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Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By working together with patients to target exertional breathlessness and increase physical activity, PCPs have an important role to play, early in the disease course, in improving patient outcomes in both the short and long term. In this article, we consider how physical activity affects disease progression from the PCP perspective. We discuss the role of pharmacological therapy, the importance of an holistic approach and the role of PCPs in assessing and promoting physical activity. The complexity and heterogeneity of COPD make it a challenging disease to treat. Patients' avoidance of activity, and subsequent decline in capacity to perform it, further impacts the management of the disease. Improving patient tolerance of physical activity, increasing participation in daily activities and helping patients to remain active are clear goals of COPD management. These may require an holistic approach to management, including pulmonary rehabilitation and psychological programmes in parallel with bronchodilation therapy, in order to address both physiological and behavioural factors. PCPs have an important role to optimise therapy, set goals and communicate the importance of maintaining physical activity to their patients. In addition, optimal treatment that addresses activity-related breathlessness can help prevent the downward spiral of inactivity and get patients moving again, to improve their overall health and long-term prognosis.

Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By working together with patients to target exertional breathlessness and increase physical activity, PCPs have an important role to play, early in the disease course, in improving patient outcomes in both the short and long term. In this article, we consider how physical activity affects disease progression from the PCP perspective. We discuss the role of pharmacological therapy, the importance of an holistic approach and the role of PCPs in assessing and promoting physical activity. The complexity and heterogeneity of COPD make it a challenging disease to treat. Patients’ avoidance of activity, and subsequent decline in capacity to perform it, further impacts the management of the disease. Improving patient tolerance of physical activity, increasing participation in daily activities and helping patients to remain active are clear goals of COPD management. These may require an holistic approach to management, including pulmonary rehabilitation and psychological programmes in parallel with bronchodilation therapy, in order to address both physiological and behavioural factors. PCPs have an important role to optimise therapy, set goals and communicate the importance of maintaining physical activity to their patients. In addition, optimal treatment that addresses activity-related breathlessness can help prevent the downward spiral of inactivity and get patients moving again, to improve their overall health and long-term prognosis.

Arschang Valipour,1 Sergey Avdeev,2 Adam Barczyk,3 Valentina Bayer,4 Zvi Fridlender,5 Mariela Georgieva,6 Ondřej Kudela,7 Alexey Medvedchikov,8 Ramona Miron,9 Maria Sanzharovskaya,8 Virginija Šileikienė,10 Jurij Šorli,11 Marc Spielmanns,12 Zsuzsanna Szalai13 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Karl-Landsteiner-Institute for Lung Research and Pulmonary Oncology, Vienna Health Care Group, Klinik Floridsdorf, Vienna, Austria; 2I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia; 3Wydział Nauk Medycznych Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego, Katowice, Poland; 4Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA; 5Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; 6Medical Center “Sv.ivan Rilski” OOD, Vidin, Bulgaria; 7Department of Pneumology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; 8Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co. KG, Vienna, Austria; 9Clinical Pneumophtysiology Hospital Iasi, Iasi, Romania; 10Faculty of Medicine, Clinic of Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania; 11Bolnišnica Topolšica, Topolšica, Slovenia; 12Zürcher RehaZentrum Wald, Wald, Switzerland; 13Petz Aladar County Teaching Hospital, Gyor, HungaryCorrespondence: Arschang ValipourDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Karl-Landsteiner-Institute for Lung Research and Pulmonary Oncology, Vienna Health Care Group, Klinik Floridsdorf, Brünner Straße 68, 1210 Vienna, AustriaTel +43 1 277 00-72201Fax +43 1 277 00 99 2208Email arschang.valipour@gesundheitsverbund.atBackground: The Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) is a simple patient-reported tool to measure clinical control of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Objective: This open-label, single-arm, non-interventional study (NCT03663569) investigated changes in CCQ score during treatment with tiotropium/olodaterol in clinical practice.Methods: Data were included from consenting COPD patients, enrolled in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine, who were receiving a new prescription for tiotropium/olodaterol according to the treating physician in a real-world environment. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of therapeutic success, defined as a 0.4-point decrease in CCQ score after treatment with tiotropium/olodaterol for approximately 6 weeks.Results: Overall, 4819 patients were treated; baseline and Week 6 CCQ scores were available for 4700 patients, mostly classified as Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) B (51.6%) or D (42.7%). After 6 weeks’ treatment, 81.4% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 80.24– 82.49) of patients achieved therapeutic success; mean improvement in overall CCQ score was 1.02 points (95% CI 1.00– 1.05). Improved CCQ score was seen in 92.2% of patients (95% CI 91.43– 92.98), 2.5% had no change and 5.3% showed a worsening. When stratified by prior treatment, the greatest benefit was seen in treatment-naïve patients, with 85.7% achieving therapeutic success, compared with 79.5% of those pretreated with long-acting β2-agonist (LABA)/inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and 74.2% of those pretreated with LABA or long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) monotherapy. Overall, rescue medication decreased by 1.25 puffs/day (95% CI 1.19– 1.31) versus baseline. In total, 29 patients (0.6%) reported drug-related adverse events and 7 patients reported serious adverse events (0.15%).Conclusion: In 4700 COPD patients, 6 weeks’ treatment with tiotropium/olodaterol, as initial treatment or follow-up to LAMA or LABA monotherapy or LABA/ICS, improved CCQ and decreased rescue medication use. The adverse event profile was consistent with the known safety profile of tiotropium/olodaterol.Keywords: tiotropium, olodaterol, COPD, CCQ, Clinical COPD Questionnaire, non-interventional study

