Imperial College London
Alternate

Emeritus ProfessorGavinDonaldson

Faculty of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute

Emeritus Professor of Respiratory Studies
 
 
 
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Contact

 

+44 (0)20 7594 7859gavin.donaldson

 
 
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Location

 

B141Guy Scadding BuildingRoyal Brompton Campus

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Summary

 

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Donaldson:1996,
author = {Donaldson, GC and Seemungal, T and Evans, C and Paul, EA and Wedzicha, JA},
journal = {Thorax},
title = {Effect of outdoor temperature on daily lung function and exacerbations in patients with COPD patients},
volume = {51},
year = {1996}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Pulmonary function worsens and exacerbations increae in COPD patients during winter, but the role of outdoor temperature is controversial. Between October 1995 and March 1996, 71 COPD patients (52 M, 19F; mean age (SD) 67.1 ± 10.1 years; paO2 8.88 ± 1.08 kPa, FEV1 1.06 ± 0.43 1, FVC 2.46 ± 0.81 1) recorded at home morning peak flow and symptoms on monthly diary cards. Exacerbation was determined by one physician. In 25 patients (22M, 3F, mean age 66.1 ±9.1 years; ;paO2 8.79 ± 1.23 kPa, FEV1 1.12 ± 0.44 1, FVC 2.46 ± 0.64 1) daily FEV1 and FVC were also recorded. Central-London temperature data were obtained from the Meterological Office. For each subject, regression coefficients were separately calculated for FEV1, FVC and peak flow on same-day mean temperature, with Cochrane-Orcutt allowance for serial correlation and day number included as an independent variable to account for annual decline in lung function. Logit regression with allowance for serial correlation was used to analyse the relationship between symptoms and temperature. Median coefficients were 0.35 (ml/min/°C)for peak flow, 2.60 (ml/°C) FEV1, 3.11 (ml/°C) FVC, -0.061 shortness of breath , -0.109 increased sputum colour, -0.112 increased sputum amount, -0.059 cold, -0.055 increased wheeze, -0.087 sore throat, -0.124 increased cough, -0.081 exacerbation;  P<0.05,  P<0.01,  P<0.001; Wilcoxon signed-rank test that median =0. These decreases in FEV1 and FVC with fall in temperature may be sufficient to compromise patients with chronic respiratory disability. The mechanisms may involve changes in airway resistance, increased respiratory infection or changes in intra-thoracic blood volume.
AU  - Donaldson,GC
AU  - Seemungal,T
AU  - Evans,C
AU  - Paul,EA
AU  - Wedzicha,JA
PY  - 1996///
SN  - 0040-6376
TI  - Effect of outdoor temperature on daily lung function and exacerbations in patients with COPD patients
T2  - Thorax
VL  - 51
ER  -
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