Search

Marc Miravitlles,1,2 Fernando González-Torralba,3 Cristina Represas-Represas,4 Xavier Pomares,2,5 Eduardo Márquez-Martín,2,6 Cruz González,7 Carlos Amado,8 Carles Forné,9,10 Soledad Alonso,11 Bernardino Alcázar,12 Miriam Barrecheguren,1 Juan María Jurado Mirete,13 Elsa Naval14 1Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain; 2CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; 3Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitario del Tajo, Aranjuez, Spain; 4Pneumology Department, Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, Vigo, Spain; 5Pneumology Department, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain; 6Medical-Surgical Unit for Respiratory Diseases, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, Spain; 7Pneumology Department, Hospital Clínico de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; 8Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain; 9Heorfy Consulting, Lleida, Spain; 10Basic Medical Sciences Department, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain; 11Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain; 12Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain; 13Scientific Department, GOC Health Consulting, Barcelona, Spain; 14Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitario de La Ribera, Alzira, SpainCorrespondence: Marc Miravitlles, Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, P. Vall d’Hebron 119-129, Barcelona, 08035, Spain, Tel/Fax +34 932746083, Email marcm@separ.esIntroduction: Identifying the variables that guide decision-making in relation to the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) can contribute to the appropriate use of these drugs. The objective of this study was to identify the clinical variables that physicians consider most relevant for prescribing or withdrawing ICS in COPD.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Spain from November 2020 to May 2021. Therapeutic decisions on the use of ICS in 11 hypothetical COPD patient profiles were collected using an online survey answered by specialists with experience in the management of patients with COPD. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of patients’ characteristics in the therapeutic decision for prescribing ICS or proceeding to its withdrawal.Results: A total of 74 pulmonologists agreed to collaborate in the survey and answered the questionnaire. The results showed great variability, with only 2 profiles achieving consensus for starting or withdrawing the treatment. The frequency and severity of exacerbations influenced the decision to prescribe ICS in a dose-response fashion (1 exacerbation odds ratio (OR) = 1.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to 3.43, two exacerbations OR = 11.6, 95% CI: 4.47 to 30.2 and three OR = 123, 95% CI: 25 to 601). Similarly, increasing blood eosinophils and history of asthma were associated with ICS use. On the other hand, pneumonia reduced the probability of initiating treatment with ICS (OR = 0.54 [0.29 to 0.98]). Lung function and dyspnea degree did not influence the clinician’s therapeutic decision. The results for withdrawal of ICS were similar but in the opposite direction.Conclusion: In accordance with guidelines, exacerbations, blood eosinophils and history of asthma or pneumonia are the factors considered by pulmonologist for the indication or withdrawal of ICS. However, the agreement in prescription or withdrawal of ICS when confronted with hypothetical cases is very low, suggesting a great variability in clinical practice.Keywords: COPD, exacerbation, bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, eosinophils, withdrawal

Alberto Fernández-García,1 Mónica Pérez-Ríos,1– 3 Cristina Candal-Pedreira,1,3 Cristina Represas-Represas,4,5 Alberto Fernández-Villar,4,5 María Isolina Santiago-Pérez,1,6 Julia Rey-Brandariz,1 Gael Naveira-Barbeito,6 Alberto Malvar-Pintos,6 Alberto Ruano-Ravina1– 3 1Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 2Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (Ciber en Epidemiología y Salud Pública/CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; 3Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 4Respiratory Medicine, Alvaro Cunqueiro University Teaching Hospital, Vigo, Spain; 5Grupo NeumoVigo I+i, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Galicia Sur (IISGS), Vigo, Spain; 6Epidemiology Unit, Galician Health Authority, Xunta de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, SpainCorrespondence: Mónica Pérez-Ríos, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, C/ San Francisco s/n, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain, Tel +34-981-581237, Fax +34-981-572282, Email monica.perez.rios@usc.esBackground: To plan end-of-life care it is essential to ascertain where patients die. There is very little information on the place of death of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Accordingly, this study set out to describe the place of death of all COPD-related deaths in a Spanish region across the period 2009– 2017, taking into account the sex and age of the deceased.Methods: We analyzed COPD deaths, codes J41-44 of the International Classification of Diseases-10th revision, in the Galician Autonomous Region from 2009 to 2017. Using death certificate data furnished by the Galician Mortality Registry, information was extracted on place of death, categorized as “hospital”, “nursing home”, “patient’s home”, “other” or “not shown”.Results: There were 10,274 deaths, with a male:female ratio of 2.52; 39.0% of deaths occurred in hospital and 41.4% at home, with these data varying according to sex and age. Across the study period, no reduction was observed in the number of deaths that occurred in hospital. For all the period analyzed, deaths among women occurred mostly at home, with an increase being seen in the number of deaths in nursing homes over the course of the study. Patients aged under 70 years tended to die more frequently in hospital, and those over this age died more frequently at home or in nursing homes.Conclusion: A very high percentage of COPD patients still die in hospital, a trend that has shown no decline in recent years. Even so, there are important variations by sex and age on the place of death of these patients.Keywords: pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive, death, hospital

