Management Of Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Articles

Uncontrolled and under-diagnosed asthma in a Damascus shelter during the Syrian crisis.

Studies have shown that poor shelter or dwelling conditions may lead to deteriorations in health. Those with asthma may be more susceptible to compromised living conditions and stress leading to a higher risk of asthma exacerbations. To describe the asthma control and quality of life of individuals with diagnosed asthma living in a shelter in Damascus, Syria and estimate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in shelter dwellers without diagnosed asthma. In this cross-sectional study, all individuals 5 years and older living in Al-Herjalleh shelter with diagnosed asthma were recruited to complete a questionnaire, which included items related to their respiratory symptoms, asthma exacerbations, exposure to asthma triggers, medication use, and health-related quality of life before and since entering the shelter. A representative sample of shelter dwellers without diagnosed asthma also completed a questionnaire to establish their demographics, respiratory symptoms, environment and chronic disease co-morbidities, in order to identify factors associated with under-diagnosed asthma. All participants underwent spirometry to measure their lung function. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and chi-square tests and Student's t-tests were used to compare individuals with asthma before and since entering the shelter, as well as to compare those with under-diagnosed asthma and individuals without asthma. The prevalence of asthma at the Al-Herjalleh shelter in those aged 5 years and older was approximately 8.5%. Nearly 70% of the asthma group felt their asthma had worsened since entering the shelter, and there was a significant drop in the proportion of individuals using inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), with only 4.3% using daily ICS in the shelter (P<0.0001). The proportion of individuals experiencing a severe asthma attack did not change after entering the shelter (P=0.97), but almost all individuals with asthma (94.4%) reported worsening in their health-related quality of life. In the non-asthma group, 44.2% of participants reported episodes of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness at night, consistent with under-diagnosed asthma. A higher proportion of those with under-diagnosed asthma had allergic rhinitis (57.1%), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (35.1%), and abnormal spirometry (60.0%), compared to those without asthma. The findings of our study highlight the need for asthma programs in Syrian shelters as significant gaps exist in both the screening and management of chronic respiratory diseases to minimize asthma deterioration in Syrian shelter dwellers.

Telehealth pulmonary rehabilitation: A review of the literature and an example of a nationwide initiative to improve the accessibility of pulmonary rehabilitation.

Several different applications of telehealth technologies have been used in the care of respiratory patients, including telemonitoring, teleconsultations, tele-education, and telehealth-pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Telehealth technology provides an opportunity to assist in the management of chronic respiratory diseases and improve access to PR programs. While there is inconclusive evidence as to the effectiveness of telemonitoring to reduce healthcare utilization and detection of exacerbations, teleconsultations have been shown to be an effective means to assess patients’ disease prior to the initiation of PR, and telehealth PR has been shown to be as effective as institution-based PR at improving functional exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. To improve PR access across Canada and ensure a high standard of program quality, a team of clinicians and researchers has developed and begun to implement a national standardized PR program that can be delivered across different settings of practice, including remote satellite sites via telehealth PR. The program has adapted the “Living Well with COPD” self-management program and includes standardized reference guides and resources for patients and practitioners. A progressive and iterative process will evaluate the success of program implementation and outcomes. This initiative will address nationwide accessibility challenges and provide PR content as well as evaluations that are in accordance with clinical standards and established self-management practices.

Chinese expert consensus for non-antiinfective effects and clinical use of macrolides

Important/potential value of macrolides has been proved in the management of chronic respiratory diseases by increasing basic and clinical trials.Through three face-to-face discussions, 10 experts examined important data and drafted this consensus related to macrolides: (1) mechanism of non-antiinfective effects; (2) clinical use in chronic respiratory diseases; (3) cautions of long-term use.The mechanism out of non-antiinfective effects includes anti-inflammatory effect, modifying airway secretion, immune-regulation related to antibacterial effect, corticoid saving effect and anti-viral effect.The efficacy of long-term use of low-dose macrolides is definitely confirmed in diffuse panbronchiolitis, chronic rhinosinusitis. It is considerably used in bronchiectasia, cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Further studies should be conducted in cryptogenic organizing pneumonia and respiratory viral infection. It should be paid attention to its possible adverse effects (including drug interactions, cardiac toxicity, ototoxicity and disturbance of intestinal flora) and drug resistance in long-term use.A Chinese consensus for non-antiinfective effects and clinical use of macrolides is developed for the first time, which aims to expand their rational use and the further research.

