Publications
568 results found
Massen G, Quint J, 2024, A review of codelists used to define hypertension in electronic health records and development of a codelist for research, Open Heart, ISSN: 2053-3624
Adamson A, Kallis C, Douglas I, et al., 2024, Accuracy of the recording of pneumonia events in English electronic healthcare record data in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Pneumonia, ISSN: 2200-6133
Whittaker H, Kallis C, Bolton T, et al., 2024, Risk of cardiovascular events following COVID-19 in people with and without pre-existing chronic respiratory disease, International Journal of Epidemiology, ISSN: 0300-5771
Wilkinson AJK, Maslova E, Janson C, et al., 2024, Greenhouse gas emissions associated with suboptimal asthma care in the UK: the SABINA healthCARe-Based envirONmental cost of treatment (CARBON) study., Thorax
BACKGROUND: Poorly controlled asthma is associated with increased morbidity and healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU). Therefore, to quantify the environmental impact of asthma care, this retrospective, cohort, healthCARe-Based envirONmental cost of treatment (CARBON) study estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK associated with the management of well-controlled versus poorly controlled asthma. METHODS: Patients with current asthma (aged ≥12 years) registered with the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2008‒2019) were included. GHG emissions, measured as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), were estimated for asthma-related medication use, HCRU and exacerbations during follow-up of patients with asthma classified at baseline as well-controlled (<3 short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) canisters/year and no exacerbations) or poorly controlled (≥3 SABA canisters/year or ≥1 exacerbation). Excess GHG emissions due to suboptimal asthma control included ≥3 SABA canister prescriptions/year, exacerbations and any general practitioner and outpatient visits within 10 days of hospitalisation or an emergency department visit. RESULTS: Of the 236 506 patients analysed, 47.3% had poorly controlled asthma at baseline. Scaled to the national level, the overall carbon footprint of asthma care in the UK was 750 540 tonnes CO2e/year, with poorly controlled asthma contributing excess GHG emissions of 303 874 tonnes CO2e/year, which is equivalent to emissions from >124 000 houses in the UK. Poorly controlled versus well-controlled asthma generated 3.1-fold higher overall and 8.1-fold higher excess per capita carbon footprint, largely SABA-induced, with smaller contributions from HCRU. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that addressing the high burden of poorly controlled asthma, including curbing high SABA use and its associated risk of exacerbations, may significantly alleviate asthma care-related carbon emissions.
Hatam S, scully S, Cook S, et al., 2024, A harmonised approach to curating research-ready datasets for Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) in England, Wales and Scotland using Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank and DataLoch, Clinical Epidemiology, ISSN: 1179-1349
Quint J, 2024, A harmonised approach to curating research-ready datasets for Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) in England, Wales and Scotland using Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank and DataLoch, Clinical Epidemiology, ISSN: 1179-1349
Shah R, Morgan A, George P, et al., 2024, Incidence, prevalence, and mortality of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in England from 2008 to 2018: a cohort study, Thorax, ISSN: 0040-6376
Whittaker H, Quint J, Rothnie K, 2024, Cause specific mortality in COPD sub-populations: a cohort study of 339 647 people in England, Thorax, Vol: 79, Pages: 202-208, ISSN: 0040-6376
Background Identifying correlates of cause-specific mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may aid the targeting of therapies to reduce mortality. We determined factors associated with causes of death in a primary care COPD population.Methods Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum was linked to Hospital Episode Statistics and death certificate data. People with COPD alive between 1 January 2010 and 1 January 2020 were included. Patient characteristics were defined before the start of follow-up: (a) frequency and severity of exacerbations; (b) emphysema or chronic bronchitis; (c) Global Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) groups A–D; and (d) airflow limitation. We used Cox Proportional Hazards regression and competing risks to investigate the association between patient characteristics and risk of all-cause, COPD and cardiovascular (CV) mortality.Results 339 647 people with COPD were included of which 97 882 died during follow-up (25.7% COPD related and 23.3% CV related). Airflow limitation, GOLD group, exacerbation frequency and severity, and COPD phenotype were associated with all-cause mortality. Exacerbations, both increased frequency and severity, were associated with COPD-related mortality (≥2 exacerbations vs none adjusted HR: 1.64, 1.57–1.71; 1 severe vs none adjusted HR: 2.17, 2.04–2.31, respectively). Patients in GOLD groups B–D had a higher risk of COPD and CV mortality compared with GOLD group A (GOLD group D vs group A, adjusted HR for COPD mortality: 4.57, 4.23–4.93 and adjusted HR for CV mortality: 1.53, 1.41–1.65). Increasing airflow limitation was also associated with both COPD and CV mortality (GOLD 4 vs 1, adjusted HR: 12.63, 11.82–13.51 and adjusted HR: 1.75, 1.60–1.91, respectively).Conclusion Poorer airflow limitation, worse functional status and exacerbations had substantial associations with risk of all-cause mortality. Differing results for CV and