María Estrella López-Pardo,1 Cristina Candal-Pedreira,2 Luis Valdés-Cuadrado,3 Cristina Represas-Represas,4 Alberto Ruano-Ravina,2,5,6 Mónica Pérez-Ríos2,5,6 1Department of Planning and Health Reform, Galician Health Service, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 2Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 3Department of Pulmonology, University Clinical Teaching Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 4Respiratory Medicine, Alvaro Cunqueiro University Teaching Hospital, Vigo, Spain; 5Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública/CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; 6Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela - IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, SpainCorrespondence: Alberto Ruano-Ravina, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, University of Santiago de Compostela, C/ San Francisco s/n, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain, Tel +34-981-581237, Fax +34-981-572282, Email alberto.ruano@usc.esIntroduction: The rising trend in hospital admissions among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is worrying, not only because of the increasing costs, but also because of the worsening quality of life. We aimed to identify the predictive factors of hospital admission, re-admission and mortality of COPD patients through using information exclusively registered in electronic clinical records.Methods: We conducted a population-based case–control study. All data were sourced from the different information systems comprising the Galician Health Service electronic record database. We included in the study patients diagnosed with COPD (code R95 in the medical record), ≥ 35 years old and with at least one spirometry performed ≤ 3 years prior inclusion. We fitted three logistic regression models, each one to ascertain the factors that influence the probability of admission, re-admission, and mortality, and calculated odds ratios (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).Results: COPD patients were admitted due to respiratory causes a mean of 1.51 times across the period December 2016–December 2017, with 55% requiring re-admission in the next 90 days. The factor most closely associated with the re-admission profile was home oxygen therapy (OR 3.06 95% CI 2.42– 3.87), followed by male gender (OR 2.01 95% CI 1.48– 2.72), a CHA2D-VASc scale score > 2 (OR 1.28 95% CI 1.16– 1.42), and severity by clinical risk group stratification (OR 1.14 95% CI 1.04– 1.26). Male sex (OR 1.47 CI 95% 1.04– 2.09), having been readmitted ≥ 2 times (OR 1.34 CI 95% 1.11– 1.61) and being ≥ 70 years old (OR 1.05 CI 95% 1.03– 1.08) increase the probability of dying from COPD during the study period.Conclusion: These results confirm the complexity of management of COPD exacerbations, and indicate the need to establish strategies that would ensure continuity of care after hospital admission, with the aim of preventing re-admissions and death.Keywords: case–control study, COPD, hospital discharge, mortality

Borja G Cosio,1,2 Hanaa Shafiek,1,3 Nuria Toledo-Pons,1,2 Amanda Iglesias,1,2 Margalida Barcelo,1 Cristina Represas-Represas,4 Lorena Comeche,5 Pablo Catalan,6 Alberto Fernandez-Villar,4 Jose Luis Lopez- Campos,7 Jose Echave-Sustaeta,5 Juan Jose Soler-Cataluna8 1Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Universitario Son Espases-IdISBa, Palma de Mallorca, Spain; 2CIBERES-IDISBa, Palma de Mallorca, Spain; 3Chest Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; 4Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Alvaro Cunqueiro, Vigo, Spain; 5Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Universitario Quironsalud Madrid, Madrid, Spain; 6Respiratory Medicine, Hospital General de Castellón, Castellón, Spain; 7Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Virgen del Rocio-CIBERES, Sevilla, Spain; 8Respiratory medicine, Hospital Arnau de Vilanova-CIBERES, Valencia, SpainCorrespondence: Borja G CosioHospital Universitario Son Espases, Ctra de Valldemossa 79, Palma de Mallorca, 07010, SpainTel +34 871 20 6714Email borja.cosio@ssib.esPurpose: Exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) are a frequent cause of hospitalization that seemed to ameliorate during the COVID outbreak. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of COPD-related hospital admissions and mortality in relation to the presence of COVID-19.Patients and Methods: We conducted a case–control study of patients admitted in four teaching hospitals throughout Spain between March 15 and April 30, 2020. Hospital admissions of respiratory cause with and without PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with COPD were evaluated. Baseline and episode-related clinical characteristics were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the risk for mortality.Results: During the study period, 2101 patients were admitted for respiratory worsening, 1200 (57.1%) with COVID-19. A total of 228 (10.8%) were admitted due to COPD worsening, of whom 52 (22.8%) tested positive for COVID-19. COPD patients with COVID-19, when compared to those without COVID-19, were more frequently males with better lung function (FEV1 postbronchodilator 71% vs 46% respectively, p< 0.001) and had higher mortality (44.9% vs 13.6% respectively, p< 0.001) despite similar age, comorbidities, total days of hospitalization and admission to intensive care unit. COVID-19 and eosinopenia were the strongest risk factors for mortality in the multivariate analysis in the overall COPD population. Inhaled corticosteroid use was not associated to mortality.Conclusion: Hospitalizations for ECOPD without COVID-19 were more frequent than COPD with COVID-19 during the first outbreak, but the latter were associated with higher mortality and low eosinophil counts that warrant further analysis.Keywords: COPD exacerbation, mortality, inhaled corticosteroids, hospitalization

