International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2009
Life expectancy and years of life lost in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: findings from the NHANES III Follow-up Study.
Previous studies have demonstrated that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes increased mortality in the general population. But life expectancy and the years of life lost have not been reported. ⋯ Persons with COPD have an increased risk of mortality compared to those who do not, with consequent reduction in life expectancy. The effect is most marked in current smokers, and this is further reason for smokers to quit.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2009
Can dead space fraction predict the length of mechanical ventilation in exacerbated COPD patients?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition in which there is limited airflow during expiration (exhaling, or breathing out) that is not fully reversible and usually worsens over time. The disease is estimated to kill more than 100,000 Americans each year, and costs related to care of patients with COPD are significant. Physiologically, COPD represents a disruption in ventilation and in the exchange of gases in the lungs. Laboratory tests indicate elevated CO2 levels, gradual reduction of the levels of oxygen and pH in arterial blood, and a consequent rise in the dead space fraction (DSF) of the lungs. ⋯ Evaluation of DSF does not provide a factor in estimating the length of treatment for patients with acute respiratory failure due to COPD exacerbation.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2009
The repeatability of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein in COPD patients over one year.
Many of the systemic manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are mediated through increased systemic levels of inflammatory proteins. We assessed the long term repeatability of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and C-reactive protein (CRP) over one year and examined the relationships between these systemic markers in COPD. ⋯ Systemic inflammatory biomarkers IL-6, CRP, and TNF-alpha were moderately repeatable over a twelve month period in COPD patients. We have also shown that a robust and repeatable association between IL-6 and CRP exists.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2009
ReviewExacerbation rate, health status and mortality in COPD--a review of potential interventions.
COPD is prevalent in Western society and its incidence is rising in the developing world. Acute exacerbations of COPD, about 50% of which are unreported, lead to deterioration in quality of life and contribute significantly to disease burden. Quality of life deteriorates with time; thus, most of the health burden occurs in more severe disease. ⋯ The choice of an inhaler device is a key component of COPD therapy and this requires more attention from physicians than perhaps we are aware of. Disease management programs, characterized as they are by patient centeredness, improve quality of life and decrease hospitalization rates. Most outcomes in COPD can be modified by interventions and these are well tolerated and have acceptable safety profiles.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2009
Impact of frequency of COPD exacerbations on pulmonary function, health status and clinical outcomes.
COPD exacerbations are responsible for the morbidity and mortality of this disease. The relationship between exacerbations and patient-related clinical outcomes is not clearly understood. ⋯ In the placebo-treated patients increased frequency of exacerbations was associated with larger decrements in FEV(1), TDI, and SGRQ. A reduction in the frequency of exacerbations is associated with changes that are considered meaningful in these clinical outcomes.