Epidemiology,burden, and policy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in South Korea: a narrative review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global health problem and a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. COPD also occupies a significant and considerable economic burden on individuals and society in South Korea. We investigated the epidemiology and burden of COPD in South Korea and reviewed the policy regarding COPD. In South Korea, a national COPD prevalence survey has been conducted for two decades. The prevalence of COPD has increased with increasing age, particularly among males, and those also with a higher smoking history and with lower income. The total societal cost of COPD increased by 1.85 times between 2004 and 2013. As the use of inhaled medications has increased, the total medical cost per person has increased. The trends of increasing numbers of patients diagnosed with COPD and the total societal costs are expected to continue. There is one universal-health-coverage system in South Korea. The costs and reimbursement criteria of COPD drugs are established and controlled by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). The HIRA has also implemented quality assessment, including evaluating the appropriateness of a COPD diagnosis and treating all COPD patients to reduce the severity of illness and improve the adequacy of medical-care benefits.     

Current status and preventive strategies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China: a literature review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease that seriously threatens human health and wellbeing, thereby representing an important public health problem. At present, it is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, and is estimated to become the third greatest cause of death by 2030. In China, the prevalence of COPD is increasing, secondary to an increase in smoking, air pollution and an aging population, resulting in a current the mortality of COPD in China which is higher than the global average. Moreover, the disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate of COPD in China is still relatively high, with an associated heavy economic burden to patients, their families and society. Unfortunately, current measures for treatment and prevention of COPD in China are not optimal. This primarily results from limited public awareness of COPD and pulmonary function tests amongst residents of China, and the generally poor disease-specific knowledge of primary care doctors. In recent years, a series of preventative strategies have been introduced in China across at the level of national policy, societies and associations, and scientific research. This review focuses upon both the epidemiology of COPD and the current status of preventative and treatment strategies in China.     

Aspergillus infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic airway non-specific inflammatory disease characterised by airway obstruction and alveolar destruction. In recent years, due to the extensive use of antibiotics, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and other drugs, pulmonary fungal infection in patients with AECOPD, especially aspergillus infection, has gradually increased. The forms of aspergillus infection present in COPD patients include sensitisation, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). This review will summarise diagnostic and treatment of aspergillus in COPD patients.     

History of pneumonia is a strong risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation in South Korea: the Epidemiologic review and Prospective Observation of COPD and Health in Korea (EPOCH) study

Background

In South Korea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the ten leading causes of death. COPD exacerbations are significantly associated with mortality in COPD patients. This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology of COPD in South Korea, specifically the clinical characteristics of South Korean COPD patients, the COPD exacerbation rate and the risk factors associated with COPD exacerbations.

Methods

This study covers a 2-year interval. One year was data collected retrospectively and the second year was prospectively obtained data.

Results

A total of 1,114 subjects were enrolled in the study. These subjects were observed for a period of 1 year from the enrollment, and a total of 920 subjects completed the study. A total of 1,357 COPD exacerbations occurred in 711 subjects (63.8%) out of the total of 1,114 subjects during the study period of 2 years. Multivariate logistic regression results showed that if patients had had a pneumonia before the retrospective year of analysis, they had a 18 times greater chance of having an exacerbation during the prospective year when other variables were controlled. Also, the subjects who had a history of two or more exacerbations during the retrospective year were approximately 6 times more likely to experience the COPD exacerbation compared to those who did not.

Conclusions

This study examined the demographic and clinical characteristics of South Korean COPD patients and found that a history of pneumonia and two or more occurrences of exacerbation within 1 year was significantly associated with a higher rate of COPD exacerbation.     

The paradoxical response to short-acting bronchodilator administration in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BackgroundThere are a few studies about paradoxical bronchodilator response (BDR), which means a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) or forced vital capacity (FVC) after short-acting bronchodilator administration in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We evaluated the effect of paradoxical BDR on the clinical outcomes of COPD patients in South Korea.MethodsWe analyzed the KOrea COpd Subgroup Study team (KOCOSS) cohort data in South Korea between January 2012 and December 2017. BDR was defined as at least a 12% and 200-mL reduction in FEV₁ or FVC after bronchodilator administration.ResultsA total of 1,991 patients were included in this study. A paradoxical BDR was noted in 57 (2.9%) patients and was independently associated with worse dyspnea and poor quality of life. High C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were associated with a paradoxical BDR (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01–1.09; P=0.003). However, paradoxical BDR was not associated with severe acute exacerbations. Pre-bronchodilator FEV₁ (L) showed a higher area under the curve (AUC) for predicting severe acute exacerbations than the post-bronchodilator FEV₁ (L) in the paradoxical BDR group (0.788 vs. 0.752).ConclusionA paradoxical reduction of FEV₁ or FVC after bronchodilator administration may be associated with chronic inflammation in the airway and independently associated with worse respiratory symptoms and poor quality of life.     