Sara Fernández-García,1 Cristina Represas-Represas,1 Alberto Ruano-Raviña,2– 4 Alberto Fernández-García,1 Almudena González-Montaos,1 Ana Priegue-Carrera,1 Mónica Pérez-Ríos,2,3 Alberto Fernández-Villar1 1Pneumology Department, Alvaro Cunqueiro University Hospital, NeumoVigo I+i Research Group, Institute of Health Research Galicia Sur (IISGS), Vigo, Spain; 2Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago, Spain; 3Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; 4Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, SpainCorrespondence: Cristina Represas-RepresasPneumology Department, Alvaro Cunqueiro University Hospital, NeumoVigo I+i Research Group, Institute of Health Research Galicia Sur (IISGS), Estrada Clara Campoamor, Nº 341, Beade, Vigo, CP 36312, SpainEmail cristina.represas.represas@sergas.esObjective: To increase our knowledge of the patient variables related to the overburden of the caregivers of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPDs).Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study of patients with severe COPD who have informal caregivers. We performed a multivariate analysis of sociodemographic (economic situation, care, dependence, social risk, and use of social services) and clinical (degree of dyspnea, previous hospitalizations, disease impact, pulmonary function, and comorbidity) factors and related these to the burden of informal caregivers, as evaluated using the Zarit scale.Results: The study included 91 patients, age 72.6± 8.7 years and 80 were male (89.7%); the mean modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC) score was 2.5± 0.8; mean FEV1 was 39.5 ± 13.2%; and 70 patients (76.9%) were dependent for basic activities. Of the informal caregivers, 90 (90.9%) were women, 49 (49.4%) were partners or spouses, and 29 (29.6%) were daughters. The mean Zarit questionnaire score was 51.4± 14.2, with 63 of carers (69.2%) perceiving some overburden, and 34 (37.4%) describing the overburden as mild–moderate. The variables related to informal caregiver overburden in the multivariate study were the previous use of social resources [OR = 8.1 (95% CI = 1.03– 69.9); p = 0.04], degree of mMRC dyspnea 3– 4 [OR =4.7 (95% CI = 1.7– 13.2); p = 0.003], and two or more admissions for AEPOC in the previous year [OR = 4.5 (95% CI = 1.7– 13.2); p = 0.003]. Of the informal caregivers of patients who had presented two or more of these variables, 92.3% perceived an overburden.Conclusion: The variables associated with overburden are easily accessible in patient medical records, or can be obtained by interviewing patients or their relatives. This information would allow to detect and assess the overburden of informal caregivers to provide an early warning of this problem.Keywords: COPD, hospitalizations, caregiver overburden, predictors

Jose Luis Lopez-Campos,1,2,* Alberto Fernandez-Villar,3,* Carmen Calero-Acuña,1 Cristina Represas-Represas,3 Cecilia Lopez-Ramírez,1 Virginia Leiro Fernández,3 Juan Jose Soler-Cataluña,2,4 Ricard Casamor5 On behalf of the On-Sint study group 1Unidad Médico-Quirúrgica de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; 2CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; 3Servicio de Neumología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Vigo (IBIV), Complexo Hospitalario de Vigo, Vigo, Spain; 4Servicio de Neumología Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Valencia, Spain; 5Departamento Médico de Novartis Farmacéutica, Barcelona, Spain *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) has been recently developed to quantify COPD impact in routine practice. However, no relationship with other measures in the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) strategy has been evaluated. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship of the CAT with other GOLD multidimensional axes, patient types, and the number of comorbidities.Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of the Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (On-Sint) study. The CAT score was administered to all participants at the inclusion visit. A GOLD 2011 strategy consisting of modified Medical Research Council scale (MRC) scores was devised to study the relationship between the CAT, and GOLD 2011 axes and patient types. The relationship with comorbidities was assessed using the Charlson comorbidity index, grouped as zero, one to two, and three or more.Results: The CAT questionnaire was completed by 1,212 patients with COPD. The CAT maintained a relationship with all the three axes, with a ceiling effect for dyspnea and no distinction between mild and moderate functional impairment. The CAT score increased across GOLD 2011 patient types A–D, with similar scores for types B and C. Within each GOLD 2011 patient type, there was a considerably wide distribution of CAT values.Conclusion: Our study indicates a correlation between CAT and the GOLD 2011 classification axes as well as the number of comorbidities. The CAT score can help clinicians, as a complementary tool to evaluate patients with COPD within the different GOLD patient types. Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, multidimensional evaluation, comorbidities

Byline: C. Represas-Represas, V. Leiro-Fernandez, R. Mallo-Alonso, M. Botana-Rial, A. Tilve-Gomez, A. Fernandez-Villar INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of EDAC (Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse) has not been studied specifically in patients with [...]

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of EDAC (Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse) has not been studied specifically in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of EDAC in COPD and to determine whether there are clinical factors or functional variables that could influence the degree of expiratory collapse of central airways. METHODS: Prospective observational study of a group of patients with COPD. The degree of tracheobronchial collapse was evaluated by low-dose dynamic airway computed tomography (CT). We recorded clinical and pulmonary function tests data, quality of life and BODE index. RESULTS: This study included 53 patients with COPD, 46 (87%) males, mean age 65 (SD, 9) years. The percentage of collapse at each anatomic level was as follows: Aortic arch, 16.1% (SD, 13.6%); carina, 19.4% (SD, 15.9%); and bronchus intermedius, 21.7% (SD, 16.1%). At the point of maximal collapse, the percentage of collapse was 26.8% (SD, 16%). EDAC was demonstrated at any of the three anatomical points in five patients, corresponding to 9.4% (95% CI, 3.1% to 20.6%) of the sample and affecting the three anatomical points in only two cases. A statistically significant correlation was only found with the total lung capacity (TLC). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of EDAC observed in a sample of patients with different levels of COPD severity is low. The degree of dynamic central airway collapse was not related to the patient's epidemiological or clinical features, and did not affect lung function, symptoms, capacity for effort, or quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to employ machine learning (ML) tools to cluster patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) based on their diverse social and clinical characteristics. This clustering is intended to facilitate the subsequent analysis of differences in clinical outcomes., Methods: We analysed a cohort of patients with severe COPD from two Pulmonary Departments in north-western Spain using the k-prototypes algorithm, incorporating demographic, clinical, and social data. The resulting clusters were correlated with metrics such as readmissions, mortality, and place of death. Additionally, we developed an intelligent clinical decision support system (ICDSS) using a supervised ML model (Random Forest) to assign new patients to these clusters based on a reduced set of variables., Results: The cohort consisted of 524 patients, with an average age of 70.30±9.35 years, 77.67% male, and an average FEV 1 of 44.43±15.4. Four distinct clusters (A-D) were identified with varying clinical-demographic and social profiles. Cluster D showed the highest levels of dependency, social isolation, and increased rates of readmissions and mortality. Cluster B was characterized by prevalent cardiovascular comorbidities. Cluster C included a younger demographic, with a higher proportion of women and significant psychosocial challenges. The ICDSS, using five key variables, achieved areas under the ROC curve of at least 0.91., Conclusions: ML tools effectively facilitate the social and clinical clustering of patients with severe COPD, closely related to resource utilization and prognostic profiles. The ICDSS enhances the ability to characterize new patients in clinical settings., (Copyright © 2024 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Despite the importance of an adequate peak inspiratory flow (PIF) during inhaled therapy in patients with COPD, the available evidence in patients with severe exacerbations and their evolution after admission is limited. We conducted this study to evaluate the PIF during an exacerbation, its variability, and predictors of suboptimal PIF. Material and Methods: A prospective study that included patients admitted for COPD exacerbation. Clinical, demographic, and functional variables were recorded. Using the In-Check DIAL G16 ® , PIF without resistance (PIF-nr) and that obtained by simulating the resistance of the patients' usual inhalers (PIF) were determined within the first 48 hours of admission and prior to discharge; also assessed during a stable phase in a subgroup of patients. The results were compared and, through a multivariate study, the factors related to a suboptimal PIF were analyzed. Results: A total of 137 patients were included; 27% were women and the mean age was 69.4 ± 9.8 years. Moreover, 30.8% of the participants with dry powder inhalers had a suboptimal PIF at admission and it was independently associated with female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 8.635; 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.007, 37.152]; p < 0.01) and forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (FEV1) (OR = 0.997; 95% CI: [0.995, 0.999]; p = 0.04). At discharge, suboptimal PIF reduced to 17% ( p < 0.01). PIF-nr increased from the time of admission to the stable phase. Conclusion: One third of COPD patients admitted with a severe exacerbation had a suboptimal PIF, being female sex and lower FEV1 independent predictors. PIF-nr improved progressively after the exacerbation.

