Plain Language Summaries for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation Articles in Volume 9 Issue 2

This article was written by Cathy Gray Carlomagno, BS

Articles recently published in Volume 9, Issue 2 of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation have corresponding plain language summaries.

The summaries are short and written in simple, non-technical language with the goal of providing a helpful overview of the published original research, review, or perspective articles. These articles (and their short summaries) cover a variety of COPD-related research topics including triple therapy, pulmonary function tests, attitudes about the COVID-19 vaccine, COPD symptom fluctuations and more.

Plain language summaries are available for each of the following articles:

Evaluating a Different Pulmonary Function Test
Usually, the pulmonary function test which measures the volume of air exhaled in the first second—FEV₁—has been the main measurement used with individuals with COPD. However, in the article, "Forced Expiratory Flow at 25%-75% Links COPD Physiology to Emphysema and Disease Severity in the SPIROMICS Cohort" researchers examine the value of a different lung function parameter: forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% of capacity (FEF_25-75%,) which measures airflow in the middle portion of an individual's exhalation and may help detect changes in the small airways of the lungs.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Disparities in COPD Hospitalization Between American Indians and Non-Hispanic Whites
The article, "Disparities in Hospitalized Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations Between American Indians and Non-Hispanic Whites" compares COPD hospitalization among Native American populations to that of non-Hispanic White COPD individuals.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Triple Therapy Prescriptions
A large percentage of patients are prescribed triple therapy (2 inhaled bronchodilator medications plus an inhaled steroid medication) even though they do not meet the criteria for such a treatment. The study discussed in “Trends and Characteristics of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Guidelines-Discordant Prescribing of Triple Therapy Among Patients with COPD” describes the characteristics of these patients.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

CT Scans, COPD, and Lung Cancer Predictions
The article, "Computed Tomography Features of Lung Structure Have Utility for Differentiating Malignant and Benign Pulmonary Nodules" discusses how computed tomography (CT) measures of COPD can be useful in predicting a lung cancer diagnosis.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Undiagnosed and Overdiagnosed COPD
Researchers in Norway set out to investigate how many people in the general population are unaware of having COPD. They also reviewed information about individuals who reported having COPD, but who did not meet the criteria for being diagnosed, in the article, "Treatable Traits in Misdiagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Data from the Akershus Cardiac Examination 1950 Study."
For the complete plain language summary, click here

COPD and Oral Cavity Cancer Surgery
In the article, "Current-Smoking-Related COPD or COPD With Acute Exacerbation is Associated With Poorer Survival Following Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma Surgery," researchers estimated how having smoking-related COPD could affect the chances of a patient with oral cavity cancer to survive the surgery to remove their cancer. Individuals with COPD are at an increased risk of developing cancers of the head and neck.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Daily COPD Symptom Fluctuations
Individuals with COPD often have fluctuation or variation in the severity of their daily symptoms. In the article, “Characterizing COPD Symptom Variability in the Stable State Utilizing the Evaluating Respiratory Symptoms in COPD Instrument” researchers present their attempt at measuring this fluctuation.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

COPD Hospital Readmissions
The article, "Evaluation of COPD Chronic Care Management Collaborative to Reduce Emergency Department and Hospital Revisits Across U.S. Hospitals," discusses the use of a 6-month, multi-hospital collaborative to help prevent COPD-related hospital readmissions and emergency department revisits.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Time Between Heart Beats and COPD Exacerbations
Heart rate variability measures changes in the time between heart beats and generally, a higher heart rate variability is considered healthier. In “Heart Rate Variability on 10-Second Electrocardiogram and Risk of Acute Exacerbation of COPD: A Secondary Analysis of the BLOCK COPD Trial” researchers looked at whether a higher heart rate variability was related to a decreased risk of COPD exacerbations or flare-ups.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Home Non-Invasive Ventilation Studies
Over 100 studies that compare using non-invasive ventilation at home with individuals with COPD versus not using it are presented in the article, "Home Non-Invasive Ventilation in COPD: A Global Systematic Review."
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and COVID-19 Vaccination
Opinions and motivations regarding COVID-19 vaccination among individuals, in Ireland, with the genetic form of COPD, are presented in the article, "Attitudes Towards Vaccination for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Patients with Severe Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency."
For the complete plain language summary, click here

Using a Measurement of Physical Activity in Trials to Evaluate COPD Therapies
The article "A Conceptual Framework for Use of Increased Endurance Time During Constant Work Rate Cycle Ergometry as a Patient-Focused Meaningful Outcome in COPD Clinical Trials," discusses the need and means of measuring physical activity or function—something often limited in individuals with COPD—to help in the evaluation of COPD therapies.
For the complete plain language summary, click here

COPD Self-Management
Researchers looked at the association between self-management behaviors and common symptoms in a large group of individuals with COPD in the article, "Adding Granularity of COPD Self-Management to Impact Quality of Life."
For the complete plain language summary, click here