Background Patients with COPD need to cope with a disabling disease, which leads to health status impairment. Aim To investigate the long term change of health status in subjects with mild to moderate airflow obstruction and to compare this to subjects without airflow obstruction, with and without a smoking history. Second, to investigate the factors potentially associated to rapid health status decline in our total cohort. Methods Two hundred and one subjects were included. Generic [Short form 36 health survey (SF36) and EuroQol - 5 dimensions (EQ-5D)] and disease specific [Clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) and COPD Assessment Test (CAT)] health status questionnaires were regularly repeated over a six years period. Other functional outcomes comprised measures of lung function, physical fitness, physical activity and emotional state. Results On average, health status decline did not differ between groups with the exception of the EQ-5D index, which deteriorated faster in subjects with airflow obstruction compared to the never smoking control group [− 0.018(0.008) versus 0.00006(0.003), p = 0.03]. Subjects presenting at least one exacerbation had faster rate of deterioration measured with CAT [0.91(0.21) versus − 0.26(0.25), p

Objectives Minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) are used as fixed numbers in the interpretation of clinical trials. Little is known about its dynamics. This study aims to explore the impact of baseline score, study setting, and patient characteristics on health status MCIDs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Study Design and Setting Baseline and follow-up data on the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were retrospectively analyzed from pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) and routine clinical practice (RCP). Anchor- and distribution-based MCID estimates were calculated and tested between settings, gender, age, Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification, comorbidities, and baseline health status. Results In total, 658 patients were included with 2,299 change score measurements. MCID estimates for improvement and deterioration ranged for all subgroups 0.50–6.30 (CAT), 0.10–0.84 (CCQ), and 0.33–12.86 (SGRQ). Larger MCID estimates for improvement and smaller ones for deterioration were noted in patients with worse baseline health status, females, elderly, GOLD I/II patients, and patients with less comorbidities. Estimates from PR were larger. Conclusion Baseline health status and setting affected MCID estimates of COPD health status questionnaires. Patterns were observed for gender, age, spirometry classification, and comorbidity levels. These outcomes would advocate the need for tailored MCIDs.