Introduction: There is still uncertainty about which aspects of cigarette smoking influence the risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to estimate the COPD risk as related to duration of use, intensity of use, lifetime tobacco consumption, age of smoking initiation and years of abstinence., Methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study based on data from the EPISCAN-II study (n=9092). All participants underwent a face-to-face interview and post-bronchodilator spirometry was performed. COPD was defined as post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC<70%. Parametric and nonparametric logistic regression models with generalized additive models were used., Results: 8819 persons were included; 858 with COPD and 7961 without COPD. The COPD risk increased with smoking duration up to ≥50 years [OR 3.5 (95% CI: 2.3-5.4)], with smoking intensity up to ≥39cig/day [OR 10.1 (95% CI: 5.3-18.4)] and with lifetime tobacco consumption up to >29 pack-years [OR 3.8 (95% CI: 3.1-4.8)]. The COPD risk for those who started smoking at 22 or later was 0.9 (95% CI: 0.6-1.4). The risk of COPD decreased with increasing years of cessation. In comparison with both never smokers and current smokers, the lowest risk of COPD was found after 15-25 years of abstinence., Conclusion: COPD risk increases with duration, intensity, and lifetime tobacco consumption and decreases importantly with years of abstinence. Age at smoking initiation shows no effect. After 15-25 years of cessation, COPD risk could be equal to that of a never smoker. This work suggests that the time it takes to develop COPD in a smoker is about 30 years., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Although a reduction in admissions for pathologies other than SARS-CoV-2 has been reported during the pandemic, there are hardly any specific studies in relation to COPD. The objective of this study was to analyse differences in the profile of those admitted for AEPOC and their prognosis during this period., Methods: Prospective study (SocioEPOC validation cohort) conducted in two hospitals. Demographic, clinical and social characteristics were compared among patients admitted for an AECOPD before and after the declaration of the COVID-19 healthcare emergency. Mortality and the need for hospital care in the following 3 months were analysed., Results: 340 patients (76.6% male, 72 years, FEV1 43.5%) were included, 174 in the post-pandemic phase. During pandemic, especially before population-level vaccination, admissions for AECOPD were in patients with more severe disease and with a higher level of eosinophils. No differences were found in social profile, except they had more informal caregivers. The mortality rate at 90 days was the same (9%), although those admitted during the pandemic came for more hospital visits in the following 3 months (53.8% vs. 42%; p = 0.003), with the pandemic phase being an independent predictor of this possibility (OR = 1.6.; 95% IC = 1.1-2.6)., Conclusions: In the first few months of the pandemic, the clinical profile of patients hospitalised for an AECOPD differed from that both prior to this period and during the latter months of the pandemic, with minimal changes at the social level. Although the mortality rate were similar, unscheduled hospital visits increased during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: None of the authors declare conflicts of interest for the contents of this manuscript. AFV has received honoraria in the last 3 years for lecturing, scientific consulting, participating in clinical studies, or writing publications for (alphabetical order): AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, and Menarini. CRR has received honoraria in the past 3 years for lecturing, scientific consulting, clinical trial participation, or publication writing for (alphabetical order): AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Faes farma, and GlaxoSmithKline. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials., (Copyright: © 2023 Fernández Villar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third cause of death worldwide. While tobacco smoking is a key risk factor, COPD also occurs in never-smokers (NS). However, available evidence on risk factors, clinical characteristics, and natural history of the disease in NS is scarce. Here, we perform a systematic review of the literature to better describe the characteristics of COPD in NS., Methods: We searched different databases following the PRISMA guidelines with explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. A purpose-designed quality scale was applied to the studies included in the analysis. It was not possible to pool the results due to the high heterogeneity of the studies included., Results: A total of 17 studies that met the selection criteria were included, albeit only 2 of them studied NS exclusively. The total number of participants in these studies were 57,146 subjects, 25,047 of whom were NS and 2,655 of the latter had NS-COPD. Compared to COPD in smokers, COPD in NS is more frequent in women and older ages, and is associated with a slightly higher prevalence of comorbidities. There are not enough studies to understand if COPD progression and clinical symptoms in NS are different to that of ever-smokers., Conclusions: There is a significant knowledge gap on COPD in NS. Given that COPD in NS account for about a third of all COPD patients in the world, particularly in low-middle income countries, and the decrease in tobacco consumption in high income countries, understanding COPD in NS constitutes a public-health priority., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Alberto Ruano-Ravina reports financial support was provided by Carlos III Health Institute. Alvar Agusti reports a relationship with Gold that includes: board membership., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Currently there is lack of data regarding the impact of a home telehealth program on readmissions and mortality rate after a COPD exacerbation-related hospitalization., Objective: To demonstrate if a tele-monitoring system after a COPD exacerbation admission could have a favorable effect in 1-year readmissions and mortality in a real-world setting., Methods: This is an observational study where we compared an intervention group of COPD patients treated after hospitalization that conveyed a telehealth program with a followance period of 1 year with a control group of patients evaluated during one year before the intervention began. A propensity-score analyses was developed to control for confounders. The main clinical outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality or COPD-related readmission., Results: The analysis comprised 351 telemonitoring patients and 495 patients in the control group. The intervention resulted in less mortality or readmission after 12 months (35.2% vs. 45.2%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.71 [95% CI=0.56-0.91]; p=0.007). This benefit was maintained after the propensity score analysis (HR=0.66 [95% CI=0.51-0.84]). This benefit, which was seen from the first month of the study and during its whole duration, is maintained when mortality (HR=0.54; 95% CI=[0.36-0.82]) or readmission (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 0.66; 95% CI=[0.50-0.86]) are analyzed separately., Conclusion: Telemonitoring after a severe COPD exacerbation is associated with less mortality or readmissions at 12 months in a real world clinical setting., (Copyright © 2020 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Relatively little is known about the risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in never-smokers, and these factors have not yet been fully characterised. This study therefore sought to analyse COPD risk factors in never-smokers by conducting a systematic review of the literature on the topic., Materials and Methods: We performed a search in PubMed (Medline) and Embase from 2000 onwards, to locate studies on COPD in never-smokers. For literature search and evidence synthesis purposes, we used the PRISMA guidelines and drew up a specific quality scale to quantify the evidence of each study included., Results: The bibliographic search retrieved a total of 557 papers, 20 of which fulfilled the designated inclusion criteria (two case-control studies, four cohort studies and 14 cross-sectional studies). These studies were undertaken in Europe, the United States, Latin America, Asia and Africa. The risk factors for never-smokers were varied and ranged from exposure to biomass, occupational exposure and passive smoking to having a history of asthma, tuberculosis or respiratory infections during childhood. The effect of residential radon was unclear. The highest risk was obtained for previous respiratory diseases of any type, with a magnitude much higher than that observed for other risk factors., Conclusions: There are few studies on COPD risk factors in never-smokers. More purpose-designed studies in this subpopulation are thus called for, including well-designed studies to specifically assess if indoor radon has any role on COPD onset., (© 2022 The Authors. The Clinical Respiratory Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The current cost of treatment of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) with an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is unclear. Objective: We propose a review of the scientific evidence on the cost and effectiveness of this therapeutic option. Methods: Systematic review of the literature on the cost and effectiveness of the treatment of MPE by IPC, according to the PRISMA methodology and quality according to the scientific guidelines. Results: A total of 4 articles, 152 patients, and 159 IPCs were included. The use of IPC was associated with improvement in symptoms and quality of life. The most common complications were infections (empyema in 20.9% of patients and cellulitis in 17.3%); 9% of cases were hospitalized due to complications, and <2% required subsequent procedures. The average cost of IPC (set/drainage bottles) ranged from €2,025.6 to €1,200.5 if it was placed on an outpatient basis, €1,100 if survival was <6 weeks, and €4,028 in patients with mesothelioma. Complications increased the cost, and taking into account follow-up visits, additional tests, and days of admission for complications, the cost was >€5,000. Compared with pleurodesis, the cost of IPC was significantly lower when patient survival was <14 weeks, but not when survival was longer or home care was required. Conclusions: The use of IPC is associated with good control of MPE and seldom requires many subsequent procedures; however, it is also associated with a certain rate of complications, which may increase costs. However, ambulatory management may help reduce costs, which are directly related to the type of tumor, the duration of survival, and the need for specialized treatment.

