GOLD Strategy Update 2023: Rationale and Clinical Implications in Indian Perspective

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is a major contributor to global disease burden with a huge socioeconomic impact. Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) strategy update 2023 is a step forward in the direction of evidence-based practice. Key topics like taxonomic classification, ABE grouping, single inhaler triple therapy, correct use of inhalers, etc. would have a positive impact on documentation and prescription practices in COPD management. The tobacco consumption habits are peculiar in India. There is a variation in prevalence estimates across diverse cultures. Non-smoking risk factors are important in Indian subcontinent especially in female and younger populations. We discuss the rationale of latest GOLD strategy update, its implications, and challenges in the management of COPD in Indian context.

Dyspnea, Obstruction, Smoking, Exacerbation Index, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Test Score: Correlation in Predicting Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being a disease with systemic consequences necessitate the use of multidimensional indices for a comprehensive assessment of the disease's impact including the future risk of exacerbations and mortality. To study the role of dyspnea, obstruction, smoking, and exacerbation (DOSE) index as a predictor of future disease severity and its correlation with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease test (CAT) score. Measurements and results: A total of 60 inpatients with COPD exacerbations were followed up for 6 months to record the number of exacerbations of COPD. The DOSE index and CAT score were calculated after stabilization within 48 hours of admission, at 1 week, and again at 6 months. The mean difference between DOSE index score at admission and at 1 week was 1.382 � 0.561 and at admission and at 6 months was 2.15 � 0.988, both being statistically significant (p < 0.001). A high DOSE index score (?4) was associated with a greater risk of 2 or more exacerbations [odds ratio (OR), 12 (3.09�.60) and risk estimate, 3.75 (1.53�17)]. For the prediction of exacerbations, the area under the curve (AUC) was larger for the DOSE index (0.854) than the global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) stage (0.789), p < 0.001 for both. Furthermore, DOSE index correlated significantly with the CAT score, an established health status measure, at all stages of disease severity; at the onset of exacerbation (r = 0.719, p < 0.001), after stabilization at 1 week (r = 0.736, p < 0.001) and at 6 months (r = 0.884, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The DOSE index is a simple, practical multidimensional grading tool for assessing current symptoms, health status, and future risk in COPD and acts as a guide to disease management as its component items can be modified by interventions. Its correlation with CAT, a well-known score is a novel observation, which further corroborates the validity of the DOSE index.

Evaluation of severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using bronchial obstruction, dyspnea, exercise index and global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease classification and it’s correlation with physical quality of life measured by St. George’s respiratory disease questionnaire score

Background: The Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria classified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by severity into four stages. Recently, Body mass index (BMI), Bronchial Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise (BODE) index, was proposed to provide useful prognostic information of COPD patients. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is measured by St. George’s Respiratory disease Questionnaire (SGRQ). Study was undertaken to assess correlations between BODE index and GOLD classification with SGRQ score.Methods: Fifty five COPD patients were included. Spirometry was performed in all patients. Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale was used to label severity of dyspnea. Six-minute walking distance (6 MWD) was performed. BODE index was calculated by giving points to BMI, forced expiratory volume in one minute (FEV1), 6 MWD, and mMRC. SGRQ was used to determine HRQOL. Correlation analysis was done using Pearson’s method.Results: Mean symptoms, mean activity, mean impacts and mean total SGRQ score were significantly higher in patients having mMRC scale 0-1, patients who could walk ?149 meters, and in patients who had GOLD III and IV class. Lesser the FEV1, higher the mMRC grade, and lesser the 6 MWD, worse was the quality of life. BODE index (r = 0.72) and GOLD classification (r =0.59) were significantly and positively correlated with symptoms score, activity score, impacts score and total SGRQ score.Conclusions: BODE index correlated better than the Gold classification with SGRQ score implying that apart from the airflow limitation, functional impairment measured by the 6MWT and mMRC also affect HRQOL.

Correlation of spirometry and six minute walk test in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from Sundargarh, Odisha, India

Background: Six‑Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a simple, objective, reproducible test which correlated well with different spirometric indices, and thus able to predict severity of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and can replace spirometry in resource poor set‑up. Here, author evaluated the correlation of 6 minute walk distance (6MWD) with spirometric indices in COPD patients and the potential of 6MWT as an alternative to the assessment of severity of COPD.Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included a total of 80 COPD patients, diagnosed by GOLD criteria (Post bronchodilator FEV1/ FVC ratio <0.7). Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) grading was used (age, weight, height, body mass index- BMI and breathlessness) and all the patients underwent spirometric measurement of FEV1, FVC and FEV1/ FVC ratio and tests were repeated after bronchodilation using 200-400 μg of salbutamol. 6MWT was performed following American Thoracic Society (ATS) protocol of 6MWT and distance was measured in meters.Results: Author found significant negative correlation of 6MWT with age (r=-0.384, p=0.00) and mMRC grading of dyspnea (r=-0.559, p=0.00) and significant positive correlation with height (r=0.267, p=0.019) and weight (r=0.293, p=0.008). Significant positive correlation of 6MWD was noted with post bronchodilator FEV1(r=0.608, p=0.00), FEV1% (r=0.429, p=0.00), FVC (r=0.514 p=0.00), FVC% (r=0.313 p=0.005), FEV1/FVC % (r=0.336, p=0.001). Positive correlation was also observed between 6MWT and BMI but statistically insignificant (r=0.177, p=0.116). There was significant negative correlation between 6MWT and GOLD staging (r=-0.536, p=0.00).Conclusions: This finding concludes that 6MWT can be used for the assessment of severity of disease in COPD patients in places where spirometry is not available.