Chronic airflow obstruction after successful treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Cross-sectional studies reveal an association between tuberculosis (TB) and chronic airflow obstruction, but cannot adequately address confounding. We hypothesised that treated pulmonary TB is an independent risk factor for chronic airflow obstruction.The Pulmones Post TB cohort study enrolled participants from Lima, Peru, aged 10–70 years with a history of drug-susceptible (DS)- or multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB who had completed treatment and were clinically cured. Unexposed participants without TB were randomly selected from the same districts. We assessed respiratory symptoms, relevant environmental exposures, and spirometric lung function pre- and post-bronchodilator.In total, 144 participants with DS-TB, 33 with MDR-TB and 161 unexposed participants were fully evaluated. Compared with unexposed participants, MDR-TB patients had lower lung volumes (adjusted mean difference in forced vital capacity −370 mL, 95% CI −644– −97) and post-bronchodilator airflow obstruction (adjusted OR 4.89, 95% CI 1.27–18.78). Participants who had recovered from DS-TB did not have lower lung volumes than unexposed participants, but were more likely to have a reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ratio <0.70 (adjusted OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.01–6.03).Individuals successfully treated for TB may experience long-lasting sequelae. Interventions facilitating earlier TB treatment and management of chronic respiratory disease should be explored.

How to unveil chronic respiratory diseases in clinical practice? A model of alliance between general practitioners and pulmonologists

IntroductionAsthma and COPD are under-diagnosed and undertreated in adult populations, mainly due to the discrepancy between guideline recommendations and clinicians' practices. One of the reasons of this discrepancy is the difficulty encountered in real life in sharing the management of chronic respiratory diseases between general practitioners (GPs) and respiratory physicians. MethodsAn explorative, population-based investigation was performed to test whether, and to what extent, an active collaboration between GPs and pulmonologists increases the diagnosis and proper treatment of chronic obstructive airway diseases. The "COPD action" involved an in-house intervention by pulmonologists who trained GPs on how to diagnose the disease and interpret the spirometry, yielding a final agreed diagnosis. ResultsA total of 210 subjects (M/F: 156/54; age: 62.5 ± 13.8, mean ± SD) were consecutively invited by 20 GPs and classified in a) healthy, b) symptomatic with no airway obstruction, and 3) affected by chronic respiratory diseases. 11% of previously defined "healthy" subjects were diagnosed with COPD, and symptomatic subjects were diagnosed with asthma (20%) or COPD (23%). In addition, in those who already carried a diagnosis of chronic respiratory diseases as judged by GPs, the diagnosis of COPD decreased significantly after respiratory specialist intervention (p = 0.001), in favor of asthma and chronic bronchitis. Furthermore, following the clinical and lung function assessments performed by the respiratory physicians, changes in inhaled treatments were statistically significant for each therapeutic category (test-retest reliability: r = 0.42; p < 0.001). ConclusionIn conclusion, the collaboration between GPs and pulmonologists based on a pro-active approach to the individuals attending the primary care offices followed by an in-house intervention by specialists may largely improve the diagnosis and management of chronic respiratory diseases.

Yellow Nail Syndrome - a Case Report

Abstract Yellow nail syndrome is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is clinically characterized by a triad of yellow nails, lymphedema at one or more sites, and chronic respiratory disease (bronchitis, bronchiectasis and rhinosinusitis). All nails may be affected, but some may be spared. The nail plates are yellowish green, thickened, occasionally with transverse ridging and onycholysis, with increased longitudinal and transversal over-curvature, with partial or complete separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, without lunula and cuticle and slow nail growth rate. The lymphedema is usually peripheral, affecting the lower limbs, or in the form of pleural effusion. This is a case report of a 47-year-old female patient who presented with nail changes at the age of 40; two years later the patient developed lymphedema of the lower limbs, and a year later a chronic respiratory disease. The affected nails were yellow to yellow-gray, with thickened nail plates separated from the nail bed, ingrown in the perionychium, without lunula. At the same time, additional examinations revealed the following associated conditions: edema of talocrural joints in both legs, chronic obstructive bronchitis, bronchial asthma, chronic rhinitis with bilateral nasal polyposis, labile arterial hypertension. Apart from the management of chronic respiratory disease, oral vitamin E capsules (200 mg 3 times a day) and topical vitamin E solution were administered over 15 months. The nails began to grow, and the newly grown nails were of normal pigmentation. In conclusion, we present a case of an adult female patient with yellow nail syndrome, and a recognized association of peripheral edema and chronic pulmonary disease. The patient had a typical clinical picture, all the nails were affected, but showed a favorable response to systemic and topical vitamin E therapy.