Objectives: In 2011, only 18% of the population in Galician knew the COPD. Since then, activities have been carried out to publicize this disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current situation regarding the knowledge of COPD in the Galician population., Methodology: Cross-sectional study, through telephone surveys. Variables included in the questionnaire, related to knowledge of the disease, were analyzed., Results: 872 respondents, 53% women, mean age 54 years. 63% with secondary/university studies. 40% has knowledge of COPD. In contrast, more than 90% of respondents know other high-frequency diseases (diabetes, stroke, asthma). The factors most associated with knowledge of COPD were female gender, having secondary/university studies, and having previously performed spirometry., Conclusions: The knowledge of COPD in the Galician population is 40% now, higher than in 2011, but it is far from that of other prevalent diseases., (© 2021 Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR). Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

There is little information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality trends, age of death, or male:female ratio. This study therefore sought to analyze time trends in mortality with COPD recorded as the underlying cause of death from 1980 through 2017, and with COPD recorded other than as the underlying cause of death. We conducted an analysis of COPD deaths in Galicia (Spain) from 1980 through 2017, including those in which COPD was recorded other than as the underlying cause of death from 2015 through 2017. We calculated the crude and standardized rates, and analyzed mortality trends using joinpoint regression models. There were 43,234 COPD deaths, with a male:female ratio of 2.4. Median age of death was 82 years. A change point in the mortality trend was detected in 1996 with a significant decrease across the sexes, reflected by an annual percentage change of -3.8%. Taking deaths into account in which COPD participated or contributed without being the underlying cause led to an overall 42% increase in the mortality burden. The most frequent causes of death when COPD was not considered to be the underlying cause were bronchopulmonary neoplasms and cardiovascular diseases. COPD mortality has decreased steadily across the sexes in Galicia since 1996, and age of death has also gradually increased. Multiple-cause death analysis may help prevent the underestimation of COPD mortality.

