Association Between Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians and Airflow Limitation in Japanese Post-Menopausal Women.

Purpose: This study aimed to reveal the association between the osteoporosis self-assessment tool for Asians (OSTA) and airflow limitation (AL) in post-menopausal Japanese women. Participants and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1580 participants undergoing a comprehensive health examination using spirometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The OSTA was calculated by subtracting the age in years from the body weight (BW) in kilograms, and the result was multiplied by 0.2. The OSTA risk level was defined as low (>-1), moderate (-4 to -1), or high (<-4). AL was defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) <0.7. The association between the OSTA and AL was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of AL was significantly higher in the high OSTA group (15.3%) than in the low OSTA group (3.1%) (p<0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, the OSTA was independently associated with FEV1/FVC. In logistic regression models adjusted for smoking status, alcohol consumption, current use of medication for diabetes, hyperglycemia, rheumatoid arthritis, second-hand smoke, and ovary removal showed a significantly higher risk of AL (odds ratio: 5.48; 95% confidence interval: 2.90-10.37; p<0.001) in participants with OSTA high risk than in those with OSTA low risk. Conclusion: These results suggest that the OSTA high risk indicates reduced BMD at the femoral neck and presence of AL in Japanese post-menopausal women aged ≥45 years.

Clinical significance of chronic bronchitis in different racial groups.

BACKGROUNDS: Limited data are available on racial differences in the clinical features of chronic bronchitis (CB) patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, we aimed to compare clinical features among CB patients of different races. We also analyzed the clinical significance of CB, defined classically and based on the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), to validate the CAT-based definition. METHODS: We analyzed patient data extracted from the Korean COPD Subgroup Study (KOCOSS) cohort (2012-2021) and US Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) study (2008-2011). We compared clinical characteristics among CB and non-CB patients of three different races using two CB definitions. RESULTS: In this study, 3,462 patients were non-Hispanic white (NHW), 1,018 were African American (AA), and 1,793 were Asian. The proportions of NHW, AA, and Asian patients with CB according to the classic definition were 27.4%, 20.9%, and 10.7%, compared with 25.2%, 30.9%, and 23.0% according to the CAT-based definition, respectively. The risk of CB prevalence was highest in NHW and lowest in Asian COPD patients. Among all races, CB patients were more likely to be current smokers, have worse respiratory symptoms and poorer health-related quality of life (HrQoL), and to have decreased lung function and exercise capacity. Most of these characteristics showed similar associations with the outcomes between the two definitions of CB. A binominal regression model revealed that CB patients of all races had an increased risk of future exacerbations according to both CB definitions, except for Asian patients with classically defined CB. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CB was associated with worse respiratory symptoms, HrQoL, exercise capacity and lung function, and more exacerbations, regardless of race or CB definition. The CAT-based definition may be more useful for assessing the risk of future exacerbations in Asian COPD patients.

Adverse childhood experiences and adult disease: Examining mediating pathways in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to adulthood chronic diseases, but there is little research examining the mechanisms underlying this association. We tested pathways from ACEs to adult disease mediated via risk factors of depression, smoking, and body mass index. METHOD: Prospective data from adults 18 to 74 years old from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and Sociocultural Ancillary Study were used. Retrospectively reported ACEs and hypothesized mediators were measured at Visit 1 (2008-2011). Outcomes of disease prevalence were assessed at Visit 2, approximately 6 years later. The analytic sample includes 5,230 Hispanic/Latino participants with ACE data. Statistical mediation was examined using structural equation modeling on cardiometabolic and pulmonary disease prevalence and reported probit regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We found a significant association between ACEs and the prevalence of asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (standardized ß = .07, 95% CI [0.02, 0.12]). In the mediational model, the direct association was nonsignificant (ß = .02, 95% CI [-0.04, 0.07]) but was mediated by depressive symptoms (ß = .03, 95% CI [0.02, 0.04]). There were no associations between ACEs and the prevalence of diabetes and self-reported coronary heart disease or cerebrovascular disease. However, a small indirect effect was identified via depressive symptoms and coronary heart disease (ß = .02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03]). CONCLUSION: In this diverse Hispanic/Latino sample, depressive symptoms were found to be a pathway linking ACEs to self-reported cardiopulmonary diseases, although the effects were of small magnitude. Future work should replicate pathways, confirm the magnitude of effects, and examine cultural moderators that may dampen expected associations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of Using Global Lung Initiative Race-neutral Equations for Chronic Respiratory Disease in Western India.

