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Background Despite wide use of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) 2011, little is known about between-stage transitions and what factors predict worsening transitions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective To investigate the transition frequency between GOLD 2011 stages among patients with stable COPD over a 2-year follow-up, to identify potential non-pulmonary predictor factors for worsening transitions, and to compare transition frequencies between GOLD 2011 stages and the new GOLD 2017 stages. Patients and methods We prospectively included 137 patients with stable COPD (mean age, 66.9 ± 8.3 years). GOLD 2011 and GOLD 2017 stages were measured at baseline, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up. To evaluate non-pulmonary variables as potential predictors of worsening transitions, we used regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, clinical, and pulmonary variables using generalized estimating equations. Results The study period included 246 opportunities for transition, and 39 worsening transitions occurred within GOLD 2011 stages. Predictors of worsening transitions included BODE index (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.00-1.44), quadriceps strength (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.76-0.99), and limited mobility activities (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05). The frequency of worsening transitions for stages B and C differed between GOLD 2011 and GOLD 2017. Stages A and D were the most stable in both classifications. Conclusion Non-pulmonary factors predicted worsening transitions among the GOLD 2011 stages of COPD severity. The choice of GOLD 2011 versus GOLD 2017 may influence transition identification, especially for stages B and C.

Background: Although the six-minute-walk test (6MWT) has been used to predict chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, additional research is necessary to identify more rapid, simpler tests that are directly associated with exacerbations, such as the five-repetition sit-to-stand (5STS) test and 4-m gait speed (4MGS) test. Aims: To determine the ability of the 5STS and 4MGS tests in predicting severe exacerbations in stable COPD over the following year, and to assess the ability of the best prognostic test to identify patients at high risk of hospital admission correctly. Methods: This prospective study included 137 patients with stable COPD. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to assess whether the 6MWT, 5STS, and 4MGS tests were associated with severe exacerbations in the year following the test. Receiver-operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC) were evaluated to determine the accuracy of each test for identifying patients with severe exacerbations. Results: Scores of Conclusions: The 5STS test predicted the risk of severe exacerbation within the following year among patients with COPD. The 5STS test could replace the 6MWT for identifying patients at high risk of hospital admission.

Poor performance in the 6-min walk test (6MWT &lt, 350 m) is an important prognostic indicator of mortality and risk of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Little is known about the stability of this state over time and what factors might predict a poor 6MWT performance. To determine the stability of 6MWT performance over a 2-year period in COPD patients participating in annual medical follow-up visits, and to assess the ability of several clinical, pulmonary, and non-pulmonary factors to predict poor 6MWT performance, we prospectively included 137 patients with stable COPD (mean age, 66.9 &plusmn, 8.3 years). The 6MWT was scored at baseline and 2-year follow-up. To evaluate clinical, pulmonary, and non-pulmonary variables as potential predictors of poor 6MWT performance, we used multiple logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, weight, height, and 6MWT performance at baseline. Poor 6MWT performance was stable over 2 years for 67.4% of patients. Predictors of poor 6MWT performance included a five-repetition sit-to-stand test score &le, 2 (OR, 3.01, 95% CI, 1.22&ndash, 7.42), the percentage of mobility activities with limitations (OR, 1.03, 95% CI, 1.00&ndash, 1.07), and poor 6MWT performance at baseline (OR, 4.64, 95% CI, 1.88&ndash, 11.43). Poor 6MWT performance status was stable for the majority of COPD patients. Lower scores on the five-repetition sit-to-stand test and a higher number of mobility activities with limitations were relevant predictors of poor 6MWT performance over 2 years. Prognostic models based on these non-pulmonary factors can provide non-inferior discriminative ability in comparison with prognostic models based on only pulmonary factors.

