Lung function parameters in omalizumab responder patients: An interesting tool?

BACKGROUND: Omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody, is used to treat patients with severe allergic asthma. The evolution of lung function parameters over time and the difference between omalizumab responder and nonresponder patients remain inconclusive. The objective of this real-life study was to compare the changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of omalizumab responders and nonresponders at 6 months. METHODS: A multicenter analysis was performed in 10 secondary and tertiary institutions. Lung function parameters (forced vital capacity (FVC), pre- and postbronchodilator FEV1, residual volume (RV), and total lung capacity (TLC) were determined at baseline and at 6 months. Omalizumab response was assessed at the 6-month visit. In the omalizumab responder patients, lung function parameters were also obtained at 12, 18, and 24 months. RESULTS: Mean prebronchodilator FEV1 showed improvement in responders at 6 months, while a decrease was observed in nonresponders (+0.2±0.4 L and -0.1±0.4 L, respectively, P<.01). After an improvement at 6 months, pre- and postbronchodilator FEV1 remained stable at 12, 18, and 24 months. The FEV1/FVC remained unchanged over time, but the proportion of patients with an FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7 decreased at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months (55.2%, 54.0%, 54.0%, and 44.8%, respectively, P<.05). Mean RV values decreased at 6 months but increased at 12 months and 24 months (P<.05). Residual volume/total lung capacity (RV/TLC) ratio decreased at 6 months and remained unchanged at 24 months. CONCLUSION: After omalizumab initiation, FEV1 improved at 6 months in responder patients and then remained stable for 2 years. RV and RV/TLC improved at 6 months.

The determinants of dyspnoea evaluated by the mMRC scale: The French Palomb cohort.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Dyspnoea is a major symptom in COPD patients, but the determinants that could be associated with a higher dyspnoea mMRC score in COPD patients remain unclear. Our research aimed to study the determinants of dyspnoea at the threshold of 1, 2, 3 and 4 mMRC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Diagnosis of COPD was made using spirometry with post-bronchodilator FEV1FVC<70%. An online questionnaire has been employed by pulmonologists to recruit COPD patients. The following variables were collected: age, gender, BMI, FEV1, RV, IC, TLC, FRC, mMRC, frequency of exacerbations and comorbidities. The LASSO was used to select the variables associated with the mMRC dyspnoea scale in a subgroup (who had no missing IC, RV and FRC values) of 421 COPD patients defined by the previously mentioned variables. RESULTS: One thousand nine hundred and sevety-three patients (65.3% males, average age=66±10, 38% current smokers) were included. Dyspnoea was correlated with a low FEV1 and with the number of exacerbations in the past 12 months. Multivariate analysis showed that the determinants of dyspnoea(mMRC≥2) are: FEV1: OR=3.71[2.86-4.82]; anxiety: OR=2.52[1.82-3.47]; cough: OR=1.94[1.57-2.40]; bronchiectasis: OR=1.84[1.03-3.29]; age: OR=1.80[1.45-2.24]; hyperinflation (RV/TLC): OR=1.68[1.34-2.11]; ischemic cardiopathy: OR=1.63[1.22-2.18]; hypertension: OR=1.52[1.21-1.91]; exacerbations (≥2): OR=1.41[1.10-1.81]; women: OR=1.39[1.10-1.74] and overweight: OR=1.33[1.06-1.67]. The subgroup analysis showed that: FEV1: OR=3.47[1.96-6.12]; exacerbations (≥2) OR=2.31[1.33-4.17] and hyperinflation (IC/TLC) OR=0.57[0.35-0.85] were associated with higher dyspnoea (mMRC≥2). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that dyspnoea is related to the severity of airflow limitation, gender, exacerbations, comorbidities and hyperinflation.

Management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Guidelines from the Société de pneumologie de langue française (summary).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the chronic respiratory disease with the most important burden on public health in terms of morbidity, mortality and health costs. For patients, COPD is a major source of disability because of dyspnea, restriction in daily activities, exacerbation, risk of chronic respiratory failure and extra-respiratory systemic organ disorders. The previous French Language Respiratory Society (SPLF) guidelines on COPD exacerbations were published in 2003. Using the GRADE methodology, the present document reviews the current knowledge on COPD exacerbation through 4 specific outlines: (1) epidemiology, (2) clinical evaluation, (3) therapeutic management and (4) prevention. Specific aspects of outpatients and inpatients care are discussed, especially regarding assessment of exacerbation severity and pharmacological approach.

[Uncommon complication of the use of implantable chambers in oncology]. / Complication inhabituelle de l'utilisation des chambers implantables en oncologie.

The catheter of an implantable chamber migrated into the pulmonary infundibulum in a patient given chemotherapy for bronchogenic cancer. Current management of such cases is to remove the catheter under pulmonary angiography control using a basket system.

[Costs of hospitalisation for exacerbations of COPD in patients receiving domiciliary rehabilitation]. / Coût des hospitalisations dues à une exacerbation de patients BPCO réhabilités à domicile.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to estimate the costs related to hospitalisation for exacerbations of COPD in patients who received domiciliary rehabilitation. METHODS: The hospital costs (obtained from the health insurance office of Bayonne) of 31 patients suffering from COPD of all stages, were analysed for the year of rehabilitation and for the preceding year. All the patients had access to the same management programme in a health care system: domiciliary bicycle ergometry, collective gymnastics, dietary advice, psychological support and education. RESULTS: The analysis of the costs of respiratory care revealed two populations: a minority in whom costs were increased (two end of life situations requiring palliative care and two severe episodes requiring intensive care), and a majority in whom domiciliary rehabilitation led to a reduction of over 60% in the costs related to hospitalisation. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory rehabilitation reduces the costs of hospitalisation secondary to exacerbations in patients suffering from COPD but does not reduce the high costs related to severe episodes of respiratory failure or terminal care. It is important that rehabilitation is adapted to the needs of each patient until the end of his life.