Efstathiou C, Liew F, Fontanella S, et al., 2024, Large scale phenotyping of patients with long COVID post-hospitalization reveals mechanistic subtypes of disease, Nature Immunology, ISSN: 1529-2908
Taquet M, Skorniewska Z, Zetterberg H, et al., 2024, Post-acute COVID-19 neuropsychiatric symptoms are not associated with ongoing nervous system injury, Brain Communications, Vol: 6, ISSN: 2632-1297
A proportion of patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 experience a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms months after infection, including cognitive deficits, depression and anxiety. The mechanisms underpinning such symptoms remain elusive. Recent research has demonstrated that nervous system injury can occur during COVID-19. Whether ongoing neural injury in the months after COVID-19 accounts for the ongoing or emergent neuropsychiatric symptoms is unclear. Within a large prospective cohort study of adult survivors who were hospitalized for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, we analysed plasma markers of nervous system injury and astrocytic activation, measured 6 months post-infection: neurofilament light, glial fibrillary acidic protein and total tau protein. We assessed whether these markers were associated with the severity of the acute COVID-19 illness and with post-acute neuropsychiatric symptoms (as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression, the General Anxiety Disorder assessment for anxiety, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for objective cognitive deficit and the cognitive items of the Patient Symptom Questionnaire for subjective cognitive deficit) at 6 months and 1 year post-hospital discharge from COVID-19. No robust associations were found between markers of nervous system injury and severity of acute COVID-19 (except for an association of small effect size between duration of admission and neurofilament light) nor with post-acute neuropsychiatric symptoms. These results suggest that ongoing neuropsychiatric symptoms are not due to ongoing neural injury.
Elneima O, McAuley HJC, Leavy OC, et al., 2024, Cohort profile: Post-Hospitalisation COVID-19 (PHOSP-COVID) study, International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol: 53, ISSN: 0300-5771
Toader A-M, Campbell MK, Quint JK, et al., 2024, Using healthcare systems data for outcomes in clinical trials: issues to consider at the design stage., Trials, Vol: 25
BACKGROUND: Healthcare system data (HSD) are increasingly used in clinical trials, augmenting or replacing traditional methods of collecting outcome data. This study, PRIMORANT, set out to identify, in the UK context, issues to be considered before the decision to use HSD for outcome data in a clinical trial is finalised, a methodological question prioritised by the clinical trials community. METHODS: The PRIMORANT study had three phases. First, an initial workshop was held to scope the issues faced by trialists when considering whether to use HSDs for trial outcomes. Second, a consultation exercise was undertaken with clinical trials unit (CTU) staff, trialists, methodologists, clinicians, funding panels and data providers. Third, a final discussion workshop was held, at which the results of the consultation were fed back, case studies presented, and issues considered in small breakout groups. RESULTS: Key topics included in the consultation process were the validity of outcome data, timeliness of data capture, internal pilots, data-sharing, practical issues, and decision-making. A majority of consultation respondents (n = 78, 95%) considered the development of guidance for trialists to be feasible. Guidance was developed following the discussion workshop, for the five broad areas of terminology, feasibility, internal pilots, onward data sharing, and data archiving. CONCLUSIONS: We provide guidance to inform decisions about whether or not to use HSDs for outcomes, and if so, to assist trialists in working with registries and other HSD providers to improve the design and delivery of trials.
Yin Y, Tam HL, Quint J, et al., 2024, Epidemiology of dementia in China, 2010–2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Healthcare, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2227-9032
Background: Dementia has become one of the leading causes of death across the world. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of dementia in China between 2010 and 2020, and to investigate any geographical, age, and sex differences in the prevalence and incidence of dementia. Methods: Five databases were searched. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence of dementia. Subgroup analysis was based on the type of dementia. The incidence and mortality of dementia were synthesized qualitatively. Results: A total of 19 studies were included. The meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of dementia was 6% (95%CI 5%, 8%), the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was 5% (95%CI 4%, 6%), and the prevalence of vascular dementia (VaD) was 1% (95%CI 0%, 2%). The subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence rates of dementia in rural (6%, 95%CI 4%, 8%) and urban areas were similar (6%, 95%CI 4%, 8%). Deaths due to dementia increased over time. Conclusion: The prevalence, incidence, and mortality of dementia increased with age and over time. Applying consistent criteria to the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia is necessary to help with disease monitoring. Promoting dementia knowledge and awareness at the community level is necessary.
