Survival of patients with kyphoscoliosis receiving mechanical ventilation or oxygen at home.

BACKGROUND: Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) and long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) are the two treatment alternatives when treating respiratory insufficiency in patients with kyphoscoliosis. We aimed to study the effect on survival with regard to HMV or LTOT alone in patients with respiratory insufficiency due to kyphoscoliosis. METHODS: Swedish patients with nonparalytic kyphoscoliosis (ie, scoliosis not related to neuromuscular disorders) who started LTOT or HMV between 1996 and 2004 were followed up prospectively until February 14, 2006, with death as the primary outcome. Treatment modality, arterial blood gas levels, the presence of concomitant respiratory diseases, and age were recorded at the onset of treatment. No patient was lost to follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred patients received HMV, and 144 patients received oxygen therapy alone. Patients treated with HMV experienced better survival, even when adjusting for age, gender, concomitant respiratory diseases, and blood gas levels, with a hazard ratio of 0.30 (95% confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.51). CONCLUSION: The survival of patients with kyphoscoliosis receiving HMV was better than that of patients treated with LTOT alone. We suggest HMV and not oxygen therapy alone as the primary therapy for patients with respiratory failure due to kyphoscoliosis, regardless of gender, age, and the occurrence of concomitant respiratory diseases.

Socio-economic status and lung cancer risk including histologic subtyping--a longitudinal study.

We investigated prospectively the risk of lung cancer in relation to socio-economic status (SES) in 22,387 middle-aged individuals who attended a screening program in the city of Malmö, Sweden between 1974 and 1992. We also examined the relationship between SES and histologic subtype in smokers. By 2003, a total of 550 lung cancer cases had been identified. Relative risks (RR) were calculated with adjustment for age, current smoking, inhalation habits and marital status at baseline in the low SES group compared to high SES group. Among smokers, the RR (95% confidence interval (CI)) for lung cancer in the low SES group of men was 1.39 (1.11-1.73), and women 1.56 (1.04-2.34). Also among smokers, low SES was associated with an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma in men; RR 1.89 (1.16-2.81) and women; RR 7.10 (1.63-30.86), and with an increased risk of mesothelioma in men RR 9.97 (1.29-76.96). We conclude that low SES groups run an increased risk of lung cancer despite accounting for smoking habits. Furthermore, low SES was positively associated with squamous cell carcinoma and mesothelioma. Our results suggest that the association between low SES and lung cancer could be mediated by unaccounted for smoking exposure, lifestyle or occupational hazards.

Mortality in GOLD stages of COPD and its dependence on symptoms of chronic bronchitis.

BACKGROUND: The GOLD classification of COPD severity introduces a stage 0 (at risk) comprising individuals with productive cough and normal lung function. The aims of this study were to investigate total mortality risks in GOLD stages 0-4 with special focus on stage 0, and furthermore to assess the influence of symptoms of chronic bronchitis on mortality risks in GOLD stages 1-4. METHOD: Between 1974 and 1992, a total of 22,044 middle-aged individuals participated in a health screening, which included a spirometry as well as recording of respiratory symptoms and smoking habits. Individuals with comorbidity at baseline (diabetes, stroke, cancer, angina pectoris, or heart infarction) were excluded from the analyses. Hazard ratios (HR 95% CI) of total mortality were analyzed in GOLD stages 0-4 with individuals with normal lung function and without symptoms of chronic bronchitis as a reference group. HR:s in smoking individuals with symptoms of chronic bronchitis within the stages 1-4 were calculated with individuals with the same GOLD stage but without symptoms of chronic bronchitis as reference. RESULTS: The number of deaths was 3,674 for men and 832 for women based on 352,324 and 150,050 person-years respectively. The proportion of smokers among men was 50% and among women 40%. Self reported comorbidity was present in 4.6% of the men and 6.6% of the women. Among smoking men, Stage 0 was associated with an increased mortality risk, HR: 1.65 (1.32-2.08), of similar magnitude as in stage 2, HR: 1.41 (1.31-1.70). The hazard ratio in stage 0 was significantly higher than in stage 1; HR: 1.13 (0.98-1.29). Among male smokers with stage 1; HR: 2.04 (1.34-3.11), and among female smokers with stage 2 disease; HR: 3.16 (1.38-7.23), increased HR:s were found in individuals with symptoms of chronic bronchitis as compared to those without symptoms of chronic bronchitis. CONCLUSION: Symptoms fulfilling the definition of chronic bronchitis were associated with an increased mortality risk among male smokers with normal pulmonary function (stage 0) and also with an increased risk of death among smoking individuals with mild to moderate COPD (stage 1 and 2).

Long-term oxygen therapy and quality of life in elderly patients hospitalised due to severe exacerbation of COPD. A 1 year follow-up study.

The aim of this study was (1) to evaluate the effects of long-term oxygen treatment (LTOT) in elderly patients with severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypoxaemia, (2) to study the health-related quality of life (QOL) during hospital stay and at follow-up, (3) to study the safety of an oxygen withdrawal test performed a few days after admission to hospital and the possibility to predict the future need for LTOT from that test. Patients > 70 years with COPD-exacerbations with hypoxaemia were included after 5-7 days treatment in hospital. Inclusion was based on results of a standardised oxygen withdrawal test. After 1, 3, 6 and 12 months a new oxygen withdrawal test was performed. Health-related QOL was evaluated with SF-36 and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire at inclusion and after 3,6 and 12 months. Forty-seven patients were screened for participation and 29 patients, mean age 79 years, participated in the study. Only one patient could not tolerate the oxygen withdrawal test. Eighteen patients survived to the follow-up after 12 months, 8/19 women and 2/10 men died. After 1 month LTOTwas needed (PaO2 without oxygen was < or = 75 k Pa) in only 6/20 patients. The effect of LTOT could therefore not be studied. Most components of SF-36 were very low at inclusion, but tended to increase after 3 months and were among the surviving patients after 12 months similar to that of healthy people of the same age for psychic well being and functioning. Especially, the symptom score of the SGRQ improved after 3 months. In conclusion, the future need for LTOT cannot be judged after a few days treatment in hospital due to exacerbations with hypoxaemia in elderly patients with COPD. A standardised oxygen withdrawal test can be safely done. Health-related QOL is low in patients during the stay in hospital, but improves after returning home.

[Newly referred patients with COPD at the Central Hospital in Kristianstad. Important to use good quality indicators]. / Nybesök av patienter med KOL vid Centralsjukhuset i Kristianstad. Viktigt följa vården med bra kvalitetsindikatorer.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an increasingly common lung disease with a progressive course. The disease significantly impacts patients' physical performance and quality of life. Quality indicators for a specific disease should be able to be registered continuously. At the same time, data should be easily accessible for description, follow-up and analysis of clinical practice. For COPD, such data includes smoking habits and pulmonary function. MRC dyspnoea scale, which is related to quality of life and handicap, should also be registered. If electronic patient records cannot easily import these data, they can be registered in the Patient Administration System for diagnosis registration utilizing its linked owner-defined codes.