Pulmonary Specialist-Supported Health Coaching Delivered by Lay Personnel Improves Receipt of Quality Care for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Half of people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) do not receive high-quality, evidenced-based care as described in international guidelines. We conducted secondary data analysis of a previously published study to assess the ability of a model of lay health coaching to improve provision of guideline-based care in a primary care setting. Methods: As part of a randomized controlled trial, we recruited English- and Spanish-speaking patients with moderate to severe COPD from primary care clinics serving a low-income, predominantly African American population. Participants were randomized to receive usual care or 9 months of health coaching from primary care personnel informed by a pulmonary specialist practitioner. Outcome measures included prescription of appropriate inhaler therapy, participation in COPD-related education, engagement with specialty care, prescription of smoking cessation medications, and patient ratings of the quality of care. Results: Baseline quality measures did not differ between study arms. At 9 months, coached patients were more likely (increase of 9.3% over usual care; P=0.014) to have received guideline-based inhalers compared to those in usual care. Coached patients were more likely to engage with pulmonary specialty care (increase of 8.3% over usual care with at least 1 visit; P=0.04) and educational classes (increase of 5.3% over usual care; P=0.03). Receipt of smoking cessation medications among patients smoking at baseline in the health coaching group increased 21.1 percentage points more than in usual care, a difference near statistical significance (P=0.06). Conclusions: Health coaching may improve the provision of quality chronic illness care for conditions such as COPD.

Potential of Autologous Progenitor Cells and Decellularized Porcine Artery Matrix in Construction of Tissue-engineered Vascular Grafts.

To develop a tissue-engineered vascular graft, we used pericardial effusion-derived progenitor cells (PEPCs) collected from drained fluid after open-heart surgery in children with congenital heart diseases to repopulate a decellularized porcine pulmonary artery. The PEPCs were compared with human fibroblasts (HS68) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in cell growth and migration. They were cultured with the matrices via an inner approach (intima), lateral approach (media), and outer approach (adventitia). PEPCs grew and migrated better than the other two cells 14 days after seeding in the decellularized vessel. In immunofluorescence assays, PEPCs expressed CD90 and CD105 indicating a vascular differentiation. PEPCs grew in a decellularized porcine pulmonary artery matrix may have the potential for producing tissue-engineered vascular grafts.

Progenitor Cells Derived from Drain Waste Product of Open-Heart Surgery in Children.

Human cardiac progenitor cells isolated from the same host may have advantages over other sources of stem cells. The aim of this study is to establish a new source of human progenitor cells collected from a waste product, pericardiac effusion fluid, after open-heart surgery in children with congenital heart diseases. The fluid was collected every 24 h for 2 days after surgery in 37 children. Mononuclear cells were isolated and expanded in vitro. These pericardial effusion-derived progenitor cells (PEPCs) exhibiting cardiogenic lineage markers, were highly proliferative and enhanced angiogenesis in vitro. Three weeks after stem cell transplantation into the ischemic heart in mice, cardiac ejection fraction was improved significantly without detectable progenitor cells. Gene expression profiles of the repaired hearts revealed activation of several known repair mechanisms including paracrine effects, cell migration, and angiogenesis. These progenitor cells may have the potential for heart regeneration.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Health Coaching for Vulnerable Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

RATIONALE: Socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often face barriers to evidence-based care that are difficult to address in public care settings with limited resources. OBJECTIVES: To determine the benefit of health coaching for patients with moderate to severe COPD relative to usual care. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 9 months of health coaching versus usual care for English- or Spanish-speaking patients at least 40 years of age with moderate to severe COPD. Primary outcomes were COPD-related quality of life and the dyspnea subscale of the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were self-efficacy for managing COPD, exercise capacity (6-min walk test), and number of COPD exacerbations. Additional outcomes were COPD symptoms, lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s percent predicted), smoking status, bed days owing to COPD, quality of care (Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care), COPD knowledge, and symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire). Outpatient visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations were assessed by review of medical records. Generalized linear modeling was used to adjust for baseline values and account for clustering by clinic. RESULTS: Of 192 patients enrolled, 158 (82%) completed 9 months of follow-up. There were no significant differences between study arms for the primary or secondary outcomes. At 9 months, patients in the coached group reported better quality of care (mean Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care score, 3.30 vs. 3.18; adjusted P = 0.02) and were less likely to report symptoms of moderate to severe depression (Patient Health Questionnaire score, ≥15) than those in the usual care arm (6% vs. 20%; adjusted P = 0.01). During the study, patients in the coaching arm had 48% fewer hospitalizations related to COPD (0.27/patient/yr vs. 0.52/patient/yr), but this difference was not significant in the adjusted analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results help inform expectations regarding the limitations and benefits of health coaching for patients with COPD. They may be useful to health policy experts in assessing the potential value of reimbursement and incentives for health coaching-type activities for patients with chronic disease. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02234284).

Health coaching to improve self-management and quality of life for low income patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severely hinders quality of life for those affected and is costly to the health care system. Care gaps in areas such as pharmacotherapy, inhaler technique, and knowledge of disease are prevalent, particularly for vulnerable populations served by community clinics. Non-professionally licensed health coaches have been shown to be an effective and cost-efficient solution in bridging care gaps and facilitating self-management for patients with other chronic diseases, but no research to date has explored their efficacy in improving care for people living with COPD. METHOD: This is multi-site, single blinded, randomized controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of health coaches to facilitate patient self-management of disease and improve quality of life for patients with moderate to severe COPD. Spirometry, survey, and an exercise capacity test are conducted at baseline and at 9 months. A short survey is administered by phone at 3 and 6 months post-enrollment. The nine month health coaching intervention focuses on enhancing disease understanding and symptom awareness, improving use of inhalers; making personalized plans to increase physical activity, smoking cessation, or otherwise improve disease management; and facilitating care coordination. DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide evidence regarding the efficacy and feasibility of health coaching to improve self-management and quality of life for urban underserved patients with moderate to severe COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02234284 . Registered 12 August 2014.