Objective: Although the importance of assessing inspiratory flow in the selection of treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is understood, evaluation of this factor is not yet widespread or standardized. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the peak inspiratory flow (PIF) of patients with COPD and to explore the variables associated with a suboptimal PIF., Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out at specialized nursing consultations over a period of 6 months. We collected clinical data as well as data on symptoms, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction with their inhalers via questionnaires. PIF was determined using the In-Check Dial G16 ® device (Clement Clarke International, Ltd., Harlow, UK). In each case, the PIF was considered suboptimal when it was off-target for any of the prescribed inhalers. The association with suboptimal PIF was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression and the results were expressed as the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: A total of 122 COPD patients were included in this study, of whom 34 (27.9%) had suboptimal PIF. A total of 229 inhalers were tested, of which 186 (81.2%) were dry powder devices. The multivariate analysis found an association between suboptimal PIF and age (OR = 1.072; 95% CI (1.019, 1.128); p = 0.007) and forced vital capacity (OR = 0.961; 95% CI (0.933, 0.989); p = 0.006)., Conclusions: About a third of patients in complex specialized COPD care have suboptimal PIFs, which is related to age and forced vital capacity.

Introduction: Scant evidence is available on whether dependency for basic (BADL) or instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living can be predictors of mortality after severe COPD exacerbation (COPDE). In addition, it is as yet unclear whether the inclusion of this parameter in a multidimensional score can improve the prediction of mortality., Methodology: Prospective cohort study, with follow-up of patients discharged after COPDE and multivariate analysis of clinical-demographic and dependency variables (Barthel and Lawton and Brody indices) as predictors of mortality. Three scores were generated (including or not including dependency for BADL and IADL) that were compared with each other and with other commonly used multidimensional indices (BODEx, ADO, DOSE, CODEx)., Results: In total, 247 patients were included, 112 (45%, 3); and 195 (72.4%) had some dependency for BADL and IADL. Survival was 631.7 (258.8) days, 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 60-912 days. Fifty-four (21.9%, 95% CI 17-27) patients died. Age> 60 years, FEV1 <50% and Charlson score ≥ 3 were independent predictors in the 3 models generated. Dependency for BADL and IADL were predictors in each of the models in which they were included. The score that included the dependency for BADL presented the best predictive capacity (area under the curve 0.818, 95% CI 0.757-0.879). Stratification into tertiles differentiated groups with a higher risk of death from the beginning of the follow-up (P<.01)., Conclusions: Dependence for activities of daily living, especially the most elementary ones, is an independent predictor of mortality after a severe COPDE that is comparable to clinical variables. Its inclusion in multidimensional scores clearly improves predictive capacity., (Copyright © 2019 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive ability of multiple social, and clinical factors for readmission after a severe acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) during various time periods., Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study in which recruited patients with AECOPD. We systematically collected numerous clinical (symptoms, pulmonary function, comorbidities, and treatment) and social (financial situation, housing situation, family support, caregiver overload, ability to perform activities, and risk of social exclusion) variables using several questionnaires and indices. The patients were followed closely for one year and readmissions at 30, 60, and 365 days were analysed., Results: 253 patients were included, aged 68.9±9.8years, FEV1 = 42.1%±14.2%, and a Charlson's index = 1.8±0.9. Of these patients, 20.2%, 39.6%, and 63.7% were readmitted within the first 30, 90, and 365 days after discharge, respectively. In the multivariate model applied, the variables that were independently associated with readmission over all three periods of the analysis were dependence to perform basic activities of daily living (BADLs) (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10-4.10) and a history of two or more admissions within the previous year (OR = 2.78-3.78). At 90 days, a history of bacterial isolates in a previous sputum culture (OR = 2.39) and at 365 days, a high grade of dyspnoea (OR = 2.51) and obesity (OR = 2.38) were also identified as predictors of hospital readmission., Conclusions: The patients' limitation to perform BADLs and their history of admissions for AECOPD were the best predictive variables for the likelihood of readmission when adjusted for many other social and clinical variables, regardless of the time period considered for such prediction., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Objective: To describe and compare from a gender perspective the social profile of patients admitted to a respiratory unit for COPD exacerbations (COPDE)., Methodology: A cross-sectional study in patients with serious COPDE in which demographic, clinical, and social data (economic situation, care, dependency for basic and instrumental activities, social risk, caregiver overload, use of social services) were collected using questionnaires and indices such as Barthel, Lawton-Brody, Zarit, Barber, and Gijón. A descriptive analysis was made of patients' social and healthcare situation, compared on the basis of gender., Results: We included 253 patients, aged 68.9±9.8years, 58 (23%) women, FEV1 42.1±14.2%, and Charlson index 1.8±0.9; 37.9% were active smokers. In total, 55.2% had an income of less than €800/month, 46.2% had some dependency for basic activities, and 89.3% for instrumental activities, 89% presented social fragility, while 64% were in a situation of social problem/risk; 49% had a caregiver, 83% in a non-formal arrangement, 90.9% of whom were women, with some overload reported by 69.2%. A total of 21.4% lived alone, and 22.9% had contacted social services. Women with COPDE are younger, smoke more actively, and have fewer comorbidities. They have more scant economic resources and assistance and are in a poorer socio-familiar situation, but they are less dependent for some activities., Conclusions: The social profile of patients with serious COPDE admitted to respiratory units is very unfavorable, especially among women. These inequalities appear to go beyond differences in the expression of COPD, and are associated with gender., (Copyright © 2019 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Although not currently recommended, spirometry during hospitalization due to exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an opportunity to enhance the diagnosis of this disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the usefulness and reliability of spirometry before hospital discharge, comparing it to measurements obtained during clinical stability., Methods: This prospective longitudinal observational study compares spirometry results before and 8 weeks after discharge in consecutive patients admitted for COPD exacerbation. Concordance between results was assessed by the Kappa index, intraclass correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman graphs., Results: From an initial population of 179 COPD patients, 100 completed the study (mean age 67.8 years, 83% men, 35% active smokers, FEV1 at clinical stability 40.3%). Forty-nine patients could not complete the study because they did not reach clinical stability. In three patients with obstructive spirometry during admission, the results were normal at follow-up. In the remaining patients, the COPD diagnosis was confirmed at stability with acceptable concordance. In 27 cases, spirometry improved more than 200 mL.No variables were found to be associated with this improvement or to explain it., Conclusions: This study provides information on the role of spirometry prior to hospital discharge in patients admitted for COPD exacerbation, demonstrating that it is a valid and reproducible method, representing an opportunity toimprove COPD diagnosis.