COPD合并侵袭性肺曲霉病5例并文献复习

目的 分析重症COPD合并侵袭性肺曲霉病(IPA)患者临床特征,提高对COPD合并IPA的认识.方法 过从2015年6月至2016年3月西京医院呼吸与危重症科诊断的5例COPD合并IPA患者的资料进行回顾性分析及文献复习.结果 5例COPD合并IPA患者中确诊3例,临床诊断2例.在入住RICU前5例使用广谱抗生素,4例使用大量激素.5例均表现为气道显著痉挛,4例使用无创机械通气后有2例转为有创机械通气,2例自动出院.胸部CT早期无特殊表现,病情进展出现沿支气管周围渗出病变以及实变,病变多发.支气管镜下可见气道黏膜水肿、充血、溃烂、伪膜形成,痰液黏稠.病情进展迅速,病死率高.结论 COPD合并IPA容易误诊,病情进展快,病死率高,需充分认识其临床特点以提高诊断率及降低死亡风险.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病合并症——认知障碍

慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)合并认知障碍的发病率较高,目前被证实有发展为痴呆症的可能,并且对患者的生活和COPD的疾病管理造成障碍,值得关注.基于其发病隐匿,易被临床医师及患者家属忽略,增加其诊治难度,现对其发病特点、影响、筛查和评估及治疗等方面的研究进展进行述评,为临床诊治提供参考.     

Survey of implementation of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines in nine Asian countries

After the release of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines in 2001 and update in 2003, its implementation in nine Asian countries was investigated. Questionnaire surveys involving thoraco-pulmonary physicians or internists investigated the awareness and consensus of the GOLD guidelines including the care and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in Asian. Two surveys were conducted, in June 2002 and March 2004, through questionnaires by direct mail in Japan and face-to-face interviews in the other countries. Approximately 600 questionnaires were returned with approximately 84% awareness of the publication and its update and nearly 90% appreciated the globalization efforts. The survey revealed great variances concerning the definition of COPD, its diagnosis, and use of computed tomography. As for the implementation, the majority answered the use of the combined local and GOLD guidelines in five of nine countries surveyed, while the GOLD guidelines were implemented mainly in Korea, suggesting the influence in daily practice for care and management of COPD patients. Implication of rehabilitation in clinical practice has not been standardized despite high evidence of its advantages. Most respondents stated the necessity of developing a local or regional guideline for best practice. Our survey revealed: (i) awareness of the GOLD guidelines was high and well accepted; (ii) the possibility of developing a uniform or standard guideline in Asia is low due to local characteristics; (iii) modifications of the GOLD guidelines may be more practical; and (iv) that the multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation program needs to be further activated in GOLD implementation for the Asia–Pacific region.     

Anxiety and depression—Important psychological comorbidities of COPD

Anxiety and depression are common and important comorbidities in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The pathophysiology of these psychological comorbidities in COPD is complex and possibly explained by common risk factors, response to symptomatology and biochemical alterations. The presence of anxiety and/or depression in COPD patients is associated with increased mortality, exacerbation rates, length of hospital stay, and decreased quality of life and functional status. There is currently no consensus on the most appropriate approach to screening for anxiety and depression in COPD. Treatment options include psychological [relaxation, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), self-management] and pharmacological interventions. Although there is some evidence to support these treatments in COPD, the data are limited and mainly comprised by small studies. Pulmonary rehabilitation improves anxiety and depression, and conversely these conditions impact rehabilitation completion rates. Additional high quality studies are urgently required to optimise screening and effective treatment of anxiety and depression in patients with COPD, to enhance complex chronic disease management for these patients.     

