Related Articles

Circulating Leptin Concentrations in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Respiration. 2013 Oct 19;

Authors: Zhou L, Yuan C, Zhang J, Yu R, Huang M, Adcock IM, Yao X

Abstract
Background: Weight loss is a clinically important risk factor indicating a poor prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Leptin is an important regulator of food intake and energy expenditure. Objectives: To conduct a meta-analysis to determine whether the level of leptin is related to the disease status of COPD. Methods: Studies published before December 2012 were identified by searching PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Database. Observational studies comparing circulating leptin levels between COPD patients and healthy controls were included. Data were independently extracted by two investigators and analyzed using Stata 12.0 software. Results: Ten articles were included in the meta-analysis. Circulating leptin levels were correlated with the body mass index (BMI) as well as percent fat mass in stable COPD patients. The correlation coefficient tended to be weaker during exacerbation. A positive correlation between leptin and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels was found in COPD exacerbations, while it disappeared in patients with stable disease. Most studies indicated that circulating leptin levels in stable COPD patients were not significantly different from those in healthy controls when adjusted for gender and BMI, whilst leptin levels tended to elevate in exacerbation groups. Conclusions: The normal regulatory mechanism of leptin is maintained in stable COPD patients despite weight loss. The additional correlation between leptin and TNF-α during exacerbations may support the closer association of leptin with changes in nutritional parameters and suggests its valuable role in the evaluation of systemic inflammatory responses in COPD patients during exacerbation, which merits further study. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 24158120 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Related Articles

Olodaterol: First Global Approval.

Drugs. 2013 Oct 26;

Authors: Gibb A, Yang LP

Abstract
Olodaterol (Striverdi(®) Respimat(®)) is a novel, long-acting, β2-adrenergic receptor agonist developed by Boehringer Ingelheim for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The drug is delivered via the Respimat(®) Soft Mist™ inhaler. Olodaterol received its first global approval for the once-daily maintenance treatment of COPD in Canada and Russia, and submissions for regulatory approval have also been made in the USA, the EU and elsewhere. Phase II trials have been conducted in patients with asthma. The company is also developing a fixed-dose combination of olodaterol with tiotropium bromide, a long-acting anti-muscarinic agent, for the treatment of COPD. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of olodaterol leading to this first approval for COPD.

PMID: 24158691 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Related Articles

SOSPES: SPIRIVA® observational study measuring SGRQ score in routine medical practice in Central and Eastern Europe.

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2013;8:483-92

Authors: Fležar M, Jahnz-Różyk K, Enache G, Martynenko T, Kristufek P, Skrinjarić-Cincar S, Kadlecová P, Martinovic G

Abstract
PURPOSE: The long-acting inhaled anticholinergic agent, tiotropium, is recommended as first-line maintenance therapy for moderate to very severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to improve symptoms, exercise tolerance, health status, and to reduce exacerbations. Few studies have evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of tiotropium in patients in routine clinical conditions. The current study was designed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of tiotropium delivered via the HandiHaler® device on the health status of patients with COPD with Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) disease classification 2-4 in six central and eastern European countries in a real-life clinical setting.
METHODS: The study was an open-label, prospective, uncontrolled, and single-arm surveillance study with three clinic visits during a 6-month observation period (baseline, and months 3 and 6). Health status was measured using the disease-specific St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change from baseline in SGRQ total score at the end of the 6-month observational period.
RESULTS: Patients treated with tiotropium 18 μg once daily showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction (improvement) of 21.7 units in the SGRQ total score, regardless of smoking status or cardiac comorbidities at enrollment (P < 0.0001). The analysis also showed that age, treatment compliance, and GOLD disease classification were significant factors that impact the health status of patients with COPD differently.
CONCLUSION: These results provide further support for the use of the tiotropium HandiHaler® as first-line maintenance treatment of patients with COPD with a clinician-assessed disease.

PMID: 24159258 [PubMed - in process]

Maternal smoking is associated with both respiratory and non-respiratory infections in infants, resulting in increased risk for hospitalization and death, according to an abstract presented Sunday at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)