Quint JK, Shah PL, 2024, What trials do and do not tell us about treatments for severe asthma., Lancet, Vol: 403, Pages: 224-226
Whittaker H, Torkpour A, Quint J, 2024, Eligibility of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for inclusion in randomised control trials investigating triple therapy: A study using routinely collected data, Respiratory Research, Vol: 25, ISSN: 1465-9921
Background:Randomised control trials (RCTs) with strict eligibility criteria can lead to trial populations not commonly seen in clinical practice. We described the proportion of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in England eligible for RCTs investigating treatment with triple therapy.Methods:MEDLINE and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched for RCTs investigating triple therapy and eligibility criteria for each trial were extracted. Using routinely collected primary care data from Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum linked with Hospital Episode Statistics, we defined a population of COPD patients registered at a general practice in England, who were ≥ 40 years old, and had a history of smoking. Inclusion date was January 1, 2020. Patients who died earlier or left the general practice were excluded. Eligibility criteria for each RCT was applied to the population of COPD patients and the proportion of patients meeting each trial eligibility criteria were described.Results:26 RCTs investigating triple therapy were identified from the literature. The most common eligibility criteria were post-bronchodilator FEV1% predicted 30–80%, ≥ 2 moderate/≥ 1 severe exacerbations 12-months prior, no moderate exacerbations one-month prior and no severe exacerbations three-months prior, and the use of maintenance therapy or ICS use prior to inclusion. After applying each RCT eligibility criteria to our population of 79,810 COPD patients, a median of 11.2% [interquartile range (IQR) 1.8–17.4] of patients met eligibility criteria. The most discriminatory criteria included the presence exacerbations of COPD and previous COPD related medication use with a median of 67.6% (IQR 8.5–73.4) and 63% (IQR 69.3–38.4) of COPD patients not meeting these criteria, respectively.Conclusion:Data from these RCTs may not be generalisable to the wider population of people with COPD seen in everyday clinical practice and real-wo
Lord JM, Veenith T, Sullivan J, et al., 2024, Accelarated immune ageing is associated with COVID-19 disease severity, Immunity and Ageing, Vol: 21, ISSN: 1742-4933
BACKGROUND: The striking increase in COVID-19 severity in older adults provides a clear example of immunesenescence, the age-related remodelling of the immune system. To better characterise the association between convalescent immunesenescence and acute disease severity, we determined the immune phenotype of COVID-19 survivors and non-infected controls. RESULTS: We performed detailed immune phenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from 103 COVID-19 survivors 3-5 months post recovery who were classified as having had severe (n = 56; age 53.12 ± 11.30 years), moderate (n = 32; age 52.28 ± 11.43 years) or mild (n = 15; age 49.67 ± 7.30 years) disease and compared with age and sex-matched healthy adults (n = 59; age 50.49 ± 10.68 years). We assessed a broad range of immune cell phenotypes to generate a composite score, IMM-AGE, to determine the degree of immune senescence. We found increased immunesenescence features in severe COVID-19 survivors compared to controls including: a reduced frequency and number of naïve CD4 and CD8 T cells (p < 0.0001); increased frequency of EMRA CD4 (p < 0.003) and CD8 T cells (p < 0.001); a higher frequency (p < 0.0001) and absolute numbers (p < 0.001) of CD28-ve CD57+ve senescent CD4 and CD8 T cells; higher frequency (p < 0.003) and absolute numbers (p < 0.02) of PD-1 expressing exhausted CD8 T cells; a two-fold increase in Th17 polarisation (p < 0.0001); higher frequency of memory B cells (p < 0.001) and increased frequency (p < 0.0001) and numbers (p < 0.001) of CD57+ve senescent NK cells. As a result, the IMM-AGE score was significantly higher in severe COVID-19 sur
Hopkinson N, Buttery S, Polkey M, et al., 2023, Investigating the prognostic value of digital mobility outcomes in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, European Respiratory Review, Vol: 32, ISSN: 0905-9180
Background: Reduced mobility is a central feature of COPD. Assessment of mobility outcomes that can be measured digitally (digital mobility outcomes (DMOs)) in daily life such as gait speed and steps per day is increasingly possible using devices such as pedometers and accelerometers, but the predictive value of these measures remains unclear in relation to key outcomes such as hospital admission and survival.Methods: We conducted a systematic review, nested within a larger scoping review by the MOBILISE-D consortium, addressing DMOs in a range of chronic conditions. Qualitative and quantitative analysis considering steps per day and gait speed and their association with clinical outcomes in COPD patients was performed.Results: 21 studies (6076 participants) were included. Nine studies evaluated steps per day and 11 evaluated a measure reflecting gait speed in daily life. Negative associations were demonstrated between mortality risk and steps per day (per 1000 steps) (hazard ratio (HR) 0.81, 95% CI 0.75–0.88, p<0.001), gait speed (<0.80 m·s−1) (HR 3.55, 95% CI 1.72–7.36, p<0.001) and gait speed (per 1.0 m·s−1) (HR 7.55, 95% CI 1.11–51.3, p=0.04). Fewer steps per day (per 1000) and slow gait speed (<0.80 m·s−1) were also associated with increased healthcare utilisation (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72–0.88, p<0.001; OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.42–7.94, p=0.01, respectively). Available evidence was of low-moderate quality with few studies eligible for meta-analysis.Conclusion: Daily step count and gait speed are negatively associated with mortality risk and other important outcomes in people with COPD and therefore may have value as prognostic indicators in clinical trials, but the quantity and quality of evidence is limited. Larger studies with consistent methodologies are called for.
