Determinants of successful completion of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD.

BACKGROUND: Despite known benefits, a significant proportion of patients with COPD do not complete pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Little is known regarding which factors promote successful completion of PR. METHODS: We analyzed data from a prospectively maintained database of subjects with COPD who attended a PR program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, from 1996 to 2013. Subjects were categorized as either completers or non-completers, based on successful completion of at least 8 weeks of PR. Demographics and comorbidities were recorded. Short Form 36 Health Survey, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire were administered to all participants at baseline and on completion of PR to assess participants' perception of their health status, severity of depression, and dyspnea with performance of activities of daily living. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of successful completion of PR. RESULTS: Four hundred and forty subjects were included, of whom 229 completed PR. Forty-one percent were female, and 17% were African American. Compared with non-completers, completers had greater Short Form 36 Health Survey pain score, lower forced expiratory volume in the first second, and lower Beck Depression Inventory score, and included a lower percentage of current smokers. On multivariate analysis, cigarette smoking at enrollment was associated with lower likelihood of completion of PR (adjusted odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.90; P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking was the sole independent predictor of PR dropout, and smoking cessation may warrant greater emphasis prior to enrollment.

Knowledge of addiction medicine among internal medicine residents and medical students.

OBJECTIVES: More than 22 million Americans are living with addiction, including nearly seven million who misuse prescription medications. However, most medical schools and residency programs provide little to no education addressing alcohol and drug addiction. Implementation of a new addiction medicine curriculum at a single internal medicine program provided an opportunity for knowledge assessment in a select population of health professionals. We hypothesized that knowledge of addiction medicine would not differ by training level or geographical location of medical school, but that knowledge would improve following a structured curriculum. METHODS: Study participants included internal medicine and transitional year residents, as well as a group of medical students who were enrolled in a single internal medicine program at the time of the didactic series. A pre-test was administered prior to a four-week structured curriculum. The topics addressed included but were not limited to: 1) an overview of addiction, 2) opioids and chronic pain, 3) benzodiazepines and illicit stimulants, and 4) alcohol. A panel discussion was convened at the end of the fourth session. Following participation in the symposium, participants completed an online post-test. ANOVA was used to compare means. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre-test and post-test scores. RESULTS: 36 of 44 eligible medical students and residents completed the pre-test. Mean pre-test percentage scores were 64 percent for fourth year medical students and 62.5 percent for all residents. For residents, U.S. medical school trainees answered 65 percent of the pre-test questions correctly, versus 58.6 percent correct responses among their international medical graduate peers. No inter-group differences were statistically significant. Of the 36 participants, 20 completed both pre-tests and post-tests. The mean post-test score of 68.75 percent was higher than the mean pre-test score of 61.75 percent, p = 0.009. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of addiction medicine can be improved for medical students and residents in an academic medicine department. Significant improvements were observed following completion of eight hours of interactive didactics.