Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly staged according to the percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 % pred), but other methods have been proposed. In this study we compared the performance of seven staging methods in predicting outcomes.We retrospectively studied 296 COPD outpatients. For each patient the disease severity was staged by separately applying the following methods: the criteria proposed by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), quartiles of FEV1 % pred and z-score of FEV1, quartiles and specified cut-off points of the ratio of FEV1 over height squared ((FEV1·Ht−2)A and (FEV1·Ht−2)B, respectively), and quartiles of the ratio of FEV1 over height cubed (FEV1·Ht−3) and of FEV1 quotient (FEV1Q). We evaluated the performance of these methods in predicting the risks of severe acute exacerbation and all-cause mortality.Overall, staging based on the reference-independent FEV1Q performed best in predicting the risks of severe acute exacerbation (including frequent exacerbation) and mortality, followed by (FEV1·Ht−2)B. The performance of staging methods could also be influenced by the choice of cut-off values. Future work using large and ethnically diverse populations to refine and validate the cut-off values would enhance the prediction of outcomes.

Background and objectiveA multidimensional assessment of COPD was recommended by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in 2013 and revised in 2017. We examined the ability of the GOLD 2017 and the new 16 subgroup (1A–4D) classifications to predict clinical outcomes, including exacerbation and mortality, and compared them with the GOLD 2013 classifications.MethodsPatients with COPD were recruited from January 2006 to December 2017. The predictive abilities of grades 1–4 and groups A–D were examined through a logistic regression analysis with receiver operating curve estimations and area under the curve (AUC).ResultsA total of 553 subjects with COPD were analyzed. The mortality rate was 48.6% during a median follow-up period of 5.2 years. Both the GOLD 2017 and the 2013 group A–D classifications had good predictive ability for total and severe exacerbations, for which the AUCs were 0.79 vs 0.77 and 0.79 vs 0.78, respectively. The AUCs for the GOLD 2017 groups A–D, grades 1–4, and the GOLD 2013 group A–D classifications were 0.70, 0.66, and 0.70 for all-cause mortality and 0.73, 0.71, and 0.74 for respiratory cause mortality, respectively. Combining the spirometric staging with the grouping for the GOLD 2017 subgroups (1A–4D), the all-cause mortality rate for group B and D patients was significantly increased from subgroups 1B–4B (27.7%, 50.6%, 53.3%, and 69.2%, respectively) and groups 1D–4D (55.0%, 68.8%, 82.1%, and 90.5%, respectively). The AUCs of subgroups (1A–4D) were 0.73 and 0.77 for all-cause and respiratory mortality, respectively; the new classification was determined more accurate than the GOLD 2017 for predicting mortality (P<0.0001).ConclusionThe GOLD 2017 classification performed well by identifying individuals at risk of exacerbation, but its predictive ability for mortality was poor among COPD patients. Combining the spirometric staging with the grouping increased the predictive ability for all-cause and respiratory mortality.Summary at a glanceWe validate the ability of the GOLD 2017 and 16 subgroup (1A–4D) classifications to predict clinical outcome for COPD patients. The GOLD 2017 classification performed well by identifying individuals at risk of exacerbation, but its predictive ability for mortality was poor. The new 16 subgroup (1A–4D) classification combining the spirometric 1–4 staging and the A–D grouping increased the predictive ability for mortality and was better than the GOLD 2017 for predicting all-cause and respiratory mortality among COPD patients.

Background Nintedanib is effective for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but some patients may exhibit a suboptimal response and develop on-treatment acute exacerbation (AE-IPF), hepatic injury, or mortality. It remains unclear which patients are at risk for these adverse outcomes. Methods We analysed the demographic and clinical data, baseline plasma levels of Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) and surfactant protein A (SPA), and longitudinal clinical courses of a real-world cohort of IPF patients who received nintedanib ≥ 14 days between March 2017 and December 2020. Cox proportional-hazards regression, subdistribution hazards regression, and sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the association between baseline predictors and AE-IPF, mortality, and nintedanib-related hepatic injury. The relationship between baseline predictors and pulmonary function decline was determined. Results Fifty-seven patients were included, of whom 24 (42%) developed hepatic injury, 20 (35%) had AE-IPF, and 16 (28%) died on-treatment. A baseline plasma KL-6 level ≥ 2.5 ng/mL, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) < 55% predicted, were associated with increased risk of hepatic injury (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] was 3.46; 95% CI 1.13–10.60; p = 0.029 for KL-6, and 6.05; 95% CI 1.89–19.32; p = 0.002 for DLCO). Both factors also predicted severe and recurrent hepatic injury. Patients with baseline KL-6 ≥ 2.5 ng/mL also had a higher risk of AE-IPF (aHR 4.52; 95% CI 1.63–12.55; p = 0.004). For on-treatment mortality, baseline KL-6 ≥ 3.5 ng/mL and SPA ≥ 600 pg/mL were significant predictors (aHR 5.39; 95% CI 1.16–24.97; p = 0.031 for KL-6, and aHR 12.28; 95% CI 2.06–73.05; p = 0.006 for SPA). Results from subdistribution hazard regression and sensitivity analyses supported these findings. Patients with elevated baseline plasma KL-6 levels also exhibited a trend towards faster pulmonary function decline. Conclusions For patients with IPF who are receiving nintedanib, we have identified baseline predictors, in particular plasma KL-6 levels, for the risk of adverse outcomes. Patients with these predictors may require close monitoring for unfavourable responses during treatment. Our findings also support the prognostic role of molecular markers like KL-6 and may contribute to future formulation of more individualized therapeutic strategies for IPF.