The Global Lung Initiative (GLI) race-neutral equations are considered to be race agnostic, using inverse probability weight, and have lower limits of normality (LLN) different from the GLI mixed equations. In this observational study, we analyzed the impact of using GLI equations to interpret spirometry of 1,169 patients with chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), COPD suspects, small airway obstruction, posttubercular lung disease, and preserved ratio with impaired spirometry (PRISm) (46% females, average age 46 years). Predicted normal and the LLN using GLI equations were significantly higher than those using Indian equations. The GLI race-neutral equations changed the category in 35.17% of males and 42.64% of females compared to Indian equations. The GLI mixed equations categorized a greater percentage of patients to have a mixed ventilatory pattern compared to the GLI race-neutral equations. There was a significant change in the grading of the severity of COPD using Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages based on the percentage of predicted values of FEV1. Although GLI race-neutral equations have greater concordance with Indian equations than GLI Mixed equations, these substantially overdiagnose abnormal ventilatory patterns on spirometry in adult Indians in western India with chronic respiratory disease. A substantial number of patients with normal or obstructive patterns on spirometry are recategorized to have mixed or restrictive patterns. The use of GLI race-neutral equations increases the severity of airflow limitation in COPD patients. GLI race-neutral predictions for FEV1 result in substantially fewer patients demonstrating postbronchodilator responsiveness (PBDR).

Race Adjustment of Pulmonary Function Tests in the Diagnosis and Management of COPD: A Scoping Review.

Aim: Increasing evidence suggests that the inclusion of self-identified race in clinical decision algorithms may perpetuate longstanding inequities. Until recently, most pulmonary function tests utilized separate reference equations that are race/ethnicity based. Purpose: We assess the magnitude and scope of the available literature on the negative impact of race-based pulmonary function prediction equations on relevant outcomes in African Americans with COPD. Methods: We performed a scoping review utilizing an English language search on PubMed/Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science in September 2022 and updated it in December 2023. We searched for publications regarding the effect of race-specific vs race-neutral, race-free, or race-reversed lung function testing algorithms on the diagnosis of COPD and COPD-related physiologic and functional measures. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines were utilized for this scoping review. Eligibility criteria: The search was restricted to adults with COPD. We excluded publications on other lung disorders, non-English language publications, or studies that did not include African Americans. The search identified publications. Ultimately, six peer-reviewed publications and four conference abstracts were selected for this review. Results: Removal of race from lung function prediction equations often had opposite effects in African Americans and Whites, specifically regarding the severity of lung function impairment. Symptoms and objective findings were better aligned when race-specific reference values were not used. Race-neutral prediction algorithms uniformly resulted in reclassifying severity in the African Americans studied. Conclusion: The limited literature does not support the use of race-based lung function prediction equations. However, this assertion does not provide guidance for every specific clinical situation. For African Americans with COPD, the use of race-based prediction equations appears to fall short in enhancing diagnostic accuracy, classifying severity of impairment, or predicting subsequent clinical events. We do not have information comparing race-neutral vs race-based algorithms on prediction of progression of COPD. We conclude that the elimination of race-based reference values potentially reduces underestimation of disease severity in African Americans with COPD.

Implications of Race Adjustment in Lung-Function Equations.