A workshop on asthma management programs and centers in Brazil: reviewing and explaining concepts.

Objective: To report the results of a workshop regarding asthma management programs and centers (AMPCs) in Brazil, so that they can be used as a tool for the improvement and advancement of current and future AMPCs. Methods: The workshop consisted of five presentations and the corresponding group discussions. The working groups discussed the following themes: implementation of asthma management strategies; human resources needed for AMPCs; financial resources needed for AMPCs; and operational maintenance of AMPCs. Results: The workshop involved 39 participants, from all regions of the country, representing associations of asthma patients (n = 3), universities (n = 7), and AMPCs (n = 29). We found a direct relationship between a lack of planning and the failure of AMPCs. Based on the experiences reported during the workshop, the common assumptions about AMPCs in Brazil were the importance of raising awareness of managers; greater community participation; interdependence between primary care and specialized care; awareness of regionalization; and use of medications available in the public health system. Conclusions: Brazil already has a core of experience in the area of asthma management programs. The implementation of strategies for the management of chronic respiratory disease and their incorporation into health care system protocols would seem to be a natural progression. However, there is minimal experience in this area. Joint efforts by individuals with expertise in AMPCs could promote the implementation of asthma management strategies, thus speeding the creation of treatment networks, which might have a multiplier effect, precluding the need for isolated centers to start from zero.

The AIMAR recommendations for early diagnosis of chronic obstructive respiratory disease based on the WHO/GARD model*.

Respiratory diseases in Italy already now represent an emergency (they are the 3rd ranking cause of death in the world, and the 2nd if Lung cancer is included). In countries similar to our own, they result as the principal cause for a visit to the general practitioner (GP) and the second main cause after injury for recourse to Emergency Care. Their frequency is probably higher than estimated (given that respiratory diseases are currently underdiagnosed). The trend is towards a further increase due to epidemiologic and demographic factors (foremost amongst which are the widespread diffusion of cigarette smoking, the increasing mean age of the general population, immigration, and pollution). Within the more general problem of chronic disease care, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) constitute one of the four national priorities in that they represent an important burden for society in terms of mortality, invalidity, and direct healthcare costs. The strategy suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) is an integrated approach consisting of three goals: inform about health, reduce risk exposure, improve patient care. The three goals are translated into practice in the three areas of prevention (1-primary, 2-secondary, 3-tertiary) as: 1) actions of primary (universal) prevention targeted at the general population with the aim to control the causes of disease, and actions of Predictive Medicine - again addressing the general population but aimed at measuring the individual’s risk for disease insurgence; 2) actions of early diagnosis targeted at groups or - more precisely - subgroups identified as at risk; 3) continuous improvement and integration of care and rehabilitation support - destined at the greatest possible number of patients, at all stages of disease severity. In Italy, COPD care is generally still inadequate. Existing guidelines, institutional and non-institutional, are inadequately implemented: the international guidelines are not always adaptable to the Italian context; the document of the Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (AGE.NA.S) is a more suited compendium for consultation, and the recent joint statement on integrated COPD management of the three major Italian scientific Associations in the respiratory area together with the contribution of a Society of General Medicine deals prevalently with some critical issues (appropriateness of diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, rehabilitation, continuing care); also the document “Care Continuity: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)” of the Global Alliance against chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)-Italy does not treat in depth the issue of early diagnosis. The present document – produced by the AIMAR (Interdisciplinary Association for Research in Lung Disease) Task Force for early diagnosis of chronic respiratory disease based on the WHO/GARD model and on available evidence and expertise –after a general examination of the main epidemiologic aspects, proposes to integrate the above-mentioned existing documents. In particular: a) it formally indicates on the basis of the available evidence the modalities and the instruments necessary for carrying out secondary prevention at the primary care level (a pro-active,‘case-finding’approach; assessment of the individual’s level of risk of COPD; use of short questionnaires for an initial screening based on symptoms; use of simple spirometry for the second level of screening); b) it identifies possible ways of including these activities within primary care practice; c) it places early diagnosis within the “systemic”, consequential management of chronic respiratory diseases, which will be briefly described with the aid of schemes taken from the Italian and international reference documents.