Background Although frailty is a frequent occurrence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, evidence on the frequency of frailty transition is scarce. Aims The present study aimed to describe the frailty status transition rates over a 2-year period and their associated clinical outcomes in stable COPD patients, and to determine predictors of improvement in frailty status. Methods We prospectively included 119 patients with stable COPD (mean age ± SD, 66.9 ± 7.9 years) over a follow-up period of 2 years. Frailty was assessed using the Fried criteria (unintentional weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, low activity level, and slow walking speed). Several demographic, clinical, and health-related variables were measured. We calculated the rates for each of the frailty transitions (no change, improvement, or worsening) between baseline and 2 years. Outcomes were compared using one-way analysis of variance and predictors of improvement were identified in multivariate logistic regression. Results After 2 years of follow-up, 21 (17.6%) patients had an improved frailty status, 14 (11.7%) had worsened, and 84 (70.5%) had maintained the same frailty status. The worsening group (vs no change group) had greater dyspnea (p = 0.013) and disability (p = 0.036) and lower handgrip strength (p = 0.001). In contrast, the improved group (vs no change group) had greater handgrip (p

Hospitalization for acute exacerbations (AE) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common, but little is known about the impact of hospitalization on the development of disability. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and time course of functional changes 3 months after hospital discharge for AE-COPD compared with baseline levels 2 weeks before admission, and to identify predictors of functional decline. Methods This was a prospective study including 103 patients (age mean, 71 years; standard deviation, 9.1 years) who were hospitalized with AE-COPD. Number of dependencies in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) was measured at the preadmission baseline and at weeks 6 and 12 after discharge. Patterns of improvement, no change, and decline were defined over 3 consecutive intervals (baseline and weeks 6 and 12). Trajectories grouped patients with similar time courses of disability. Recovery was defined as returning to baseline function after functional decline. Univariate and multivariate multiple logistic regression was used to determine predictors of functional decline after week 12. Results Six trajectories of functional changes were found. From baseline to 12 weeks, 50% of patients continued to have the same function whereas 31% experienced functional decline after 6 weeks; 16.7% recovered over subsequent weeks. At week 12, as a consequence of all trajectories, 38% of patients showed functional declines compared with baseline function, 57% had not declined, and 6 improved. Length of stay (odds ratio [OR] = 1.12;95% [confidence interval] CI 1.03–1.22), dyspnea (OR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.05–3.26), and frailty (OR = 3.97; 95% CI 1.13–13.92) were independent predictors of functional decline after 12 weeks. Conclusions Hospitalization for AE-COPD is a risk factor for the progression of disability. More than one third of patients hospitalized for AE-COPD declined during the 12 weeks following discharge, with most of this decline occurring by week 6

Recent recommendations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suggest that evaluation and management should focus on patient health status. Despite the frequency of poor health status and its negative impact on patients with COPD, little is known about how poor or non-poor health status persists and/or remits over time or what factors might predict recovery from a poor health status. The aim was to determine the likelihood of transitioning between poor and non-poor health status in patients with stable COPD followed for 2 years and to investigate factors that might predict recovery from poor health status. We prospectively included 137 patients with stable COPD (mean age, 66.9 years &plusmn, 8.3). Health status was measured at baseline and after 1 and 2 years with the COPD assessment test (CAT). Higher scores indicated worse health status, and 10 was the cut-off score for discriminating between non-poor and poor health status. The likelihoods of annual transitions to new episodes and recovery were calculated. We evaluated demographic, non-respiratory, and respiratory variables as potential predictors with generalized estimating equations. At baseline, 37 patients (27%) reported non-poor health status. Within the group of patients displaying poor health status at the beginning of the year, 176 annual transitions were identified during the study period: 15.9% were transitions to recovery from poor health status. In contrast, of the 70 transitions from a starting non-poor health status, 32.4% worsened. Predictors of transitions to recovery were: current non-smoker status (odds ratio (OR) = 3.88, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64&ndash, 5.54) and handgrip strength (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.00&ndash, 1.16). This study suggests that self-reported health status, measured with the CAT, has a dynamic nature in patients with COPD. Annual transitions towards recovery from poor health status are most likely among current non-smoking patients and those with high handgrip strength.