Maaike Giezeman,1,2 Mikael Hasselgren,1 Karin Lisspers,3 Björn Ställberg,3 Scott Montgomery,4–6 Christer Janson,7 Josefin Sundh8 1School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; 2Centre for Clinical Research, County Council of Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden; 3Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 4Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; 5Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 6Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College, London, UK; 7Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 8Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the changing influence over time of comorbid heart disease on symptoms and health status in patients with COPD. Patients and methods: This is a prospective cohort study of 495 COPD patients with a baseline in 2005 and follow-up in 2012. The study population was divided into three groups: patients without heart disease (no-HD), those diagnosed with heart disease during the study period (new-HD) and those with heart disease at baseline (HD). Symptoms were measured using the mMRC. Health status was measured using the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT; only available in 2012). Logistic regression with mMRC ≥2 and linear regression with CCQ and CAT scores in 2012 as dependent variables were performed unadjusted, adjusted for potential confounders, and additionally adjusted for baseline mMRC, respectively, CCQ scores. Results: Mean mMRC worsened from 2005 to 2012 as follows: for the no-HD group from 1.8 (±1.3) to 2.0 (±1.4), (P=0.003), for new-HD from 2.2 (±1.3) to 2.4 (±1.4), (P=0.16), and for HD from 2.2 (±1.3) to 2.5 (±1.4), (P=0.03). In logistic regression adjusted for potential confounding factors, HD (OR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.03–2.86) was associated with mMRC ≥2. Health status worsened from mean CCQ as follows: for no-HD from 1.9 (±1.2) to 2.1 (±1.3) with (P=0.01), for new-HD from 2.3 (±1.5) to 2.6 (±1.6) with (P=0.07), and for HD from 2.4 (±1.1) to 2.5 (±1.2) with (P=0.57). In linear regression adjusted for potential confounders, HD (regression coefficient 0.12; 95% CI: 0.04–5.91) and new-HD (0.15; 0.89–5.92) were associated with higher CAT scores. In CCQ functional state domain, new-HD (0.14; 0.18–1.16) and HD (0.12; 0.04–0.92) were associated with higher scores. After additional correction for baseline mMRC and CCQ, no statistically significant associations were found. Conclusion: Heart disease contributes to lower health status and higher symptom burden in COPD but does not accelerate the worsening over time. Keywords: COPD Assessment Test, CAT, Clinical COPD Questionnaire, CCQ, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score, mMRC, ischemic heart disease, heart failure

Peter Kardos,1 Ingo Mokros,2 Rüdiger Sauer,3,4 Claus F Vogelmeier5,6 1Group Practice and Centre for Allergy, Respiratory, and Sleep Medicine, at Maingau Red Cross Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; 2AstraZeneca GmbH, Unternehmensbereich Medizin, Wedel, Germany; 3Group Practice with Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Unite, Lung Center, Ulm, Germany; 4Health Center Clinic Blaubeuren, Blaubeuren, Germany; 5Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Center Giessen and Marburg, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; 6German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Giessen, Germany Purpose: DINO and DACOTA were prospective, noninterventional studies assessing the health status and quality of life of patients with COPD newly treated with roflumilast 500 µg once-daily add-on therapy.Patients and methods: Patients were evaluated over 6 months. Clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) and COPD assessment test (CAT) scores were recorded at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. In DACOTA, post-bronchodilator FEV1 was recorded at each time point.Results: Of 5,462 and 3,645 patients recruited into DINO and DACOTA, respectively, 3,274 patients in DINO and 916 patients in DACOTA completed the 6-month visit. Almost all patients had severe or very severe airway obstruction; mean baseline CCQ total score was 3.9 in DINO and 3.7 in DACOTA. Overall, 33.8% of patients in DACOTA and 30.6% in DINO discontinued treatment prematurely. Significant and clinically relevant improvements in CCQ total scores were observed in both studies (mean change from baseline of 1.36 in DINO and 0.91 in DACOTA at Month 6 [all P