The AIMAR recommendations for early diagnosis of chronic obstructive respiratory disease based on the WHO/GARD model*

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Respiratory diseases in Italy already now represent an emergency (they are the 3rd ranking cause of death in the world, and the 2nd if Lung cancer is included). In countries similar to our own, they result as the principal cause for a visit to the general practitioner (GP) and the second main cause after injury for recourse to Emergency Care. Their frequency is probably higher than estimated (given that respiratory diseases are currently underdiagnosed). The trend is towards a further increase due to epidemiologic and demographic factors (foremost amongst which are the widespread diffusion of cigarette smoking, the increasing mean age of the general population, immigration, and pollution). Within the more general problem of chronic disease care, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) constitute one of the four national priorities in that they represent an important burden for society in terms of mortality, invalidity, and direct healthcare costs. The strategy suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) is an integrated approach consisting of three goals: inform about health, reduce risk exposure, improve patient care. The three goals are translated into practice in the three areas of prevention (1-primary, 2-secondary, 3-tertiary) as:1) actions of primary (universal) prevention targeted at the general population with the aim to control the causesof disease, and actions of Predictive Medicine - again addressing the general population but aimed at measuring the individual’s risk for disease insurgence; 2) actions of early diagnosis targeted at groups or - more precisely - subgroups identified as at risk; 3) continuous improvement and integration of care and rehabilitation support - destined at the greatest possible number of patients, at all stages of disease severity. In Italy, COPD care is generally still inadequate. Existing guidelines, institutional and non-institutional, are inadequately implemented: the international guidelines are not always adaptable to the Italian context; the document of the Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (AGE.NA.S) is a more suited compendium for consultation, and the recent joint statement on integrated COPD management of the three major Italian scientific Associations in the respiratory area together with the contribution of a Society of General Medicine deals prevalently with some critical issues (appropriateness of diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, rehabilitation, continuing care); also the document “Care Continuity: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)” of the Global Alliance against chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)-Italy does not treat in depth the issue of early diagnosis. The present document – produced by the AIMAR (Interdisciplinary Association for Research in Lung Disease) Task Force for early diagnosis of chronic respiratory disease based on the WHO/GARD model and on available evidence and expertise –after a general examination of the main epidemiologic aspects, proposes to integrate the above-mentioned existing documents. In particular: a) it formally indicates on the basis of the available evidence the modalities and the instruments necessary for carrying out secondary prevention at the primary care level (a pro-active,‘case-finding’approach; assessment of the individual’s level of risk of COPD; use of short questionnaires for an initial screening based on symptoms; use of simple spirometry for the second level of screening); b) it identifies possible ways of including these activities within primary care practice; c) it places early diagnosis within the “systemic”, consequential management of chronic respiratory diseases, which will be briefly described with the aid of schemes taken from the Italian and international reference documents.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Inert fluorinated gas MRI: a new pulmonary imaging modality.

Fluorine-19 ((19)F) MRI of the lungs using inhaled inert fluorinated gases can potentially provide high quality images of the lungs that are similar in quality to those from hyperpolarized (HP) noble gas MRI. Inert fluorinated gases have the advantages of being nontoxic, abundant, and inexpensive compared with HP gases. Due to the high gyromagnetic ratio of (19)F, there is sufficient thermally polarized signal for imaging, and averaging within a single breath-hold is possible due to short longitudinal relaxation times. Therefore, the gases do not need to be hyperpolarized prior to their use in MRI. This eliminates the need for an expensive polarizer and expensive isotopes. Inert fluorinated gas MRI of the lungs has been previously demonstrated in animals, and more recently in healthy volunteers and patients with lung diseases. The ongoing improvements in image quality demonstrate the potential of (19)F MRI for visualizing the distribution of ventilation in human lungs and detecting functional biomarkers. In this brief review, the development of inert fluorinated gas MRI, current progress, and future prospects are discussed. The current state of HP noble gas MRI is also briefly discussed in order to provide context to the development of this new imaging modality. Overall, this may be a viable clinical imaging modality that can provide useful information for the diagnosis and management of chronic respiratory diseases.