Graul E, Nordon C, Rhodes K, et al., 2023, Temporal risk of non-fatal cardiovascular events post COPD exacerbation: a population-based study, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, ISSN: 1073-449X
Rationale: Cardiovascular events following COPD exacerbations are recognised. Studies to date have been post-hoc analyses of trials, did not differentiate exacerbation severity, included death in the cardiovascular outcome, or had insufficient power to explore individual outcomes temporally. Objectives: We explore temporal relationships between moderate and severe exacerbations with incident, non-fatal hospitalised cardiovascular events, in a primary care-derived COPD cohort. Methods: We included people with COPD in England from 2014-2020, using Clinical Practice Research Datalink(CPRD) Aurum primary care database. Index date was first COPD exacerbation, or for those without exacerbation, date upon eligibility. We determined composite and individual cardiovascular events (acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, heart failure, ischaemic stroke, pulmonary hypertension) from linked hospital data. Adjusted Cox Regression models estimated average and time-stratified hazard ratios(aHR). Measurements and Main Results: Among 213,466 patients, 146,448 (68.6%) had any exacerbation;119,124 (55.8%) moderate exacerbation and 27,324 (12.8%) a severe exacerbation. 40,773 cardiovascular events were recorded. There was an immediate period of cardiovascular relative rate post any exacerbation (1-14 days,aHR=3.19,95%CI 2.71-3.76), followed by progressively declining yet maintained effects, elevated after one year(aHR=1.84,1.78-1.91). HRs were highest 1-14 days following severe exacerbations (aHR=14.5,12.2-17.3) but highest 14-30 days following moderate exacerbations (aHR=1.94,1.63-2.31). Cardiovascular outcomes with greatest two-week effects post severe exacerbation were arrhythmia (aHR=12.7,10.3-15.7) and heart failure (aHR=8.31,6.79-10.2). Conclusions: Cardiovascular events following moderate exacerbations occur slightly later than severe exacerbations; heightened relative rates remain beyond one year irrespective of severity. The period immediately following exacerbation presents a cr
Graul E, Nordon C, Rhodes K, et al., 2023, Temporal risk of nonfatal cardiovascular events post chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, ISSN: 1073-449X
Rationale: Cardiovascular events following COPD exacerbations are recognised. Studies to date have been post-hoc analyses of trials, did not differentiate exacerbation severity, included death in the cardiovascular outcome, or had insufficient power to explore individual outcomes temporally. Objectives: We explore temporal relationships between moderate and severe exacerbations with incident, non-fatal hospitalised cardiovascular events, in a primary care-derived COPD cohort. Methods: We included people with COPD in England from 2014-2020, using Clinical Practice Research Datalink(CPRD) Aurum primary care database. Index date was first COPD exacerbation, or for those without exacerbation, date upon eligibility. We determined composite and individual cardiovascular events (acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, heart failure, ischaemic stroke, pulmonary hypertension) from linked hospital data. Adjusted Cox Regression models estimated average and time-stratified hazard ratios(aHR). Measurements and Main Results: Among 213,466 patients, 146,448 (68.6%) had any exacerbation;119,124 (55.8%) moderate exacerbation and 27,324 (12.8%) a severe exacerbation. 40,773 cardiovascular events were recorded. There was an immediate period of cardiovascular relative rate post any exacerbation (1-14 days,aHR=3.19,95%CI 2.71-3.76), followed by progressively declining yet maintained effects, elevated after one year(aHR=1.84,1.78-1.91). HRs were highest 1-14 days following severe exacerbations (aHR=14.5,12.2-17.3) but highest 14-30 days following moderate exacerbations (aHR=1.94,1.63-2.31). Cardiovascular outcomes with greatest two-week effects post severe exacerbation were arrhythmia (aHR=12.7,10.3-15.7) and heart failure (aHR=8.31,6.79-10.2). Conclusions: Cardiovascular events following moderate exacerbations occur slightly later than severe exacerbations; heightened relative rates remain beyond one year irrespective of severity. The period immediately following exacerbation presents a cr
Zhang X, Quint J, 2023, Online survey to investigate asthma medication prescription and adherence from the perspective of patients and healthcare practitioners in England, Journal of Asthma and Allergy, Vol: 16, Pages: 987-996, ISSN: 1178-6965