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) are both common diseases that coexist frequently. Patients with both diseases have worse stable state health status when compared with patients with one of these diseases. In many outpatient clinics, health status is monitored routinely in COPD patients using the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and in HF patients with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF-Q). This study validated and compared which questionnaire, ie, the CCQ or the MLHF-Q, is suited best for patients with coexistent COPD and HF.Methods: Patients with both COPD and HF and aged >= 40 years were included. Construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and agreement were determined. The Short-Form 36 was used as the external criterion. All questionnaires were completed at baseline. The CCQ and MLHF-Q were repeated after 2 weeks, together with a global rating of change.Results: Fifty-eight patients were included, of whom 50 completed the study. Construct validity was acceptable. Internal consistency was adequate for CCQ and MLHF-Q total and domain scores, with a Cronbach's alpha >= 0.70. Reliability was adequate for MLHF-Q and CCQ total and domain scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.70-0.90, except for the CCQ symptom score (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.42). The standard error of measurement on the group level was smaller than the minimal clinical important difference for both questionnaires. However, the standard error of measurement on the individual level was larger than the minimal clinical important difference. Agreement was acceptable on the group level and limited on the individual level.Conclusion: CCQ and MLHF-Q were both valid and reliable questionnaires for assessment of health status in patients with coexistent COPD and HF on the group level, and hence for research. However, in clinical practice, on the individual level, the characteristics of both questionnaires were not as good. There is room for a questionnaire with good evaluative properties on the individual level, preferably tested in a setting of patients with COPD or HF, or both.

Jan Willem H Kocks,1,2 Jan Willem K van den Berg,3 Huib AM Kerstjens,2,4 Steven M Uil,3 Judith M Vonk,2,5 Ynze P de Jong,3 Ioanna G Tsiligianni,1,2 Thys van der Molen1,2 1Department of General Practice, 2Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 3Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, 4Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, 5Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Background: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are a major burden to patients and to society. Little is known about the possible role of day-to-day patient-reported outcomes during an exacerbation. This study aims to describe the day-to-day course of patient-reported health status during exacerbations of COPD and to assess its value in predicting clinical outcomes. Methods: Data from two randomized controlled COPD exacerbation trials (n = 210 and n = 45 patients) were used to describe both the feasibility of daily collection of and the day-to-day course of patient-reported outcomes during outpatient treatment or admission to hospital. In addition to clinical parameters, the BORG dyspnea score, the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire were used in Cox regression models to predict treatment failure, time to next exacerbation, and mortality in the hospital study. Results: All patient-reported outcomes showed a distinct pattern of improvement. In the multivariate models, absence of improvement in CCQ symptom score and impaired lung function were independent predictors of treatment failure. Health status and gender predicted time to next exacerbation. Five-year mortality was predicted by age, forced expiratory flow in one second % predicted, smoking status, and CCQ score. In outpatient management of exacerbations, health status was found to be less impaired than in hospitalized patients, while the rate and pattern of recovery was remarkably similar. Conclusion: Daily health status measurements were found to predict treatment failure, which could help decision-making for patients hospitalized due to an exacerbation of COPD. Keywords: health status, Clinical COPD Questionnaire, hospital, admission, prediction

Introduction Anxiety and depression are important but often under-diagnosed co-morbid conditions in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which may affect the functional capacity of the patients. Aim To find out the proportion of depression and anxiety among stable COPD patients using a validated questionnaire suitable for use in clinic and the factors affecting their reduced functional capability as assessed by six-minute walk test. Materials and methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Seventy five patients diagnosed with stable COPD in outpatient Department of Pulmonary Medicine in a tertiary care hospital, satisfying all inclusion criteria, were included in the study. They were examined clinically, categorized as per Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) severity assessment guideline and interviewed by designated interviewer using validated questionnaire for depression (Hamilton depression rating scale, HAM-D) and anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI). The functional exercise capacity of the patient was assessed by six-minute walk test. Statistical analysis was performed using Minitab software (version16.1). Results Among 75 stable COPD patients (68 male, 7 female), majority (32 out of 75) had both depression and anxiety, while only anxiety or depression was present in 9 each. The patients with depression had no significant difference in six-minute walk distance, change in heart rate and respiratory rate (p = 0.4186, 0.219 and 0.41 respectively) as compared to those without depression, but were found to be more dyspnoeic at the end of the test (p= 0.003). There was also no significant difference in walk distance in patients with high STAI score as compared to those with low STAI score (p= 0.276). Conclusion Both anxiety and depression were present in majority of the stable COPD patients. The presence of these co-morbid conditions had no significant effect on the functional status of the patients in the form of reduced six-minute walk distance, though they were more symptomatic than those without these co-morbidities.