The role of community pharmacists in screening and subsequent management of chronic respiratory diseases: a systematic review.

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the role of community pharmacists in provision of screening with/without subsequent management of undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and uncontrolled asthma. An extensive literature search using four databases (ie. Medline, PubMed, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA) and Scopus) with search terms pharmacy, screening, asthma or COPD was conducted. Searches were limited to the years 2003-2013, those in English and those reporting research with humans. Data retrieval, analysis and result presentation employed a scoping review method. Seventeen articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria, of which fifteen studies were based on people with asthma and two were based on people with COPD. Only seven asthma studies and one COPD study involved screening followed by subsequent management. More than half of the people screened were found to be poorly controlled and up to 62% of people were identified at high risk for COPD by community pharmacists. The studies varied in the method and type of asthma control assessment/screening, the type of intervention provided and the outcomes measured. The limitations of the reviewed studies included varying definitions of asthma control, different study methodologies, and the lack of long-term follow-up. While many different methods were used for risk assessment and management services by the pharmacists, all the studies demonstrated that community pharmacists were capable of identifying people with poorly controlled asthma and undiagnosed COPD and providing them with suitable interventions. The literature review identified that community pharmacists can play an effective role in screening of people with poorly controlled asthma and undiagnosed COPD along with delivering management interventions. However, there is very little literature available on screening for these chronic respiratory conditions. Future research should focus on development of patient care delivery model incorporating a screening protocol followed by targeted management interventions delivered by the community pharmacist.

International COPD Coalition Column: pulmonary rehabilitation-reaching out to our international community.

The history of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) dates back over decades and certain PR elements over centuries. The evidence of PR’s effectiveness has considerably strengthened and increased over the past forty years. During this time, the role and impact of PR has been firmly established and is now considered a key component in management of chronic respiratory disease.

Younger Cosmetology Workers and Environmental and Occupational Asthma Triggers at Training Sites and in Salons

Secondary school students in career, technical, and vocational education (CTE) programs include minors aged ≤17 years. These students enter the workforce starting at age 18 as young adults, and specifically in cosmetology after completing the State of New Jersey mandated 2-part licensing exam (theory and practical). The New Jersey Safe Schools Task Force 2010-2012 focused on potential safety and health (S&amp;H) risks encountered by minors training in cosmetology. We conducted a stakeholder-driven participatory process with relevant state and federal agencies, private sector partners, teachers, administrators, and students from 1-in-3 of 21 county CTE school districts. We developed and disseminated Web pages ( http://www.njsafeschools.org/Cosmetology.htm ) with science-based information, materials such as “Right to Know” brochures in multiple languages (English, Spanish), and student-designed educational posters. Resources highlight S&amp;H issues such as chemical exposures, including known environmental and occupational asthma triggers and respiratory irritants, for example, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds. Asthma education professionals working in clinical management of chronic respiratory diseases can increase self-awareness of S&amp;H in cosmetology. They can then help inform younger patients/workers with asthma, teachers, older employees, and managers/owners of hair, nail, and skin care salons of potential asthma triggers. The goal is to minimize exposures (S&amp;H risks) among these professionals and their clients (general public).

