Clinical characteristics and lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with impaired peripheral oxygenation.

Intern Emerg Med. 2013 Sep 6;

Authors: Chuang ML, Lin IF

Abstract
During exercise testing, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often present with ventilatory limitations and various combinations of impaired peripheral oxygenation (IPO) to the exercising muscles. The entities of IPO include anemia, circulation impairment and deconditioning. COPD-IPO is not widely accepted as being a subgroup of COPD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of COPD-IPO patients. Forty-seven COPD patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing. COPD-IPO was identified when all IPO variables had abnormal values. The patients who did not meet the COPD-IPO criteria were defined as the NIPO group. The variables with abnormal values included peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) <85 % predicated, anaerobic threshold <40 %[Formula: see text] pred, [Formula: see text]-work rate slope <8.6 ml/watt, oxygen pulse <80 %pred, and ventilatory equivalents for O2 and CO2 at nadir (>31 and >34, respectively). Anthropometrics, biochemistry, and lung function were compared between the groups. Forty-six COPD patients were enrolled after excluding one patient who had technical difficulties in performing the exercise tests. Despite FEV1 and FVC being similarly reduced (p = NS) between the groups, the COPD-IPO (n = 13, 28 %) patients had lower body mass index and were taller, and had impaired diffusing capacity and larger total lung capacity and air-trapping (all p < 0.05). We concluded that COPD patients with all six variables having abnormal values are a unique subgroup and that identification of these patients is worthwhile for further investigations and management such as exercise training and nutritional supplements.

PMID: 24062273 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Longitudinal Association of C-Reactive Protein and Lung Function Over 13 Years: The EPIC-Norfolk Study.

Am J Epidemiol. 2013 Sep 24;

Authors: Ahmadi-Abhari S, Kaptoge S, Luben RN, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT

Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is known to be associated with systemic inflammation. We examined the longitudinal association of C-reactive protein (CRP) and lung function in a cohort of 18,110 men and women from the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer in Norfolk who were 40-79 years of age at baseline (recruited in 1993-1997) and followed-up through 2011. We assessed lung function by measuring forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) at baseline, 4 years, and 13 years. Serum CRP levels were measured using a high-sensitivity assay at baseline and the 13-year follow up. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of loge-CRP and lung function were examined using multivariable linear mixed models. In the cross-sectional analysis, 1-standard-deviation increase in baseline loge-CRP (about 3-fold higher CRP on the original milligrams per liter scale) was associated with a -86.3 mL (95% confidence interval: -93.9, -78.6) reduction in FEV1. In longitudinal analysis, a 1-standard-deviation increase in loge-CRP over 13 years was also associated with a -64.0 mL (95% confidence interval: -72.1, -55.8) decline in FEV1 over the same period. The associations were similar for FVC and persisted among lifetime never-smokers. Baseline CRP levels were not predictive of the rate of change in FEV1 or FVC over time. In the present study, we found longitudinal observational evidence that suggested that increases in systemic inflammation are associated with declines in lung function.

PMID: 24064740 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Related Articles

Allergology in Europe, the blueprint.

Allergy. 2013 Sep 21;

Authors: de Monchy JG, Demoly P, Akdis CA, Cardona V, Papadopoulos NG, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Gayraud J

Abstract
The number of patients with allergic diseases in Europe, and thus relevant demand for health care, is continuously increasing. In this EAACI-UEMS position paper, a rationale is given for the medical specialty of allergology. General practitioners and general paediatricians usually cannot elucidate and address all causative factors. Throughout Europe, therefore, the expertise of allergologists (allergists) is required. In collaboration with other medical professionals, they take care of allergic patients, in private practices or in specialized public centres. A well-structured collaboration between allergists and allergy centres offers the possibility of rapid signalling of new trends developing in the population of allergic patients (e.g. in food and drug allergy). Allergy centres also can perform clinical (and basic) research, teach medical students, future allergists and provide postgraduate training. To prevent that the quality of care in one or several countries within Europe lags behind developments in other countries, the UEMS Section and Board on Allergology together with the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology advocates the status of a full specialty of allergology in each European country, with a further intention to align their activities (blueprint, curriculum and centre visitation) with the UEMS Section of Paediatrics.

PMID: 24053537 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Related Articles

The obesity-asthma link in different ages and the role of Body Mass Index in its investigation: findings from the Genesis and Healthy Growth Studies.

Allergy. 2013 Sep 21;

Authors: Guibas GV, Manios Y, Xepapadaki P, Moschonis G, Douladiris N, Mavrogianni C, Papadopoulos NG

Abstract
BACKGROUND: To date, an obesity/asthma link is well defined in adults; however, the nature of such a link is obscure in children, partly due to Body Mass Index (BMI) limitations as a surrogate fat mass marker in childhood. We thus opted to investigate the association of adiposity with asthma in children of different ages, using several indices to assess fat mass.
METHODS: Wheeze ever/in the last 12 months (current) and physician-diagnosed asthma were retrospectively reported via questionnaire by the parents of 3641 children, participating in two cross-sectional studies: 1626 children aged 2-5 (the Genesis Study) and 2015 children aged 9-13 (the Healthy Growth Study). Perinatal data were recorded from the children's medical records or reported by parents. Anthropometric measurements (i.e., BMI, waist/hip circumference, biceps/triceps/subscapular/suprailiac skinfold thickness) were conducted in both cohorts; bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) was conducted only in preadolescent children.
RESULTS: In children aged 2-5, asthma was positively correlated with conicity index, waist/hip circumference, waist-to-height ratio, skinfold thickness, and skinfold-derived percentage fat mass (P < 0.05) but not BMI or BMI-defined overweight/obesity, after adjusting for several confounders. In children aged 9-13, asthma was positively associated with conicity index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, skinfold thickness, skinfold-derived percentage fat mass, BIA-derived percentage fat mass, BMI, and BMI-defined overweight/obesity, following adjustment (P < 0.05). Current/ever wheeze was not consistently associated with fat mass in either population.
CONCLUSIONS: Fat mass is positively linked to asthma in both 2-5 and 9-13 age spans. However, the failure of BMI to correlate with preschool asthma suggests its potential inefficiency in asthma studies at this age range.

PMID: 24053597 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]