BACKGROUND: Adjustment for race is discouraged in lung-function testing, but the implications of adopting race-neutral equations have not been comprehensively quantified. METHODS: We obtained longitudinal data from 369,077 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, U.K. Biobank, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Using these data, we compared the race-based 2012 Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI-2012) equations with race-neutral equations introduced in 2022 (GLI-Global). Evaluated outcomes included national projections of clinical, occupational, and financial reclassifications; individual lung-allocation scores for transplantation priority; and concordance statistics (C statistics) for clinical prediction tasks. RESULTS: Among the 249 million persons in the United States between 6 and 79 years of age who are able to produce high-quality spirometric results, the use of GLI-Global equations may reclassify ventilatory impairment for 12.5 million persons, medical impairment ratings for 8.16 million, occupational eligibility for 2.28 million, grading of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for 2.05 million, and military disability compensation for 413,000. These potential changes differed according to race; for example, classifications of nonobstructive ventilatory impairment may change dramatically, increasing 141% (95% confidence interval [CI], 113 to 169) among Black persons and decreasing 69% (95% CI, 63 to 74) among White persons. Annual disability payments may increase by more than $1 billion among Black veterans and decrease by $0.5 billion among White veterans. GLI-2012 and GLI-Global equations had similar discriminative accuracy with regard to respiratory symptoms, health care utilization, new-onset disease, death from any cause, death related to respiratory disease, and death among persons on a transplant waiting list, with differences in C statistics ranging from -0.008 to 0.011. CONCLUSIONS: The use of race-based and race-neutral equations generated similarly accurate predictions of respiratory outcomes but assigned different disease classifications, occupational eligibility, and disability compensation for millions of persons, with effects diverging according to race. (Funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.).

Changes in Spirometry Interpretative Strategies: Implications for Classifying COPD and Predicting Exacerbations.

BACKGROUND: Recent guidelines for spirometry interpretation recommend both race-neutral reference equations and use of z score thresholds to define severity of airflow obstruction. RESEARCH QUESTION: How does the transition from race-specific to race-neutral equations impact severity classifications for patients with COPD when using % predicted vs z score thresholds, and do changes in severity correspond to clinical risk? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included Black and White patients with COPD and available spirometry from the Johns Hopkins Health System. Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) 2012 (race-specific) equations and GLI Global (race-neutral) equations were used to determine FEV1 % predicted and z score values. Patients were classified as having mild, moderate, or severe disease according to % predicted or z score thresholds. Associations between a change in severity classification from race-specific to race-neutral with COPD exacerbations and all-cause hospitalizations were evaluated using logistic regression. RESULTS: This cohort included 13,324 patients, of whom 9,232 patients (69.3%) were White (mean age, 65.7 years) and 4,092 patients (30.7%) were Black (mean age, 61.1 years). More Black than White patients showed a change in severity classification between approaches when using % predicted thresholds (20.2% vs 6.1%; P < .001), but not with z score thresholds (12.6% vs 12.3%; P = .68). An increased severity classification with a race-neutral approach was associated with increased risk of exacerbation when using z score thresholds (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.51-3.63), but not when using % predicted thresholds (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.61-1.93). A decreased severity classification with a race-neutral approach was associated with lower risk of exacerbation with both % predicted (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.87) and z score (OR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50-0.90) thresholds. INTERPRETATION: The proportions of Black and White individuals reclassified were similar with z score thresholds, and changes in severity corresponded to clinical risk with z scores. These results support recent recommendations for use of race-neutral equations and z score thresholds for spirometry interpretation.

Examining neighbourhood-level disparities in Black, Latina/o, Asian, and White physical health, mental health, chronic conditions, and social disadvantage in California.

Racial/ethnic minority individuals in the U.S. experience numerous health disparities versus Whites, often due to differences in social determinants. Yet, limited large-scale research has examined these differences at the neighbourhood level. We merged 2021 PLACES Project and 2020 American Community Survey data across 3,211 census tracts (neighbourhoods) defined as majority (>50%) Black, Latina/o, Asian or White. T-tests and hierarchical linear regressions were used to examine differences and associations between neighbourhoods on key health (general health, mental health, obesity, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke), and social outcomes (income, unemployment, age, population density). Results indicated that minority neighbourhoods in California exhibited stark health and social disparities versus White neighbourhoods, displaying worse outcomes on nearly every social and health variable/condition examined; particularly for Black and Latina/o neighbourhoods. Moreover, regression findings revealed that, after considering income, unemployment, and population density, (1) fair/poor mental health and higher percentages of Black, Latina/o and Asian residents in neighbourhoods independently associated with greater neighbourhood fair/poor physical health, and (2) fair/poor mental health significantly associated with greater prevalence of obesity and COPD. This study thus underscores the need to address the profound health and social disparities experienced by minority neighbourhoods for more equitable neighbourhoods.