Eosinophils as diagnostic tools in chronic lung disease

Chronic lung diseases are very common and form a major threat to large proportions of the population with increased morbidity and mortality. Asthma is one of the most common eosinophilic airway diseases. However, there is growing evidence that eosinophilic inflammation is also important in subgroups of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic cough and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Several studies have shown that sputum eosinophilia is associated with a favorable response to treatment of corticosteroids in both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and tailored strategies aimed to normalize sputum eosinophils have resulted in a significant reduction in exacerbation rates. In this article, the authors review the role of eosinophilic inflammation in the diagnosis and management of chronic respiratory diseases.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Inhibits Ciliagenesis in Differentiated Normal Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells: Effectiveness of N-Acetylcysteine

Persistent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections have been associated with the exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This virus infects the respiratory epithelium, leading to chronic inflammation, and induces the release of mucins and the loss of cilia activity, two factors that determine mucus clearance and the increase in sputum volume. These alterations involve reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanisms. The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has proven useful in the management of COPD, reducing symptoms, exacerbations, and accelerated lung function decline. NAC inhibits RSV infection and mucin release in human A549 cells. The main objective of this study was to analyze the effects of NAC in modulating ciliary activity, ciliagenesis, and metaplasia in primary normal human bronchial epithelial cell (NHBEC) cultures infected with RSV. Our results indicated that RSV induced ultrastructural abnormalities in axonemal basal bodies and decreased the expression of β-tubulin as well as two genes involved in ciliagenesis, FOXJ1 and DNAI2. These alterations led to a decrease in ciliary activity. Furthermore, RSV induced metaplastic changes to the epithelium and increased the number of goblet cells and the expression of MUC5AC and GOB5. NAC restored the normal functions of the epithelium, inhibiting ICAM1 expression, subsequent RSV infection through mechanisms involving nuclear receptor factor 2, and the expression of heme oxygenase 1, which correlated with the restoration of the antioxidant capacity, the intracellular H2O2 levels and glutathione content of NHBECs. The results presented in this study support the therapeutic use of NAC for the management of chronic respiratory diseases, including COPD.

Improving the management of dyspnea in the community using rapid learning approaches

Patients with chronic pulmonary disease often suffer from breathlessness or dyspnea. Traditional evidence generation techniques to expand upon current treatment paradigms are limited by the significant delay between study initiation and clinical implementation of findings. Rapid learning health care is a novel approach to health care delivery that relies on intelligent and continuous integration of clinical and research data sets to deliver personalized medicine using the most current evidence available. Results of important studies in the management of chronic respiratory disease are presented in brief; however, the focus of this review is on evidence supporting the implementation of a rapid learning model for symptom management. Recent findings suggest that a rapid learning system is feasible and acceptable to patients with advanced illness, helps monitor symptoms overtime, facilitates study of the impact of novel interventions, and can identify unrecognized needs and concerns. A rapid learning model improves comprehensive assessment, timeliness of intervention, and accrual of contemporaneous data to support best practice that tailors care specific to the needs of patients as their disease and lifestyle change overtime. Using the rapid learning health care model, data collected in the process of routine care can simultaneously function both as clinical information and as a resource for research on patient-centered experiences and outcomes.

Running up that hill: How pulmonary rehabilitation can be enhanced by understanding patient perceptions of their condition

The role of psychological factors in adjustment to and management of chronic respiratory disease has been increasingly elucidated over the last 50 years or so. Much of the impetus to understand psychological dimensions to care of the patient with COPD has been driven by recognition that the condition’s objective severity alone is insufficient to predict clinical outcomes. COPD is clearly associated with high levels of psychological morbidity; with prevalence of anxiety as much as 50% and figures for depression of similar magnitude– 2 to 3 times that of the general population. Such levels of psychological morbidity not only detrimentally affect quality of life but are correlated with compromised self-management, poorer physical outcomes and increased and often inappropriate health care utilization. In this context, Bratas and colleagues’ report of their intensive, inpatient rehabilitation programme with its explicit focus on alleviation of psychological distress, as well as exercise capacity and quality of life, is most welcome. With improvements in symptom and impact scores (on the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire) and median HADS depression scores, this circumscribed multidisciplinary intervention reports clear benefit. However, as the authors note, the psychometrics used to assess anxiety may have been insufficiently specific to the type of anxiety (panic) that features more prominently in patients with respiratory disease, masking any alleviation. More importantly, the health gain achieved for patients were evident only for those with mild to moderate disease, which begs the question of how we might broaden benefit to all. Arguably, this requires rehabilitation programmes to become more tailored, by having a more nuanced understanding of participants’ psychological status, not only with regard to mood but the way they construe their condition and its management. Current rehabilitation programmes for COPD are increasingly sophisticated. Multidisciplinary approaches are explicitly informed by self-management, encouraging patients to collaborate in their own treatment, and are constructed to address salient psychological issues. Patients may have concerns about the effects of their symptoms, may need to modify behaviours to reduce risk factors and adhere to medication and prescribed exercise; they may struggle with the disease and its consequences, affecting both relationships with carers and families as well as daily activities and coping strategies. Programmes, such as the one described by Bratas, show awareness of these needs including an explicit psychosocial intervention. However, patients may also experience much more intense emotional reactions on diagnosis or exacerbations, find that disease progression heightens pre-existing psychological difficulties and be intensely fearful of their future, irrespective of their more objective functional status. So how can we further improve patient outcomes and, given the potential complexity of psychological issues, deliver tailored rehabilitation that is clinically feasible? An argument for the status quo is not very compelling since there is suspicion that those who