Background: High short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) use and/or inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) underuse are common and are associated with poor asthma outcomes. This study explored patients’ and healthcare practitioners’ (HCPs’) perspectives to contextualize asthma treatment patterns observed in real-world studies.Methods: Data were collected using online surveys from HCPs and people with asthma (≥ 18 years old with a confirmed asthma diagnosis of any severity) who had consented to research participation through the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: In total, 76 HCPs and 63 patients were invited to take part. Of 48 valid HCP responders, 54.2% (n=26) reported scheduling an annual asthma treatment review with their patients and 83.3% of general practitioners (n=40) had prescribed repeated inhalers at the patient’s request. Of 47 valid patient responders, 57.4% (n=27) reported using their reliever (SABA) inhaler daily and 55.3% of patients (n=26) reported being prescribed a preventer inhaler. Of the total patient responders, 31.9% (n=15) reported that they never used their preventer inhaler. Consistent annual adherence with preventer inhalers was reported by 44.7% of all valid responders (n=21), while other patients admitted to using preventers intermittently.Conclusion: SABA and ICS prescription patterns are driven by a combination of HCP and patient factors. Opportunities exist to improve asthma control and behaviours around inhaler use.
Zhang X, Jaswal A, Quint J, 2023, Experience in accessing healthcare in ethnic minority patients with chronic respiratory diseases: a qualitative meta-synthesis, Healthcare, Vol: 11, ISSN: 2227-9032
Background: Access to healthcare is part of every individual’s human rights; however, many studies have illustrated that ethnic minority patients seem to be confronted with barriers when using healthcare services. Understanding how healthcare utilities are accessed from the perspective of patients and why healthcare disparities occur with patients from a minority background has the potential to improve health equality and care quality. This qualitative systematic review aims to gain insights into the experiences of people with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) from a minority background and explore factors contributing to their experiences in accessing healthcare to inform related health policy makers and healthcare providers. Methods: This systematic review complied with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, where the Joanna Briggs Institute meta-aggregative instrument facilitated the qualitative synthesis. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022346055). PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL were the databases explored. Results: From the papers selected, 47 findings were derived from 10 included studies, and four synthesised findings were generated: (1) the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals affects the usage of healthcare services; (2) patients’ perceptions and cultural beliefs affect their compliance with disease management; (3) personal behaviours affect the usage of healthcare services; and (4) health resource inequalities have an impact on accessing healthcare services. Conclusions: This systematic review demonstrates that ethnic minorities with CRDs face inequalities when engaging in healthcare. The relationship between patients and clinicians impacting the use of healthcare is the most pivotal discovery, where not speaking the same language and being of a different race alongside the accompanying criticism and faith in facilities are key contributors to this effect
Ariel A, Barnes PJ, Maricoto T, et al., 2023, Rational use of inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of COPD: a plain language summary., J Comp Eff Res, Vol: 12
WHAT IS THIS SUMMARY ABOUT?: Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are a type of medication delivered via an inhaler device that are commonly used in the treatment of asthma. ICS can also be used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive respiratory condition in which the lungs become worse over time. However, unlike in asthma, ICS are only effective in a small proportion of people with COPD. ICS can cause significant side effects in people with COPD, including pneumonia. Because of this, guidelines written by COPD experts recommend that ICS should largely be prescribed to people with COPD whose symptoms flare up frequently and become difficult to manage (episodes known as exacerbations). Despite this guidance, records collected from routine clinical practice suggest that many healthcare professionals prescribe ICS to people with COPD who do not have frequent exacerbations, putting them at unnecessary risk of side effects. The over-prescription of ICS in COPD may partly be due to the recent introduction of single-inhaler combination therapies, which combine ICS with other medicines (bronchodilators). This 'one inhaler for all' approach is a concerning trend as it goes against global COPD treatment guidelines, which recommend ICS use in only a small proportion of people. This is a plain language summary of a review article originally published in the journal NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine. In this review, we investigate the benefits and risks of ICS use in COPD. Using data from both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies, we explain which people benefit from ICS use, and why health regulatory bodies have concluded that ICS do not help people with COPD to live longer. Lastly, we provide practical guidance for doctors and people with COPD regarding when ICS should be prescribed and when they should be withdrawn.