Ethnic differences in respiratory disease for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders: Analysis of mediation processes in two community samples.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is elevated for Native Hawaiians but the basis for this differential is not well understood. We analyze data on asthma and COPD in two samples including Native Hawaiians Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos to determine how ethnicity is related to respiratory disease outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed the 2016 and 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), a telephone survey of participants ages 18 and over in the State of Hawaii. Criterion variables were a diagnosis of asthma or COPD by a health professional. Structural equation modeling tested how five hypothesized risk factors (cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use, second-hand smoke exposure, obesity, and financial stress) mediated the ethnic differential in the likelihood of disease. Age, sex, and education were included as covariates. RESULTS: Structural modeling with 2016 data showed that Native Hawaiian ethnicity was related to higher levels of the five risk factors and each risk factor was related to a higher likelihood of respiratory disease. Indirect effects were statistically significant in almost all cases, with direct effects to asthma and COPD also observed. Mediation effects through comparable pathways were also noted for Pacific Islanders and Filipinos. These findings were replicated with data from the 2018 survey. CONCLUSIONS: Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander ethnicity is associated with greater exposure to five risk factors and this accounts in part for the ethnic differential in respiratory disease outcomes. The results support a social-ecological model of health disparities in this population. Implications of the findings for preventive interventions are discussed.

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the PROactive Physical Activity in COPD-clinical visit instrument for individuals with COPD.

OBJECTIVE: To adapt the PROactive Physical Activity in COPD-clinical visit (C-PPAC) instrument to the cultural setting in Brazil and to determine the criterion validity, test-retest reliability agreement, and internal consistency of this version. METHODS: A protocol for cultural adaptation and validation was provided by the authors of the original instrument and, together with another guideline, was applied in a Portuguese-language version developed by a partner research group from Portugal. The adapted Brazilian Portuguese version was then cross-sectionally administered twice within a seven-day interval to 30 individuals with COPD (57% were men; mean age was 69 ± 6 years; and mean FEV1 was 53 ± 18% of predicted) to evaluate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Participants also completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the modified Medical Research Council scale, the COPD Assessment Test, and Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire to evaluate criterion validity. RESULTS: The C-PPAC instrument showed good internal consistency and excellent test-retest reliability: "amount" domain = 0.87 (95% CI, 0.73-0.94) and "difficulty" domain = 0.90 (95% CI, 0.76-0.96). Bland & Altman plots, together with high Lin's concordance correlation coefficients, reinforced that agreement. Criterion validity showed moderate-to-strong correlations of the C-PPAC with all of the other instruments evaluated, especially with the IPAQ (rho = -0.63). CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the C-PPAC is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating the experience of Brazilian individuals with COPD with their physical activity in daily life.

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

In the United States, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) disproportionately affect African Americans, Puerto Ricans, and other minority groups. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, minorities have been marginalized and more frequently exposed to environmental risk factors such as tobacco smoke and outdoor and indoor pollutants. Such divergent environmental exposures, alone or interacting with heredity, lead to disparities in the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of asthma and COPD, which are worsened by lack of access to health care. In this article, we review the burden and risk factors for racial or ethnic disparities in asthma and COPD and discuss future directions in this field.

Effect of PRDX6 gene polymorphism on susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: To explore the relationship of peroxiredoxin6 (PRDX6) tag-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Chinese Han population. METHODS: A total of 502 patients with COPD and 481 healthy controls from nine hospitals in China were enrolled in this study. The PRDX6 tag-SNPs were identified by linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis in 30 healthy controls. The associations between identified tag-SNPs and COPD risk were further evaluated. RESULTS: Four PRDX6 tag-SNPs, including rs7314, rs34619706, rs33951697, and rs4382766, were identified in 30 healthy controls. Moreover, in the allele model, there was no statistical difference in locus in PRDX6 between patients with COPD and healthy controls (P > 0.05). However, in the recessive model, rs33951697 locus in PRDX6 gene carrier with T/T had an increased risk of COPD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.06-6.33, P = 0.028). Furthermore, in the relevance analysis between genetic polymorphisms and smoking behavior and lung function indexes, we found that the number of smoked cigarettes per day and FEV1/FVC differed among different genotypes of PRDX6, rs4382766, and rs7314 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PRDX6 gene polymorphism with smoking status may contribute to the etiology of COPD in the Chinese Han population.