Home intravenous antibiotic treatment for acute pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis - Is it good for the patient?

There is a worldwide drive for the home management of chronic respiratory diseases. With the widespread use of home intravenous (IV) treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary exacerbations (PExs), evidence pointing to an inferior outcome of care for home-treated patients in comparison to hospital-treated patients is a cause of concern. Currently, patients who self-administer IV antibiotics at home are provided with equipment and instructions on the use of antibiotics. Policies vary; but in most UK centers, these patients are then followed up by the multidisciplinary team only on days 1, 7 and 14 of the treatment course. We aimed to review the current published literature in search for evidence for the value and the shortfalls of self-administered IV treatment at home for acute PExs in CF patients in comparison to conventional hospital treatment. We searched the electronic database system Medline for published papers regarding studies comparing home- and hospital-based IV antibiotic treatment for both adult and pediatric CF patients. Sixteen studies were identified and grouped into those that showed a similar outcome between home and hospital treatment and those that showed an inferior outcome for home management. Most studies were retrospective or inadequately powered to provide clear answers. Ideally, outcome of care for home treatment should be at least equal to outcome for hospital treatment. Extensive efforts should be made to standardize therapies preserving the advantages of home management and addressing the perceived reasons for an inferior outcome. Until further studies provide definitive answers, treatment at home should be reserved for adequately selected patients and individualized depending on the unique settings of each CF center and specific patients' requirements. There is great need for a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing home and hospital treatments in order to clarify this matter.

Stability of the EasyOne ultrasonic spirometer for use in general practice

Spirometry is recommended for the diagnosis and management of chronic respiratory diseases in the community. Spirometer accuracy is critical, but few general practitioners meet the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) recommendation for daily calibration. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and stability of a portable ultrasonic spirometer (EasyOne) that the manufacturer claims does not require regular calibration. Six EasyOne spirometers were used in a practice-based spirometry study. Inspiratory and expiratory accuracy was checked periodically using a certified 3-L syringe. Paired calibration checks were performed using a dedicated mouthpiece assembly (spirette) and randomly selected spirettes. The six spirometers were used for up to 26 weeks (mean 23.9 weeks) and a total of 1041 spirometry tests and 75 syringe calibrations were performed. All inspiratory and expiratory calibration checks using a dedicated or randomly selected spirette met the ATS/ERS accuracy criterion (3.00+/-0.105 L). The mean (range) expiratory volume deviation from target volume (3.00 L) was 0.011 L (-0.06-0.09 L) using a dedicated spirette and 0.046 L (-0.09-0.10 L) using randomly selected spirettes. The deviation from target was not affected by the mean flow generated during the calibration procedure. There was no change in calibration during the study. This study supports the manufacturer's claim that the EasyOne spirometer maintains its calibration during routine clinical use in general practice and does not require daily calibration as specified in international spirometry guidelines.

International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) Guidelines: Dissemination and Implementation — a proposed course of action

There is growing evidence that good implementation of evidence-based guidelines can result in improvement in health outcomes. This paper on Dissemination and Implementation constitutes the final paper of the IPCRG Guidelines on the management of chronic respiratory diseases in primary care. It highlights the historical development of these guidelines following the formation of the International Primary Care Airways Group (IPAG) in 2001 together with its dissemination and implementation subgroup, and the subsequent transfer of this dissemination and implementation role to the IPCRG. It covers the main factors within the IPCRG workplan, including the issues of governance, launch, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation.