An intervention combining transitional care and self-management support after hospital discharge reduces the number of subsequent hospital visits and improves health-related quality of life among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, trial findings indicate.
The addition of low-dose theophylline to inhaled corticosteroids does not reduce the risk of exacerbations among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, findings from the TWICS trial indicate.
Researchers have found a link between increased airway and systemic inflammation and frequent exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Researchers say that using the lower limit of normal of the forced expiration volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio improves risk stratification in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing thoracic surgery.
Neither the 2007 nor the 2011 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease classification systems have sufficient prognostic accuracy to predict mortality, a pooled analysis of individual patient data shows.
Researchers say that pulmonary rehabilitation programmes for patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should include sleep assessment.
Exhaled carbon monoxide testing in primary care has no effect on patient acceptance of screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, research shows.