Application of the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the implementation of telehealth pulmonary rehabilitation in a randomized controlled trial among African-American and Hispanic patients with advanced stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) decreases rehospitalization for people with COPD. However, less than 2% receive PR, partly due to lack of referral and sparsity of PR facilities. This disparity is particularly pronounced in African American and Hispanic persons with COPD. Telehealth-provided PR could increase access and improve health outcomes. METHODS: We applied the RE-AIM framework in a post-hoc analysis of our mixed methods RCT comparing referral to Telehealth-delivered PR (TelePR) versus standard PR (SPR) for African American and Hispanic COPD patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation. Both arms received a referral to PR for 8 weeks, social worker follow-up, and surveys administered at baseline, 8 weeks, 6, and 12 months. PR sessions were conducted twice a week for 90 min each (16 sessions total). Quantitative data were analyzed using 2-sample t tests or nonparametric Wilcoxon tests for continuous data and χ2/Fisher exact tests for categorical data. Logistic regression-estimated odds ratios (ORs) were used for the intention-to-treat primary outcome. Qualitative interviews were conducted at the end of the study to assess adherence and satisfaction and were analyzed using inductive and deductive methods. The goal was to understand Reach (whether the target population was able to be enrolled), Effectiveness (primary outcome was a composite of 6-month COPD rehospitalization and death), Adoption (proportion of people willing to initiate the program), Implementation (whether the program was able to be executed as intended, and Maintenance (whether the program was continued). RESULTS: Two hundred nine people enrolled out of a 276-recruitment goal. Only 85 completed at least one PR session 57/111 (51%) TelePR; 28/98 (28%) SPR. Referral to TelePR compared to SPR did not decrease the composite outcome of 6-month COPD-readmission rate/death (OR1.35;95%CI 0.69,2.66). There was significant reduction in fatigue (PROMIS® scale) from baseline to 8-weeks in TelePR compared to SPR (MD-1.34; ± SD4.22; p = 0.02). Participants who received TelePR experienced improvements from baseline in several outcomes (ie, before and after 8 weeks of PR) in the following: COPD symptoms, knowledge about COPD management, fatigue, and functional capacity. Among the patients who had 1 initial visit, adherence rates were similar (TelePR arm, 59% of sessions; SPR arm, 63%). No intervention-related adverse events occurred. Barriers to PR adoption included difficulty or reluctance to complete medical clearances and beliefs about PR efficacy. Notably, only 9 participants sustained exercise after program completion. Maintenance of the program was not possible due to low insurance reimbursement and sparsity of Respiratory Therapists. CONCLUSIONS: TelePR can reach COPD patients with health disparities and can be successfully implemented. The small sample size and large confidence intervals prevent conclusion about the relative effectiveness of participating in TelePR compared to SPR. However, improved outcomes were seen for those in TelePR as well as in SPR. Increasing adoption of PR and TelePR requires consideration of comorbidity burden, and perception of PR utility, and must facilitate medical clearances. Given the sparsity of SPR locations, TelePR can overcome at least the barrier of access. However, given the challenges to the uptake and completion of PR - many of the additional barriers in PR (both in TelePR and SPR) need to be addressed. Awareness of these real-world challenges will not only inform implementation of TelePR for clinicians seeking to adopt this platform but will also inform study designers and reviewers regarding the feasibility of approaches to patient recruitment and retention.