Evans RA, Dube S, Lu Y, et al., 2023, Impact of COVID-19 on immunocompromised populations during the Omicron era: insights from the observational population-based INFORM study., Lancet Reg Health Eur, Vol: 35
BACKGROUND: Immunocompromised individuals are not optimally protected by COVID-19 vaccines and potentially require additional preventive interventions to mitigate the risk of severe COVID-19. We aimed to characterise and describe the risk of severe COVID-19 across immunocompromised groups as the pandemic began to transition to an endemic phase. METHODS: COVID-19-related hospitalisations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and deaths (01/01/2022-31/12/2022) were compared among different groups of immunocompromised individuals vs the general population, using a retrospective cohort design and electronic health data from a random 25% sample of the English population aged ≥12 years (Registration number: ISRCTN53375662). FINDINGS: Overall, immunocompromised individuals accounted for 3.9% of the study population, but 22% (4585/20,910) of COVID-19 hospitalisations, 28% (125/440) of COVID-19 ICU admissions, and 24% (1145/4810) of COVID-19 deaths in 2022. Restricting to those vaccinated with ≥3 doses of COVID-19 vaccine (∼84% of immunocompromised and 51% of the general population), all immunocompromised groups remained at increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, with adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) for hospitalisation ranging from 1.3 to 13.1. At highest risk for COVID-19 hospitalisation were individuals with: solid organ transplant (aIRR 13.1, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 11.2-15.3), moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency (aIRR 9.7, 95% CI 6.3-14.9), stem cell transplant (aIRR 11.0, 95% CI 6.8-17.6), and recent treatment for haematological malignancy (aIRR 10.6, 95% CI 9.5-11.9). Results were similar for COVID-19 ICU admissions and deaths. INTERPRETATION: Immunocompromised individuals continue to be impacted disproportionately by COVID-19 and have an urgent need for additional preventive measures beyond current vaccination programmes. These data can help determine the immunocompromised groups for which targeted prevention strategies may have t
Amegadzie JE, Gao Z, Quint JK, et al., 2023, QRISK3 underestimates the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with COPD., Thorax
BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The extent to which the excess CVD risk is captured by risk factors in QRISK, a widely used CVD risk scoring tool, is not well studied. METHODS: We created an incidence cohort of diagnosed COPD patients from the United Kingdom (UK) Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD database (January 1998-July 2018). The outcome was a composite of fatal or non-fatal CVD events. Sex-specific age-standardised incidence ratios (SIR) were compared with values for the UK primary-care population. The observed 10-year CVD risk was derived using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and was compared with predicted 10-year risk from the QRISK3 tool. RESULTS: 13 208 patients (mean age 64.9 years, 45% women) were included. CVD incidence was 3.53 events per 100 person-years. The SIR of CVD was 1.71 (95% CI 1.61 to 1.75) in women and 1.62 (95%CI 1.54-1.64) in men. SIR was particularly high among patients younger than 65 years (women=2.13 (95% CI 1.94 to 2.19); men=1.86 (95% CI 1.74 to 1.90)). On average, the observed 10-year risk was 52% higher than QRISK predicted score (33.5% vs 22.1%). The difference was higher in patients younger than 65 years (observed risk 82% higher than predicted). CONCLUSION: People living with COPD are at a significantly heightened risk of CVD over and beyond their predicted risk. This is particularly the case for younger people whose 10-year CVD risk can be >80% higher than predicted. Risk scoring tools must be validated and revised to provide accurate CVD predictions in patients with COPD.