Background The physical frailty status affects the health status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The objective was to determine if the individual physical frailty characteristics have a differential impact on the CAT score. Methods This observational study included 137 patients with stable COPD. Physical frailty was measured with unintentional weight loss, low physical activity, exhaustion, slow walking speed and low grip strength and health status assessed with the COPD Assessment test (CAT). The following variables were evaluated as potential determinants of CAT: sex, age, body mass index, smoking, dyspnea, exacerbations, comorbidities, %FEV1, %FVC, anxiety and depression. Results The prevalence of characteristics for individual frailty was as follows: low grip strength, 60.6%; low physical activity, 27.0%; exhaustion, 19.7%; slow walking speed, 9.5%; and unintentional weight loss, 7.3%. A total of 17.5% of the patients were non-frail, 73.7% were pre-frail and only 8.7% were frail. One of the five frailty characteristics, exhaustion (adjusted β coefficient 5.12 [standard error = 1.27], p = 0.001) was an independent determinant of CAT score in the final regression model which was adjusted by other independent determinants of CAT (dyspnea, exacerbations and anxiety). Conclusions Due to the fact that exhaustion is a frequent and relevant psychological symptom on CAT score of patients with COPD, interventions should reduce that stress. Future research should explore how exhaustion persists or remits over time.

Objetivo: Identificar los factores que influyen en cambios en la ansiedad de los cuidadores tres meses después del alta hospitalaria por exacerbación aguda de la Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica (EPOC). Metodología: Estudio longitudinal. Participaron 87 cuidadores de pacientes hospitalizados por exacerbación aguda de EPOC. Se midió la ansiedad en el momento de la hospitalización y tres meses después del alta. Además, se midieron potenciales factores asociados a su cambio en cuatro dominios: Contexto del cuidado, demandas del cuidado, recursos y características del paciente. Utilizamos regresiones logísticas múltiples univariadas y multivariadas para determinar los cambios en la ansiedad tres meses después. Resultados: Presentaron ansiedad en el momento de la hospitalización el 57,5% de los cuidadores. De ellos, el 44% había remitido su ansiedad tres meses después del alta hospitalaria. Sin embargo, el 22% de los cuidadores quienes no habían presentado ansiedad en el momento de la hospitalización se mostraron ansiosos a los 3 meses. La gravedad de la EPOC y no recibir apoyo de otro cuidador disminuyó las probabilidades de remisión de la ansiedad. La sobrecarga moderadamente alta incrementa las probabilidades de presentar nuevos síntomas de ansiedad. Conclusiones: La percepción de los síntomas de la ansiedad es dinámica. Los cuidadores pueden recuperarse si reciben ayuda de otro cuidador o si el paciente al que cuidan no está en un estado severo de EPOC. ABSTRACT: Objective: To identify the factors that influence changes in caregivers anxiety status three months after discharge for acute exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Methodology: Longitudinal study. Participants included 87 caregivers of patients hospitalized for acute exacerbation of COPD. Anxiety was measured at the time of hospitalization and three months after discharge. We measured factors from four domains: context of care, caregiving demands, caregiver resources, and patient characteristics. We used multiple univariate and multivariate logistic regressions to determine changes in anxiety three months later. Univariate and multivariate multiple logistic regressions were used to determine changes in anxiety three months later. Results: A total of 57.5% of caregivers reported anxiety at the time of hospitalization. Of these, 44% had a remission of their anxiety three months after discharge. However, 22% of caregivers who had not experienced anxiety at the hospitalization became anxious at 3 months. The severity of COPD and not receiving help from another caregiver decreased the likelihood of remission of anxiety. Moderately high overload increases the likelihood of experiencing anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: The perception of anxious symptoms is dynamic. Caregivers are likely to recover from anxiety when they receive help from another caregiver and if the patient they are caring for does not have severe COPD.