce the risk of developing such chronic and debilitating respiratory diseases.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2012
Proposing a standardized method for evaluating patient report of the intensity of dyspnea during exercise testing in COPD.
Measuring dyspnea intensity associated with exercise provides insights into dyspnea-limited exercise capacity, and has been used to evaluate treatment outcomes for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Three patient-reported outcome scales commonly cited for rating dyspnea during exercise are the modified Borg scale (MBS), numerical rating scale for dyspnea (NRS-D), and visual analogue scale for dyspnea (VAS-D). Various versions of each scale were found. Our objective was to evaluate the content validity of scales commonly used in COPD studies, to explore their ability to capture patients' experiences of dyspnea during exercise, and to evaluate a standardized version of the MBS. ⋯ This study provides initial evidence in support of using a standardized version of the MBS version for quantifying dyspnea intensity associated with exercise in patients with COPD.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2012
Dynamic change in respiratory resistance during inspiratory and expiratory phases of tidal breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation consisting of airway obstruction and parenchymal emphysema, with loss of elastic recoil. The forced oscillation technique can detect impairment of lung function by measuring lung impedance during normal tidal breathing. Respiratory resistance (Rrs) in COPD has been well-studied, but the differences in Rrs in the inspiratory and expiratory phases between mild and moderate COPD remain poorly understood. Since airway obstruction in COPD is known to change dynamically during tidal breathing and might affect Rrs, the differences in Rrs during tidal breathing between mild and moderate COPD were evaluated. ⋯ Rrs changed dynamically during tidal breathing in patients with COPD. The Rrs values at higher frequencies were greater in moderate COPD than in mild COPD. Rrs at higher frequencies might reflect the degree of airway obstruction in tidal breathing in patients with COPD and might be a useful marker for evaluation of airway obstruction at an early stage of COPD.