Zhang X, Andrew E, Jennifer J, et al., 2023, Survey-identified experiences of prediagnosis and diagnosis process among patients with COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease and bronchiectasis, BMJ Open Respiratory Research, Vol: 10, ISSN: 2052-4439
Introduction:Diagnosis of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis and interstitiallung disease (ILD) can be convoluted, and limited data exist on understanding the experience ofdiagnosis from a patient perspective.AimTo investigate a patient’s “route to diagnosis”, particularly focusing on the time prior to seekinghealthcare, and perceived experiences of the diagnostic pathway.Methods:An online survey was distributed via the UK Taskforce for Lung Health and member mailing lists topatients as well as the website and social media accounts from 23/05/2022 to 05/07/2022. Analysiswas descriptive; chi-squared tests were performed to make comparisons across diseases.Results:There were 398 valid responses (COPD=156, asthma=119, ILD=67 and bronchiectasis=56). Whileonly 9.2% of respondents who were eventually diagnosed with asthma had not heard of theirdisease, the corresponding percentages for COPD, ILD and bronchiectasis were 34.0%, 74.6% and69.6% respectively. 33.9% of people with bronchiectasis believed their delayed diagnosis was due tothe health professionals’ lack of expertise or knowledge – 24.4% for asthma, 19.2% for COPD and17.9% for ILD.People with COPD were more likely (37.2%) and asthma patients less likely (10.9%) to report theydid not know the signs of potential lung disease (p<0.001). People with COPD were more likely toreport that they did not appreciate the severity or urgency of the situation (58.3%) than people withasthma (32.8%), ILD (43.3%) or bronchiectasis (28.6%, p<0.001). The proportion of patients reportingthat they were being initially treated for another lung condition was higher in people withbronchiectasis (44.6%) and lower in people with asthma (8.4%, p<0.001).Conclusions:Perceived reasons for diagnostic delay can help health professionals promote early diagnosis andmanagement. Patients’ limited knowledge of respiratory diseases also played a factor, indicating thenecessi
Williams AT, Shrine N, Naghra-van Gijzel H, et al., 2023, Genome-wide association study of susceptibility to hospitalised respiratory infections, Wellcome Open Research, Vol: 6, Pages: 290-290
<ns3:p><ns3:bold>Background</ns3:bold>: Globally, respiratory infections contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. However, genetic determinants of respiratory infections are understudied and remain poorly understood.</ns3:p><ns3:p> <ns3:bold>Methods</ns3:bold>: We conducted a genome-wide association study in 19,459 hospitalised respiratory infection cases and 101,438 controls from UK Biobank (Stage 1). We followed-up well-imputed top signals from our Stage 1 analysis in 50,912 respiratory infection cases and 150,442 controls from 11 cohorts (Stage 2). We aggregated effect estimates across studies using inverse variance-weighted meta-analyses. Additionally, we investigated the function of the top signals in order to gain understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms.</ns3:p><ns3:p> <ns3:bold>Results</ns3:bold>: From our Stage 1 analysis, we report 56 signals at <ns3:italic>P</ns3:italic><5 <ns3:italic>×</ns3:italic>10 <ns3:sup>-6</ns3:sup>, one of which was genome-wide significant ( <ns3:italic>P</ns3:italic><5 <ns3:italic>×</ns3:italic>10 <ns3:sup>-8</ns3:sup>). The genome-wide significant signal was in an intron of <ns3:italic>PBX3</ns3:italic>, a gene that encodes pre-B-cell leukaemia transcription factor 3, a homeodomain-containing transcription factor. Further, the genome-wide significant signal was found to colocalise with gene-specific expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) affecting expression of <ns3:italic>PBX3</ns3:italic> in lung tissue, where the respiratory infection risk alleles were associated with decreased <ns3:italic>PBX3</ns3:italic> expression in lung tissue, highlighting a possible biological mechanism. Of the 56 signals, 40 were well-imputed in UK Biobank and were investigated in Stage 2. None of the 40 signals replicated, wit
Kallis C, Maslova E, Morgan A, et al., 2023, Recent trends in asthma diagnosis, pre-school wheeze diagnosis, and asthma exacerbations in English children and adolescents: A SABINA Jr study, Thorax, Vol: 78, Pages: 1175-1180, ISSN: 0040-6376
Background: Asthma-related burden remains poorly characterised in children in the UK. We quantified recent trends in asthma prevalence and burden in a UK population-based cohort (1‒17-year-olds).Methods: The Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database (2008‒2018) was used to assess annual asthma incidence and prevalence in 1‒17-year-olds and preschool wheeze in 1‒5-year-olds, stratified by sex and age. During the same period, annual asthma exacerbation rates were assessed in those with either a diagnosis of preschool wheeze or asthma.Results: Annual asthma incidence rates decreased by 51% from 1403.4 (95% CI 1383.7 to 1423.2) in 2008 to 688.0 (95% CI 676.3 to 699.9) per 105 person-years (PYs) in 2018, with the most pronounced decrease observed in 1‒5-year olds (decreasing by 65%, from 2556.9 (95% CI 2509.8 to 2604.7) to 892.3 (95% CI 866.9 to 918.3) per 105 PYs). The corresponding decreases for the 6‒11- and 12‒17-year-olds were 36% (1139.9 (95% CI 1110.6 to 1169.7) to 739.9 (95% CI 720.5 to 759.8)) and 20% (572.3 (95% CI 550.4 to 594.9) to 459.5 (95% CI 442.9 to 476.4)) per 105 PYs, respectively. The incidence of preschool wheeze decreased over time and was slightly more pronounced in the 1‒3 year-olds than in the 4-year-olds. Prevalence of asthma and preschool wheeze also decreased over time, from 18.0% overall in 2008 to 10.2% in 2018 for asthma. Exacerbation rates increased over time from 1.33 (95% CI 1.31 to 1.35) per 10 PYs in 2008 to 1.81 (95% CI 1.78 to 1.83) per 10 PYs in 2018.Conclusion: Paediatric asthma incidence decreased in the UK since 2008, particularly in 1–5-year-olds; this was accompanied by a decline in asthma prevalence. Preschool wheeze incidence also decreased in this age group. However, exacerbation rates have been increasing.