基于百度指数的公众对慢性阻塞性肺疾病的关注情况分析

目的通过分析公众及媒体对"慢性阻塞性肺疾病"网络关注的习惯及特点，了解及探讨目前国内慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)低公众知晓率的原因。 方法以2011年1月1日到2018年12月31日为时间范畴，使用百度指数大数据分析工具，以"慢阻肺"、"慢性阻塞性肺疾病"、"肺气肿"、"慢性支气管炎"、"COPD"为5个关键词，以"周"为时间单位记录"搜索指数"和"媒体指数"数据，季度汇总，产生数据并进行二次分析。 结果8年间，公众对COPD的关注度还是在逐渐增加的，但在与COPD相关的5个相关关键词中，公众更多选择"肺气肿"作为检索关键词，搜索指数的累计增长绝对值最高，且"肺气肿"在各年度的搜索指数均高于其余4个关键词(P<0.001)；媒体对于COPD的关注度逐年降低且与公众关注不同的是，媒体指数中是关键词"慢阻肺"显著高于其他各关键词(P<0.001)。 结论为改善公众和COPD患者对于COPD的疾病认知，临床医务工作者应在患者教育及疾病宣传过程中阐明"慢阻肺"和"肺气肿"、"慢性支气管炎"的关系；还应强化媒体对于疾病信息的正确传递。     

Analysis of pulmonary function test results in a health check-up population

Background

To explore the incidences of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obstructive ventilatory dysfunction, and obstructive small airway disease and their risk factors in a health check-up population, with an attempt to inform the early diagnosis and treatment of COPD.

Methods

Subjects who aged 20 years and older and received health check-up in the Health Management Center, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from June 2013 to June 2015 were enrolled in this study. The results of detection and survey for COPD, obstructive ventilatory dysfunction, and obstructive small airway disease were analyzed.

Results

Among 6,811 subjects enrolled in this study, the detection rate of COPD, obstructive ventilator dysfunction, and obstructive small airway disease was 0.8%, 2.6%, and 4.0%, respectively, which showed a positive correlation with male gender, age, and smoking index.

Conclusions

Health check-up is an important approach for screening COPD, obstructive ventilator dysfunction, and obstructive small airway disease. Smoking cessation and controlling of relevant risk factors are helpful to lower the incidences of these conditions.     

低分子肝素钙对慢性肺源性心脏病急性加重期临床研究

目的 观察低分子肝素钙(LMWH)对继发于COPD的肺心病急性加重期患者肺动脉压(PASP)及六分钟步行试验(6MWT)的影响.方法 将152例继发于COPD的肺心病急性加重期患者,随机分为LMWH治疗组及对照组,两组均给予控制感染、氧疗等常规治疗,LMWH治疗组加用LMWH皮下注射10天.记录两组入院及住院10天时PASP及6MWT结果.结果 治疗10天后,治疗组PASP下降明显,差异具有统计学意义(u=3.37,P＜0.01);治疗组6MWT距离增加明显,差异具有统计学意义(u =3.47,P＜0.01).结论LMWH对继发于COPD的肺心病急性加重期可明显降低PASP.提高6 MWT距离.     

Risk of inflammatory bowel disease in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A nationwide,population-based study

BACKGROUND There is a growing evidence regarding an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) among patients with airway diseases.AIM To investigate the influence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) on the risk of IBD.METHODS A nationwide, population-based study was conducted using data from the National Health Insurance Service database. A total of 1303021 patients with COPD and 6515105 non-COPD controls were identified. The COPD group was divided into the severe and the mild COPD group according to diagnostic criteria. The risk of IBD in patients with COPD compared to controls was analyzed by Cox proportional hazard regression models. The cumulativeincidences of IBD were compared between the groups.RESULTS The COPD group had higher incidences of IBD compared to non-COPD controls(incidence rate, 9.98 vs 7.18 per 100000 person-years, P 0.001). The risk of IBD in the COPD group was increased by 1.38(adjusted hazard ratio(HR); 95%CI: 1.25-1.52). The incidence rate of IBD was higher in the severe COPD group than in the mild COPD group(12.39 vs 9.77 per 100000 person-year, P 0.001). The severity of COPD was associated with an increased risk of IBD(adjusted HR 1.70 in severe COPD, 95%CI: 1.27-2.21 and adjusted HR 1.35 in mild COPD, 95%CI: 1.22-1.49)CONCLUSION The incidences of IBD were significantly increased in COPD patients in South Korea and the risk of developing IBD also increased as the severity of COPD increased.     