Background : COPD is a chronic disease traditionally associated with increased symptoms as lung function deteriorates. Follow-up times in previous cohort studies were limited to a few years. Interestingly, newer longer observational studies show a more comprehensive picture on disease progression over time. Therefore, the question on the relevancy of the follow-up time in cohort studies remains open. Methods : The ON-SINT study is an observational, retrospective, nationwide, real-life cohort study, in which patients diagnosed with COPD were recruited between December 2011 and April 2013 by primary care (PC) and secondary care (SC) physicians. Patients were evaluated at the inclusion visit and at the initial visit when the diagnosis of COPD was first established. Distribution of lung function decline over the years was studied comparing those cases with longer follow-up times, with the median of the distribution as the cutoff point. Results : The sample included 1214 patients of which 857 (70.6%) were recruited by PC and 357 (29.4%) by SC physicians. Median follow-up time was 6.26 years. Mean annual change in the complete cohort were -4.5 (222) ml year -1 for FVC and 5.5 (134) ml year -1 for FEV 1 . We confirm the variable distribution of FEV 1 decline and found that longer follow-up periods reduce this variability. Of note, FEV 1 decline was different between groups (shorter: 19.7 [180.4] vs longer: -9.7 [46.9]; p  = 0.018). Further, our data revealed differences in the clinical presentation according to follow-up times, with special emphasis on dyspnea (OR: 1.035; 95%CI: 1.014-1.056), exacerbations (OR 1.172; 95%CI 1.045-1.315) and CAT scores (OR 1.047; 95%CI 1.019-1.075) being associated with longer follow-up times. Conclusions : This study describes the impact of follow-up periods on lung function variability, and reveals differences in clinical presentation according to follow-up times, with special emphasis on dyspnea, exacerbations and CAT scores., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Introduction: Despite widespread recommendations to use standardized questionnaires and multidimensional indices for the assessment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), few data are available on the application of these tools in clinical practice. This study evaluates the attitude of physicians participating in the On-Sint cohort toward the use of health status questionnaires and multidimensional indices, as well as toward the frequency of visits and spirometry in primary care and specialized care., Methods: During the constitution of the On-Sint cohort, the participating physicians were surveyed about their clinical practice. They were questioned on the frequency of spirometry and visits and on the use of various questionnaires and indices. The health status questionnaires assessed were St. George's respiratory questionnaire, chronic respiratory questionnaire, airways questionnaire 20 and COPD assessment test (CAT). Physicians were also asked about the use of the medical research council (MRC) dyspnea scale and multidimensional indices such as body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, exercise capacity (BODE)., Results: Of the 356 physicians who participated in the study, 258 (72.5 %) completed the investigator's questionnaire (185 primary care, 73 specialized care). Nonscheduled visits were inversely proportional to the severity of COPD. Overall, 34.1% reported using health status questionnaires, mainly CAT (20.9%). We found differences between primary and specialized care in the use of multidimensional indices (84.9% vs 47.6%; P < 0.001). Of all the participants, 33.3% reported using the MRC scale and 28.7% the BODE index., Conclusions: Multidimensional indices and questionnaires are not commonly used with some differences between primary care and specialized care physicians. There is a considerable variability in the frequency of follow-up visits and spirometry., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Although tobacco smoke is the main risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other inhaled toxics have also been associated with the disease. The present study analyzes data from exposure to these substances in a cohort of patients with COPD and assesses their impact on the clinical presentation of the disease., Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of the Clinical presentation, diagnosis and course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (On-Sint) study. All patients were smokers or ex-smokers as per protocol. In addition, during the inclusion visit patients were enquired about their occupational and biomass exposure history. The clinical features of patients with and without an added risk factor to tobacco were compared and those significant were entered in a multivariate logistic regression analysis, expressed as odds ratio (OR)., Results: The sample size was 1214 patients with COPD, of which 1012 (83.4%) had tobacco as the only risk factor and 202 (16.6%) had additional ones, mainly 174 (14.3%) with occupational gases and 32 (2.6%) with biomass exposure. The geographical distribution of this exposure showed a preference for the northern parts of the country and the East coast. The biomass exposure was rather low. Male gender (OR: 2.180), CAT score (OR: 1.036) and the use of long-term oxygen therapy (OR: 1.642) were associated with having an additional risk factor in the multivariate analysis., Conclusions: Occupational exposures are more common than biomass in Spain. COPD caused by tobacco plus other inhalants has some differential features and a more impaired quality of life., (Copyright © 2016 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: The underdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be improved through screening using portable devices simpler than conventional spirometers in specific healthcare settings to reach a higher percentage of the at-risk population. This study was designed to assess the validity and reliability of the COPD-6 portable device to screen for COPD in non-specialized healthcare settings., Methods: Prospective cohort study to validate a diagnostic test. Three cohorts were recruited: primary care (PC), emergency services (ES) and community pharmacies (CPh)., Study Population: individuals with risk factors for COPD (>40 years, smoking >10 pack-years, with respiratory symptoms). The values measured using the COPD-6 were FEV1, FEV6 and the FEV1/FEV6 ratio. Subsequently, participants underwent conventional spirometry at hospital, using a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC value <0.7 as the gold standard criterion for the COPD diagnosis., Results: 437 participants were included, 362 were valid for the analysis. COPD was diagnosed in 114 patients (31.5%). The area under the ROC curve for the COPD-6 for COPD screening was 0.8.The best cut-off point for the FEV1/FEV6 ratio was 0.8 (sensitivity, 92.1%) using spirometry with the bronchodilator test as the gold standard. There were practically no differences in the COPD-6 performance in the different settings and also regarding age, gender and smoking status., Conclusions: The COPD-6 device is a valid tool for COPD screening in non-specialized healthcare settings. In this context, the best cut-off point for the FEV1/FEV6 ratio is 0.8.