Symptomatic and asymptomatic smokers without airflow obstruction: a new clinical entity?

Abstract Non-obstructed ever-smokers, with or without symptoms, have generated a great deal of information recently, but few reviews. Even individuals with normal spirometry can present changes in sputum with inflammatory biomarkers (cellular and molecular) and airways and parenchyma with remodeling; when symptomatic (cough, sputum, wheezing, and dyspnea) exacerbations are frequent affecting the individuals’ quality of life, there is an increased use of health resources: more medication, emergency visits, and hospital admissions. Non-obstructed smokers may have exercise limitations, increased lung volumes, low diffusion capacity, air entrapment, peripheral airways obstruction, elevated airways resistance, and abnormal multiple breath nitrogen washout, as well as abnormalities in computed tomography studies, such as airway wall thickening, emphysema, or interstitial lung abnormalities. Quitting smoking comprises a first, inexpensive, and often abandoned intervention to arrest respiratory impairment. It is controversial whether or not this population should be treated with other medications. Further studies should be conducted to elucidate the consequences of follow-up and prognosis in this clinical entity.

Usefulness of COPD Assessment Test as valuable predictor of depression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 동물의과학연구지

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with multiple comorbidities, including depression, which carries a higher risk of exacerbation and hospitalization in patients with stable COPD. A newly developed questionnaire, the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), was developed as an alternative to other complex, time-consuming tools for quantifying the symptom burden of COPD in routine practice. It is possible that the correlation between the CAT and depression scales could be useful for early evaluation and management of depression in COPD patients. Thus, we investigated the relationship between the CAT and depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaires-9 (PHQ- 9). We performed a retrospective observational COPD cohort study. A total of 97 patients were enrolled. The Korean versions of the CAT and PHQ-9 were completed for stable patients. A correlation analysis was performed between the PHQ-9 and CAT scores. Significant depression among the groups based on the 2011 GOLD guidelines occurred only in class Gold B and D patients (40% and 60%, respectively). The frequency of depression was significantly higher in the group with higher CAT scores (20~29 versus > or =30; odds ratio: 5.67 versus 22.66). Significant association was observed between the PHQ-9 and CAT scores (r=0.545 and P<0.001). As a result, the PHQ-9 score was significantly higher in COPD patients with a higher CAT score. The CAT is a simple and valuable predictor of depression in COPD patients, and it should be frequently used to detect COPD patients with depression in clinical practice.

La EPOC: concepto de los usuarios y médicos tratantes respecto al manejo y plan de atención / COPD: Concept of the Outpatients and Theirs Physicians in Relation with the Handling and Attention

Objetivo. Analizar el concepto del usuario con EPOC y de los médicos en un hospital público de Bogotá respecto a educación, tratamiento farmacológico y no farmacológico, de acuerdo con la GOLD. Método. Estudio descriptivo cualitativo, exploratorio, desarrollado mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas a 8 médicos y 61 pacientes de consulta externa. Resultados. El 72% de los pacientes no ha recibido explicación acerca del tratamiento, recomendaciones de manejo, ni ha sido interrogado sobre aspectos personales, sociales, o nutricionales. El 70% manifiesta dificultades para acceder a citas médicas y obtener medicamentos. El 90% de los médicos conoce la GOLD; refieren que el tiempo, el volumen de consulta, la disponibilidad de recursos institucionales, el bajo nivel sociocultural, económico y de compromiso de los pacientes dificulta su aplicación. Conclusiones. Existen desventajas en la atención del paciente, ya sea por escasez de recursos, infraestructura, ausencia de programas de prevención, promoción y educación, características del Sistema de Seguridad Social, personales y del entorno.

Purpose. To analyze the concept of the outpatients with COPD and theirs physicians in a public hospital of Bogota, in relation to educational, pharmacological and non pharmacological treatment, according to GOLD. Method. Qualitative descriptive study, exploratory type, developed through semi structured interviews for eight (8) physicians and sixty one (61) outpatients with COPD. Results. Patients agree with the short explanation of the physician or health profesionals about the treatment they are receiving, the recommendations for the handling of their disease and the absence of questions about their personal, social, mental or nutritional life. The patients refer that medical treatment focuses in the present symptoms. On the other hand, 90% of the doctors manifest to know the standards of the GOLD, but the time, volume of consultation and availability of institutional resources, as well as the low social, cultural and economic level of the affected population and its commitment, makes difficult its application. Conclusions. The study shows disadvantages in the patient's attention either by the shortage of resources, the small infrastructure, lack of prevention and promotion actions, or the characteristics of the Public Health System, as well as diminished accessibility to pulmonary rehabilitation programs. The development of educative activities is very limited in the provided plan of attention, there is no control of factors that influence in the health state of these people, and there are no actions that treat favorably the participation of social, productive and governmental actors that benefit the attention of these patients.