DoelHet beschrijven van de effectiviteit en het functioneren van een astma/COPD-dienst (AC-dienst).OpzetObservationeel onderzoek.MethodeIn Noord-Nederland kunnen huisartsen patiënten met luchtwegklachten voor onderzoek verwijzen naar de AC-dienst, die in 2007 werd opgericht door lokale longartsen, huisartsen en het huisartsenlaboratorium Certe. De patiënt vult voor het onderzoek thuis 3 vragenlijsten in, de Clinical COPD Questionnaire(CCQ), de Asthma Control Questionnaire(ACQ) en een anamnesevragenlijst. In het laboratorium wordt de longfunctie bepaald en lichamelijk onderzoek uitgevoerd. Alle gegevens worden via internet naar een longarts gestuurd, die de huisarts via diens informatiesysteem adviseert over diagnose en behandeling. Zo nodig kan de longarts een vervolgconsult aanbieden. Voor deze publicatie beschikten wij over de gegevens van 14.748 aangemelde patiënten en 3721 vervolgconsulten.ResultatenDe longartsen diagnosticeerden 6201 patiënten (42%) met astma, 2728 (19%) met COPD en 1039 (7%) met de dubbeldiagnose ‘astma/COPD’. De longarts adviseerde voor 940 patiënten (6%) een medicatieverandering en een vervolgconsult na 3 maanden. In deze groep daalde het aantal instabiele COPD patiënten (CCQ ≥ 1) van 134 (67%) naar 99 (50%). Het aantal patiënten met instabiel astma (ACQ ≥ 1,5) daalde van 245 (43%) naar 137 (24%). Bij 1642 (11%) patiënten adviseerde de longarts geen medicatieverandering en verzocht de huisarts om een vervolgconsult na 12 maanden. Deze patiënten waren in het algemeen stabiel, met lichte verbeteringen in rookstatus, exacerbaties en inhalatietechniek.ConclusieOngeveer 60% van de patiënten in de regio is in de periode 2007-2014 ten minste eenmaal door de AC-dienst beoordeeld. De adviezen aan de huisartsen over diagnose en behandeling resulteerden in betere patiëntgerelateerde uitkomsten, zowel bij astma- als bij COPD-patiënten., OBJECTIVE: A study of the effectiveness and functioning of an asthma/COPD service (AC service).DESIGN: Observational study.METHOD: General practitioners (GPs) in the northern part of the Netherlands can refer patients with airway symptoms to the AC service, which was set up in 2007 by local pulmonologists, GPs and the primary care laboratory CERTE. Before the assessment, patients fill in three questionnaires at home: the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and a medical history list. The laboratory assesses lung function and a physical examination is carried out. All data is sent via the Internet to a pulmonologist, who advises the GP on diagnosis and treatment via an information system. The pulmonologist can offer a follow-up service if required. For this publication we had access to data from 14,748 registered patients and 3721 follow-up consultations.RESULTS: The pulmonologist diagnosed 6201 (42%) patients with asthma, 2728 (19%) with COPD and 1039 (7%) with 'asthma/COPD overlap syndrome'. The pulmonologist advised that 940 patients (6%) should have a change in medication and reassessment after 3 months. In this group, the number of unstable COPD patients (CCQ ≥ 1) dropped from 134 (67%) to 99 (50%). The number of patients with unstable asthma (ACQ ≥ 1.5) dropped from 245 (3%) to 137 (24%). For 1642 (11%) patients the pulmonologist advised no change in medication and the GP referred the patient for reassessment after 12 months. These patients were generally stable, with a slight improvement in smoking status, exacerbations and inhalation technique.CONCLUSION: Approximately 60% of all patients with asthma or COPD in this region were assessed by the AC service at least once in the period 2007-2014. Advice on diagnosis and treatment given to the GP resulted in better patient-related outcomes in both asthma and COPD patients.