Background A comprehensive study of respiratory pathogens was conducted in an area with a low prevalence of COVID-19 among the adults quarantined at a tertiary hospital. Methods From March to May 2020, 201 patients suspected lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) were surveyed for etiologies by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR: FilmArray TM Respiratory Panel) test combination with cultural method, viral antigen detection and serologic surveys. Results Total 201 patients tested with FilmArray TM Respiratory Panel were enrolled, of which 68.2% had sputum bacterial culture, 86.1% had pneumococcus and Legionella urine antigen test. Their median age was 72.0 year-old with multiple comorbidities, and 11.4% were nursing home residents. Bacteria accounted for 59.7% of identified pathogens. Atypical pathogens were identified in 31.3% of total pathogens, of which viruses accounted for 23.9%. In comparison to patients with bacterial infection, patients with atypical pathogens were younger (median= 77.2 vs 67.1, years, P = 0.017) and had shorter length of hospital (8.0 vs 4.5, days, P = 0.007). Conclusions Patients with LRTI caused by atypical pathogens was indistinguishable from those with bacterial pathogens by clinical manifestations or biomarkers. Multiplex PCR providing rapid diagnosis of atypical pathogens enhance patient care and decision making when rate of sputum culture sampling was low in quarantine ward during pandemic.

1. PTX3 promotes fibroblast activation and pulmonary fibrosis. 2. CD44 mediates PTX3-induced fibrotic activation and regulation in lung injury. 3. αPTX3i is a novel and promising candidate for fILD therapy.

This study tests our hypothesis that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have an increased risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI).In this nationwide retrospective cohort study, we used a subset of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, involving 1 million randomly selected beneficiaries. Patients with newly diagnosed COPD between 2000 and 2008 were identified. They were subgrouped as ‘COPDAE+’ (if they had severe acute exacerbation of COPD during the follow-ups) or ‘COPDAE−’ (if they had no acute exacerbation), and were frequency matched with randomly selected subjects without COPD (the ‘non-COPD’ group). Baseline differences were balanced by the inverse probability of treatment weighting based on the propensity score. For each patient, the risk of TBI during the subsequent 5 years was determined. The competing risk of death was controlled.We identified 3734 patients in ‘COPDAE+’, and frequency matched them with 11,202 patients in ‘COPDAE−’ and 11,202 subjects in ‘non-COPD’. Compared with those in ‘non-COPD’, patients in ‘COPDAE+’ and ‘COPDAE−’ had an increased risk of TBI: the adjusted HR for ‘COPDAE+’ was 1.50, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.73, and that for ‘COPDAE−’ was 1.21, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.34. The highest risk was observed in the ‘COPDAE+’ group that aged <65 (the adjusted HR was 1.92; 95% CI 1.39 to 2.64).COPD has been linked to complications beyond the respiratory system. In this study we showed that COPD is associated with an increased risk of TBI.

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BackgroundOrganizing pneumonia (OP) has variable clinical and radiographic presentations and unstandardized treatments. Most patients with OP have favourable outcomes, but some develop respiratory insufficiency, experience recurrence, or die. In this study we investigated the impact of computed tomographic (CT) patterns and extent of OP on the diagnostic and therapeutic management that patients received, and that on the therapeutic response and prognosis (particularly the risk of respiratory insufficiency and death).MethodsWe retrospectively studied 156 patients with OP followed at our hospital between 2010 and 2021. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically and verified by multidisciplinary specialists. We performed Firth's logistic regression to determine the relationship between CT features and aetiologies, management, and outcomes including the risk of severe disease (defined as the need of supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation). We conducted Kaplan-Meier analyses to assess survival differences.ResultsPatients exhibiting multi-lobe involvement or mixed patterns, or both, were more likely to have secondary OP and receive immunosuppressants. Higher proportions of these patients experienced recurrence. Compared to patients with single-lobe involvement and single-pattern, they also had an enhanced risk of severe disease (the adjusted odds ratio for patients who simultaneously had multi-lobe involvement and mixed patterns was 27.64; 95% confidence interval, 8.25–127.44). Besides, these patients had decreased survival probabilities.ConclusionDifferent CT features of OP impact patients’ management and prognosis. When treating patients with OP exhibiting multi-lobe involvement or mixed patterns, or both, it is important to identify the possible causative aetiology and follow closely for adverse outcomes.