The Relationship Between Chemokine and Chemokine Receptor Genes Polymorphisms and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Susceptibility in Tatar Population from Russia: A Case Control Study.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease affecting primarily distal respiratory pathways and lung parenchyma. This study aimed to determine possible genetic association of chemokine and chemokine receptor genes polymorphisms with COPD in a Tatar population from Russia. SNPs of CCL20, CCR6, CXCL8, CXCR1, CXCR2, CCL8, CCL23, CCR2, and CX3CL1 genes and their gene-gene interactions were analyzed for association with COPD in cohort of 601 patients and 617 controls. As a result statistically significant associations with COPD in the study group under the biologically plausible assumption of additive genetic model were identified in CCL20 (rs6749704) (P = 0.00001, OR 1.55), CCR6 (rs3093024) (P = 0.0003, OR 0.74), CCL8 (rs3138035) (P = 0.0001, OR 0.67), CX3CL1 (rs170364) (P = 0.023, OR 1.21), CXCL8 (rs4073) (P = 0.007, OR 1.23), CXCR2 (rs2230054) (P = 0.0002, OR 1.32). Following SNPs CCL20 (rs6749704), CX3CL1 (rs170364), CCL8 (rs3138035), CXCL8 (rs4073), CXCR2 (rs2230054) showed statistically significant association with COPD only in smokers. The association of CCR6 (rs3093024) with COPD was confirmed both in smokers and in non-smokers. A relationship between smoking index and CCL20 (rs6749704) (P = 0.04), CCR6 (rs3093024) (P = 0.007), CCL8 (rs3138035) (P = 0.0043), and CX3CL1 (rs170364) (P = 0.04) was revealed. A significant genotype-dependent variation of Forced Vital Capacity was observed for CCL23 (rs854655) (P = 0.04). Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s / Forced Vital Capacity ratio was affected by CCL23 (rs854655) (P = 0.05) and CXCR2 (rs1126579) (P = 0.02). Using the APSampler algorithm, we obtained nine gene-gene combinations that remained significantly associated with COPD; loci CCR2 (rs1799864) and CCL8 (rs3138035) were involved in the largest number of the combinations. Our results indicate that CCL20 (rs6749704), CCR6 (rs3093024), CCR2 (rs1799864), CCL8 (rs3138035), CXCL8 (rs4073), CXCR1 (rs2234671), CXCR2 (rs2230054), and CX3CL1 (rs170364) polymorphisms are strongly associated with COPD in Tatar population from Russia, alone and in combinations. For the first time combination of the corresponding SNPs were considered and as a result 8 SNP patterns were associated with increased risk of COPD.

Determinants of Lung Fissure Completeness.

Rationale: New advanced bronchoscopic treatment options for patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have led to increased interest for COPD phenotyping, including fissure completeness. Objectives: We investigated clinical, environmental, and genetic factors contributing to fissure completeness in patients with and without COPD. Methods: We used data from 9,926 participants of the COPDGene study who underwent chest computed tomographic (CT) scans. Fissure completeness was calculated from CT scans after quantitative CT analysis at baseline and 5-year follow-up. Clinical and environmental factors, including sex, race, smoking, COPD, emphysema, maternal smoking during pregnancy and maternal COPD, were tested for impact on fissure completeness. Genome-wide association analyses were performed separately in non-Hispanic White subjects and African American subjects. Measurements and Main Results: African American subjects had significantly higher fissure completeness than non-Hispanic White subjects for all three fissures (P < 0.001). There was no change in fissure completeness between baseline and 5-year follow-up. For all fissures, no clinically relevant differences in fissure completeness were found for other clinical or environmental factors, including COPD severity. Rs2173623, rs264866, rs2407284, rs7310342, rs4904145, rs6504172, and rs7209556 showed genome-wide significant associations with fissure completeness in non-Hispanic White subjects. In African American subjects, rs264866, rs4904145 and rs6504172 were identified as significant associations. Rs2173623, rs6504172, and rs7209556 lead to WNT5A and HOXB antisense RNA expression, which play an important role during embryogenesis. Conclusions: Fissure completeness is genetically determined and not dependent on age, sex, smoking status, the presence and severity of COPD (including exacerbation frequency), maternal smoking during pregnancy, or maternal COPD.