Introduction: Important clinical and epidemiological changes have been observed in lung cancer (LC) in our healthcare area compared to the previous decade. In the last 10 years, specific LC care circuits have been implemented and the active search for cases has been stepped up. The aim of this study was to analyze the progress of these changes over the last 20 years., Methods: This is a retrospective study comparing clinical and epidemiological changes between 2 historical cohorts of LC patients (1992-1994 [group 1, 164 patients] and 2004-2006 [group 2, 250 patients]) and a current group from the period 2011-2012 (group 3, 209 patients), Results: Two hundred and nine (209) LC patients were included in group 3 (2011-2012 period). After comparing groups 3 and 2, a non-significant rise in smoking was observed in women (59% vs 41%, p=.25), while the prevalence of adenocarcinoma was unchanged (45% vs 44%, p=.9). The main changes observed were the increase in cases with previous malignancies (23% vs 16%, p=.04), the rise in patients with no associated LC symptoms (33% vs 16%, p<.001), and an increased number of localized NSCLC (non-small cell LC) diagnoses (42% vs 24% in series 2, p<.001 and 14.2% in series 1, p<.001)., Conclusions: The number of LC patients diagnosed in localized stages has increased significantly. Furthermore, the number of patients with no symptoms associated with LC and with a history of previous malignancy were significantly increased., (Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Despite the importance of spirometry, its use and quality are limited in the Primary Care setting. There are few accredited training programs that have demonstrated improvement in the quality of spirometric studies. In this paper, we analyze the short- and long-term effectiveness of a supervised training program for performing and interpreting spirometries., Methodology: Ours is an intervention study with before and after measurements. The target population included teams of physicians and nursing staff at 26 health-care centers in the area of Vigo (Galicia, Spain). The structured training program involved 2 theoretical and practical training sessions (that were 2months apart), an intermediate period of 30 supervised spirometries performed in the respective centers and weekly e-mail exercises. Effectiveness was evaluated using exercises at the beginning (test 1) and the end (test 2) of the 1st day, 2nd day (test 3) and one year later (test 4), as well as the analysis of spirometries done in month1, month2 and one year later. Participants also completed a survey about their satisfaction., Results: 74 participants initiated the program; 72 completed the program, but only 45 participated in the one-year evaluation. Mean test scores were: 4.1±1.9 on test 1; 7.5±1.6 on test 2; 8.9±1.3 on test 3, and 8.8±1.4 on test 4. During month1, the percentage of correctly done/interpreted tests was 71%, in month two it was 91% and after one year it was 83% (P<.05)., Conclusions: A training program based on theoretical and practical workshops and a supervised follow-up of spirometries significantly improved the ability of Primary Care professionals to carry out and interpret spirometric testing, although the quality of the tests diminished over time., (Copyright © 2012 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the most frequent causes of malignant pleural effusions (MPE). The presence of MPE bears a poor prognosis. Although epigenetic changes are commonly related to human neoplasia, scarce date is available on patients with MPE. We aimed to estimate the prognostic value of DNA methylation of tumor suppressor genes from pleural fluid. Thirty patients with MPE due to lung adenocarcinoma were prospectively included. Methylation-specific (MS) PCR was used to study the methylation status of the promoter region of tumor suppressor genes p16/INK4a, MGMT, BRCA1 and RARβ in pleural fluid. Clinical data and survival were collected. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox regression. Hypermethylation in at least one gene was detected in 25 patients (83.3%). On multivariate analysis factors significantly associated with shorter survival were the lack of hypermethylation in any of the studied genes (hazard ratio = 9.3; p = 0.001), Charlson index ≥ 3 (hazard ratio = 9.6, p = 0.002) and no oncological treatment (hazard ratio = 11.1; p < 0.001). Analysis of aberrant promoter hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes may be useful in predicting prognosis, but further studies are needed to validate our findings.