Doel Het beschrijven van de effectiviteit en het functioneren van een astma/COPD-dienst (AC-dienst). Opzet Observationeel onderzoek. Methode In Noord-Nederland kunnen huisartsen patiënten met luchtwegklachten voor onderzoek verwijzen naar de AC-dienst, die in 2007 werd opgericht door lokale longartsen, huisartsen en het huisartsenlaboratorium Certe. De patiënt vult voor het onderzoek thuis 3 vragenlijsten in, de Clinical COPD Questionnaire(CCQ), de Asthma Control Questionnaire(ACQ) en een anamnesevragenlijst. In het laboratorium wordt de longfunctie bepaald en lichamelijk onderzoek uitgevoerd. Alle gegevens worden via internet naar een longarts gestuurd, die de huisarts via diens informatiesysteem adviseert over diagnose en behandeling. Zo nodig kan de longarts een vervolgconsult aanbieden. Voor deze publicatie beschikten wij over de gegevens van 14.748 aangemelde patiënten en 3721 vervolgconsulten. Resultaten De longartsen diagnosticeerden 6201 patiënten (42%) met astma, 2728 (19%) met COPD en 1039 (7%) met de dubbeldiagnose ‘astma/COPD’. De longarts adviseerde voor 940 patiënten (6%) een medicatieverandering en een vervolgconsult na 3 maanden. In deze groep daalde het aantal instabiele COPD patiënten (CCQ ≥ 1) van 134 (67%) naar 99 (50%). Het aantal patiënten met instabiel astma (ACQ ≥ 1,5) daalde van 245 (43%) naar 137 (24%). Bij 1642 (11%) patiënten adviseerde de longarts geen medicatieverandering en verzocht de huisarts om een vervolgconsult na 12 maanden. Deze patiënten waren in het algemeen stabiel, met lichte verbeteringen in rookstatus, exacerbaties en inhalatietechniek. Conclusie Ongeveer 60% van de patiënten in de regio is in de periode 2007-2014 ten minste eenmaal door de AC-dienst beoordeeld. De adviezen aan de huisartsen over diagnose en behandeling resulteerden in betere patiëntgerelateerde uitkomsten, zowel bij astma- als bij COPD-patiënten.