Racial Segregation and Respiratory Outcomes among Urban Black Residents with and at Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale: Racial residential segregation has been associated with worse health outcomes, but the link with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) morbidity has not been established.Objectives: To investigate whether racial residential segregation is associated with COPD morbidity among urban Black adults with or at risk of COPD.Methods: Racial residential segregation was assessed using isolation index, based on 2010 decennial census and baseline address, for Black former and current smokers in the multicenter SPIROMICS (Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study), a study of adults with or at risk for COPD. We tested the association between isolation index and respiratory symptoms, physiologic outcomes, imaging parameters, and exacerbation risk among urban Black residents, adjusting for established COPD risk factors, including smoking. Additional mediation analyses were conducted for factors that could lie on the pathway between segregation and COPD outcomes, including individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status, comorbidity burden, depression/anxiety, and ambient pollution.Measurements and Main Results: Among 515 Black participants, those residing in segregated neighborhoods (i.e., isolation index ⩾0.6) had worse COPD Assessment Test score (ß = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7 to 4.0), dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council scale; ß = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.47), quality of life (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire; ß = 6.1; 95% CI, 2.3 to 9.9), and cough and sputum (ß = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.1 to 1.5); lower FEV1% predicted (ß = -7.3; 95% CI, -10.9 to -3.6); higher rate of any and severe exacerbations; and higher percentage emphysema (ß = 2.3; 95% CI, 0.7 to 3.9) and air trapping (ß = 3.8; 95% CI, 0.6 to 7.1). Adverse associations attenuated with adjustment for potential mediators but remained robust for several outcomes, including dyspnea, FEV1% predicted, percentage emphysema, and air trapping.Conclusions: Racial residential segregation was adversely associated with COPD morbidity among urban Black participants and supports the hypothesis that racial segregation plays a role in explaining health inequities affecting Black communities.

New Zealand COPD Guidelines: Quick Reference Guide.

The purpose of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand's COPD Guidelines: Quick Reference Guide is to provide simple, practical, evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis, assessment, and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in clinical practice. The intended users are health professionals responsible for delivering acute and chronic COPD care in community and hospital settings, and those responsible for the training of such health professionals.

Whole genome sequence analysis of pulmonary function and COPD in 19,996 multi-ethnic participants.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diagnosed by reduced lung function, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. We performed whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis of lung function and COPD in a multi-ethnic sample of 11,497 participants from population- and family-based studies, and 8499 individuals from COPD-enriched studies in the NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program. We identify at genome-wide significance 10 known GWAS loci and 22 distinct, previously unreported loci, including two common variant signals from stratified analysis of African Americans. Four novel common variants within the regions of PIAS1, RGN (two variants) and FTO show evidence of replication in the UK Biobank (European ancestry n ~ 320,000), while colocalization analyses leveraging multi-omic data from GTEx and TOPMed identify potential molecular mechanisms underlying four of the 22 novel loci. Our study demonstrates the value of performing WGS analyses and multi-omic follow-up in cohorts of diverse ancestry.

Genetic variants in MIR2113 and MIR129-LEP are associated with the susceptibility of COPD in the Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the result of interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In this study, we aimed to explore whether MIR2113 and MIR129-LEP polymorphisms confer susceptibility to COPD. METHODS: We selected five polymorphisms of two genes (MIR2113: rs2505059 and rs9320913; MIR129-LEP: rs7778167, rs791595 and rs4731420) based on previous studies and genotyped 629 samples, which included 315 COPD patients and 314 controls with Agena MassARRAY platform. The association of MIR2113 and MIR129-LEP polymorphisms with COPD risk was conducted with logistic regression by calculating odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: MIR2113 rs2505059 was remarkably linked with a decreased susceptibility of COPD in five genetic models, whereas MIR2113 rs9320913, MIR129-LEP rs791595 and MIR129-LEP rs4731420 could enhance the susceptibility of COPD in the Chinese Han population (P < 0.05). Stratified analysis revealed that the influences of genetic variants on COPD risk were dependent on age, sex, Body mass index or smoking status (P < 0.05). Haplotype analysis showed that Ars791595Crs4731420 haplotype significant increased the susceptibility of COPD. CONCLUSION: It suggested that polymorphisms of MIR2113 and MIR129-LEP might be linked with the susceptibility of COPD among the Chinese Han population.