Xiuxiang Z, Qinghua X, Quint JK, et al., 2023, Correction: The operational experience of private owners of small-sized care homes in China: a qualitative study., BMC Health Serv Res, Vol: 23
Kallis C, Kaura A, Samuel NA, et al., 2023, The relationship between cardiac troponin in people hospitalised for exacerbation of COPD and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and COPD readmissions, The International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Vol: 18, Pages: 2405-2416, ISSN: 1176-9106
Background: No single biomarker currently risk stratifies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients at the time of an exacerbation, though previous studies have suggested that patients with elevated troponin at exacerbation have worse outcomes. This study evaluated the relationship between peak cardiac troponin and subsequent major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including all-cause mortality and COPD hospital readmission, among patients admitted with COPD exacerbation.Methods: Data from five cross-regional hospitals in England were analysed using the National Institute of Health Research Health Informatics Collaborative (NIHR-HIC) acute coronary syndrome database (2008– 2017). People hospitalised with a COPD exacerbation were included, and peak troponin levels were standardised relative to the 99th percentile (upper limit of normal). We used Cox Proportional Hazard models adjusting for age, sex, laboratory results and clinical risk factors, and implemented logarithmic transformation (base-10 logarithm). The primary outcome was risk of MACE within 90 days from peak troponin measurement. Secondary outcome was risk of COPD readmission within 90 days from peak troponin measurement.Results: There were 2487 patients included. Of these, 377 (15.2%) patients had a MACE event and 203 (8.2%) were readmitted within 90 days from peak troponin measurement. A total of 1107 (44.5%) patients had an elevated troponin level. Of 1107 patients with elevated troponin at exacerbation, 256 (22.8%) had a MACE event and 101 (9.0%) a COPD readmission within 90 days from peak troponin measurement. Patients with troponin above the upper limit of normal had a higher risk of MACE (adjusted HR 2.20, 95% CI 1.75– 2.77) and COPD hospital readmission (adjusted HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02– 1.83) when compared with patients without elevated troponin.Conclusion: An elevated troponin level at the time of COPD exacerbation may be a useful tool for predicting MACE in COPD patients. T
Tsocheva I, Scales J, Dove R, et al., 2023, Investigating the impact of London's ultra low emission zone on children's health: children's health in London and Luton (CHILL) protocol for a prospective parallel cohort study, BMC Pediatrics, Vol: 23, ISSN: 1471-2431
BACKGROUND: Air pollution harms health across the life course. Children are at particular risk of adverse effects during development, which may impact on health in later life. Interventions that improve air quality are urgently needed both to improve public health now, and prevent longer-term increased vulnerability to chronic disease. Low Emission Zones are a public health policy intervention aimed at reducing traffic-derived contributions to urban air pollution, but evidence that they deliver health benefits is lacking. We describe a natural experiment study (CHILL: Children's Health in London and Luton) to evaluate the impacts of the introduction of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on children's health. METHODS: CHILL is a prospective two-arm parallel longitudinal cohort study recruiting children at age 6-9 years from primary schools in Central London (the focus of the first phase of the ULEZ) and Luton (a comparator site), with the primary outcome being the impact of changes in annual air pollutant exposures (nitrogen oxides [NOx], nitrogen dioxide [NO2], particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5micrograms [PM2.5], and less than 10 micrograms [PM10]) across the two sites on lung function growth, measured as post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) over five years. Secondary outcomes include physical activity, cognitive development, mental health, quality of life, health inequalities, and a range of respiratory and health economic data. DISCUSSION: CHILL's prospective parallel cohort design will enable robust conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of the ULEZ at improving air quality and delivering improvements in children's respiratory health. With increasing proportions of the world's population now living in large urban areas exceeding World Health Organisation air pollution limit guidelines, our study findings will have important implications for the design and implementation of Low Emission and Clean Air Zones
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