Farida F Berkhof,1 Leola Metzemaekers,1 Steven M Uil,1 Huib AM Kerstjens,2 Jan WK van den Berg11Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, 2Department of Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, the NetherlandsBackground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) are both common diseases that coexist frequently. Patients with both diseases have worse stable state health status when compared with patients with one of these diseases. In many outpatient clinics, health status is monitored routinely in COPD patients using the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and in HF patients with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF-Q). This study validated and compared which questionnaire, ie, the CCQ or the MLHF-Q, is suited best for patients with coexistent COPD and HF.Methods: Patients with both COPD and HF and aged ≥40 years were included. Construct validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and agreement were determined. The Short-Form 36 was used as the external criterion. All questionnaires were completed at baseline. The CCQ and MLHF-Q were repeated after 2 weeks, together with a global rating of change.Results: Fifty-eight patients were included, of whom 50 completed the study. Construct validity was acceptable. Internal consistency was adequate for CCQ and MLHF-Q total and domain scores, with a Cronbach's alpha ≥0.70. Reliability was adequate for MLHF-Q and CCQ total and domain scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.70–0.90, except for the CCQ symptom score (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.42). The standard error of measurement on the group level was smaller than the minimal clinical important difference for both questionnaires. However, the standard error of measurement on the individual level was larger than the minimal clinical important difference. Agreement was acceptable on the group level and limited on the individual level.Conclusion: CCQ and MLHF-Q were both valid and reliable questionnaires for assessment of health status in patients with coexistent COPD and HF on the group level, and hence for research. However, in clinical practice, on the individual level, the characteristics of both questionnaires were not as good. There is room for a questionnaire with good evaluative properties on the individual level, preferably tested in a setting of patients with COPD or HF, or both.Keywords: Clinical COPD Questionnaire, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) are both common diseases that coexist frequently. Patients with both diseases have worse stable state health status when compared with patients with one of these diseases. In many outpatient clinics, health status is monitored routinely in COPD patients using the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and in HF patients with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF-Q). This study validated and compared which questionnaire, ie, the CCQ or the MLHF-Q, is suited best for patients with coexistent COPD and HF. Methods: Patients with both COPD and HF and aged >= 40 years were included. Construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and agreement were determined. The Short-Form 36 was used as the external criterion. All questionnaires were completed at baseline. The CCQ and MLHF-Q were repeated after 2 weeks, together with a global rating of change. Results: Fifty-eight patients were included, of whom 50 completed the study. Construct validity was acceptable. Internal consistency was adequate for CCQ and MLHF-Q total and domain scores, with a Cronbach's alpha >= 0.70. Reliability was adequate for MLHF-Q and CCQ total and domain scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.70-0.90, except for the CCQ symptom score (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.42). The standard error of measurement on the group level was smaller than the minimal clinical important difference for both questionnaires. However, the standard error of measurement on the individual level was larger than the minimal clinical important difference. Agreement was acceptable on the group level and limited on the individual level. Conclusion: CCQ and MLHF-Q were both valid and reliable questionnaires for assessment of health status in patients with coexistent COPD and HF on the group level, and hence for research. However, in clinical practice, on the individual level, the characteristics of both questionnaires were not as good. There is room for a questionnaire with good evaluative properties on the individual level, preferably tested in a setting of patients with COPD or HF, or both.

Background: COPD is a major public health problem. Health status has become an important tool in its diagnostics and management with CCQ, CAT and SGRQ as the main instruments. Important is to what extent a change in its score is clinically relevant. The Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) defines this. Current MCIDs are 0.4 (CCQ), 2.0 (CAT) and 4.0 (SGRQ). This study investigated the MCID of these tools using multiple approaches, since existing evidence is limited. Methods: In total 316 patients participated in a 3-week Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme (63% male, 51%FEV1pred., 41 mean packyears, 58 years mean age, 2/50/38/10% GOLD stage I/II/III/IV). Anchor-based approaches, including patient-referencing, criterion-referencing and questionnaire-referencing, and the distribution-based methods SEM and 0.5SD were used to determine the MCID. Results: Discussion: This study showed that the MCID of a tool might differ depending on which method is used. Estimates ranged from 0.30 to 0.51 for CCQ, from 2.17 to 3.50 for CAT and from 6.17 to 7.92 for SGRQ. The current published MCID of the CCQ fits well in this range, however the MCID of the CAT and SGRQ in the literature is below the range found. (Table Presented).

The clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) has been developed to measure the health status of COPD patients. The aim of this study was to translate CCQ into the Persian language and assess the validity and reliability of the translated version. We used a forward-backward procedure to translate the questionnaire. In a cross-sectional study 100 COPD patients and 50 healthy subjects over 40 years old were selected to assess the reliability and construct validity of the instrument. The face and content validity were used for the questionnaire validity. Validity was examined in a population of patients with COPD, using the Persian validated version of the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (PSGRQ). In order to assess the questionnaire’s reliability, the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha were calculated. Test-retest reliability was tested by re-administering the Persian version of the CCQ (PCCQ) after 1 week. Test-retest carry out of data demonstrates that the PCCQ has excellent reliability (ICC for all 3 domains were higher than 0.9). Internal consistency was found by Cronbach’s alpha to be 0.96, 0.94, 0.97, and 0.98 for the symptom, mental state, functional state and total scores respectively. In addition, the correlation between the components of PCCQ and PSGRQ showed satisfactory construct validity. Analyzing the data from healthy subjects and patients divulged that the PCCQ has acceptable discriminant validity. In general, the PCCQ had satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing health-related quality of life status of Iranian COPD patients.