抗菌药物在慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者中的治疗作用

慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）发病率、病死率高，社会经济负担重，已成为一个重要的公共卫生问题。COPD患者抗菌药物的应用尚有争议，大部分的研究结果表明在重度COPD急性加重期患者中应用抗菌药物治疗是有益的，关于COPD稳定期抗菌药物治疗的价值争议较大，一些研究表明大环内酯类抗苗药物对COPD稳定期治疗有效。本文拟对抗菌药物在COPD患者中的治疗作用作一综述。     

音乐疗法在慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者呼吸康复中的研究进展

呼吸康复对于慢性阻塞性肺疾病(简称慢阻肺)患者是A级推荐.以音乐疗法辅助慢阻肺患者呼吸康复,是补充现有康复内容并帮助其发挥作用的新方向.该疗法对于慢阻肺患者缓解呼吸困难症状,提高体力水平,改善心肺功能及呼吸肌肌力,改善焦虑、抑郁情绪,提高康复依从性,以及减轻经济负担、节约医疗资源方面有较好的作用.该文主要综述音乐疗法在...     

Right ventricular thrombus and pulmonary emboli in a patient with emphysema: An echocardiographic and doppler documentation

Pulmonary hypertension is a known complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A worsening dyspnea in a patient with COPD is usually a sequela of the pulmonary disease. However, it may be due to pulmonary embolism, a complication which is difficult to diagnose in such patients. We present a patient with COPD in whom two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary emboli by documenting right ventricular thrombus and pulmonary hypertension. This case report emphasizes the usefulness of these noninvasive cardiac imaging techniques in the detection and evaluation of pulmonary embolism in patients with COPD.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病诊治进展

慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)仍然是一个重要的公共卫生问题,也是病死率呈上升趋势的少数慢性疾病之一.近几年COPD发病机制、全身效应、急性发作和治疗等方面都有许多新的进展.目前COPD已被定义为可以预防、可以治疔的疾病,除了肺部病变的特点外,还伴有一些与患者疾病严重性相关的显著的肺外效应.本文从定义、诊断、病情评估和治疗...     

Usefulness of the forced oscillation technique in assessing the therapeutic result of tracheobronchial central airway obstruction

Background

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) comprise the traditional method for detecting central airway obstruction (CAO) and evaluating therapeutic effects, but are effort-dependent. By contrast, the forced oscillation technique (FOT) is performed during tidal breathing in an effort-independent mode and is universally used to assess respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. We used the FOT to measure airway resistance and reactance in patients with CAO before and after interventional bronchoscopy and compared the results to data obtained using PFTs.

Psychometric validation of the Korean Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29 Profile V2.1 among patients with chronic pulmonary diseases

BackgroundThis study aimed to validate the Korean version of the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System 29 Profile V2.1 (K-PROMIS-29 V2.1) in a sample of patients with chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs).MethodsParticipants were recruited from the respiratory disease outpatient clinics of Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, from September to October 2018. Participants completed a survey questionnaire, including the K-PROMIS-29 V2.1 and Short Form Health Survey version-2.0 (SF-36v2). Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) scores were obtained these scores from electronic medical records (EMRs). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and Pearson’s correlations were used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the K-PROMIS-29 V2.1.ResultsThe mean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 62.8 (12.0) years, and 19.2% had less than middle-school education. Disease types included bronchiectasis (n=46, 24.5%), COPD (n=45, 23.9%), nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (n=25, 13.3%), interstitial lung disease (n=22, 11.7%), and others (n=50, 26.6%). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the 7 subdomains in the K-PROMIS-29 V2.1 ranged from 0.77 to 0.96, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. In CFA, the goodness-of-fit indices were high (comparative fit index =0.90, standardised root mean residual =0.06). Moderate correlations were observed between comparable subscales of the K-PROMIS-29 V2.1 and those of the SF-36v2 (r=0.55–0.70) and CAT (r=−0.80 to 0.70).ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest that the K-PROMIS-29 V2.1 is a reliable and valid measure for assessing a broad range of health-related quality-of-life domains in patients with CPDs.     

Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE): an entity different from emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis alone

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIP), with different radiological, pathological, functional and prognostic characteristics, have been regarded as separate entities for a long time. However, there is an increasing recognition of the coexistence of emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis in individuals. The association was first described as a syndrome by Cottin in 2005, named “combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE)”, which is characterized by exertional dyspnea, upper-lobe emphysema and lower-lobe fibrosis, preserved lung volume and severely diminished capacity of gas exchange. CPFE is frequently complicated by pulmonary hypertension, acute lung injury and lung cancer and prognosis of it is poor. Treatments for CPFE patients with severe pulmonary hypertension are less effective other than lung transplantation. However, CPFE has not yet attracted wide attention of clinicians and there is no research systematically contrasting the differences among CPFE, emphysema/COPD and IIP at the same time. The authors will review the existing knowledge of CPFE and compare them to either entity alone for the first time, with the purpose of improving the awareness of this syndrome and exploring novel effective therapeutic strategies in clinical practice.