Comparing the Effectiveness of the Blended Delivery Mode With the Face-to-Face Delivery Mode of Smoking Cessation Treatment: Noninferiority Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco consumption is a leading cause of death and disease, killing >8 million people each year. Smoking cessation significantly reduces the risk of developing smoking-related diseases. Although combined treatment for addiction is promising, evidence of its effectiveness is still emerging. Currently, there is no published research comparing the effectiveness of blended smoking cessation treatments (BSCTs) with face-to-face (F2F) treatments, where web-based components replace 50% of the F2F components in blended treatment. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this 2-arm noninferiority randomized controlled trial was to determine whether a BSCT is noninferior to an F2F treatment with identical ingredients in achieving abstinence rates. METHODS: This study included 344 individuals who smoke (at least 1 cigarette per day) attending an outpatient smoking cessation clinic in the Netherlands. The participants received either a blended 50% F2F and 50% web-based BSCT or only F2F treatment with similar content and intensity. The primary outcome measure was cotinine-validated abstinence rates from all smoking products at 3 and 15 months after treatment initiation. Additional measures included carbon monoxide-validated point prevalence abstinence; self-reported point prevalence abstinence; and self-reported continuous abstinence rates at 3, 6, 9, and 15 months after treatment initiation. RESULTS: None of the 13 outcomes showed statistically confirmed noninferiority of the BSCT, whereas 4 outcomes showed significantly (P<.001) inferior abstinence rates of the BSCT: cotinine-validated point prevalence abstinence rate at 3 months (difference 12.7, 95% CI 6.2-19.4), self-reported point prevalence abstinence rate at 6 months (difference 19.3, 95% CI 11.5-27.0) and at 15 months (difference 11.7, 95% CI 5.8-17.9), and self-reported continuous abstinence rate at 6 months (difference 13.8, 95% CI 6.8-20.8). The remaining 9 outcomes, including the cotinine-validated point prevalence abstinence rate at 15 months, were inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: In this high-intensity outpatient smoking cessation trial, the blended mode was predominantly less effective than the traditional F2F mode. The results contradict the widely assumed potential benefits of blended treatment and suggest that further research is needed to identify the critical factors in the design of blended interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register 27150; https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/nl/trial/27150. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3851-x.

Lack of Evidence Regarding Markers Identifying Acute Heart Failure in Patients with COPD: An AI-Supported Systematic Review.

Background: Due to shared symptoms, acute heart failure (AHF) is difficult to differentiate from an acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). This systematic review aimed to identify markers that can diagnose AHF underlying acute dyspnea in patients with COPD presenting at the hospital. Methods: All types of observational studies and clinical trials that investigated any marker's ability to diagnose AHF in acutely dyspneic COPD patients were considered eligible for inclusion. An AI tool (ASReview) supported the title and abstract screening of the articles obtained from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and CINAHL until April 2023. Full text screening was independently performed by two reviewers. Twenty percent of the data extraction was checked by a second reviewer and the risk of bias was assessed in duplicate using the QUADAS-2 tool. Markers' discriminative abilities were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and the area under the curve when available. Results: The search identified 10,366 articles. After deduplication, title and abstract screening was performed on 5,386 articles, leaving 153 relevant, of which 82 could be screened full text. Ten distinct studies (reported in 16 articles) were included, of which 9 had a high risk of bias. Overall, these studies evaluated 12 distinct laboratory and 7 non-laboratory markers. BNP, NT-proBNP, MR-proANP, and inspiratory inferior vena cava diameter showed the highest diagnostic discrimination. Conclusion: There is not much evidence for the use of markers to diagnose AHF in acutely dyspneic COPD patients in the hospital setting. BNPs seem most promising, but should be interpreted alongside imaging and clinical signs, as this may lead to improved diagnostic accuracy. Future validation studies are urgently needed before any AHF marker can be incorporated into treatment decision-making algorithms for patients with COPD. Protocol Registration: CRD42022283952.

A Critical Appraisal of the Whack-a-Mole and Swivel Chair Signs in the Diagnosis of Functional Movement Disorders.

BACKGROUND: The demonstration of positive signs during neurological examination is a cornerstone of the diagnosis of functional movement disorders, however, the available data supporting the diagnostic value of some of these signs is limited. OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic value (sensitivity and specificity) of the "whack-a-mole" (WAM) and "swivel chair" (SC) tests in patients with functional movement disorders (FMD). METHODS: We enrolled patients with functional and organic movements in the WAM test if they exhibited tremor, dystonia, myoclonus, chorea, or tics. For the SC test, patients with a gait disorder as their primary impairment were recruited. Two blinded movement disorder specialists rated the presence of these signs in edited videos. RESULTS: Inclusion criteria were met by 42 patients with FMD and 65 patients with organic movement disorders. Both tests demonstrated high specificity (means, 78% and 96%), but their sensitivity was low (means, 52% and 37%). Interobserver agreement for the WAM sign was 0.77 in the FMD group, against 0.28 in patients with organic movement disorders, whereas Movement Disorders Clinical Practice for Review Only for the SC sign was 0.69 in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that physicians must be cautious in the application and interpretation of these clinical signs in the diagnosis of functional movement disorders, and they should be carefully considered and used as necessary.

Exploring Patterns of COPD Exacerbations and Comorbid Flare-Ups.

Background: Comorbidities are known to complicate disease management in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This is partly due to lack of insight into the interplay of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) and comorbid flare-ups. This study aimed to explore patterns of AECOPDs and comorbid flare-ups. Methods: Data of increased symptoms were extracted from a 12-month daily symptom follow-up database including patients with COPD and comorbidities (chronic heart failure (CHF), anxiety, depression) and transformed to visualizations of AECOPDs and comorbid flare-up patterns over time. Patterns were subsequently categorized using an inductive approach, based on both predominance (ie, which occurs most often) of AECOPDs or comorbid flare-ups, and their simultaneous (ie, simultaneous start in ≥ 50%) occurrence. Results: We included 48 COPD patients (68 ± 9 years; comorbid CHF: 52%, anxiety: 40%, depression: 38%). In 25 patients with AECOPDs and CHF flare-ups, the following patterns were identified: AECOPDs predominant (n = 14), CHF flare-ups predominant (n = 5), AECOPDs nor CHF flare-ups predominant (n = 6). Of the 24 patients with AECOPDs and anxiety and/or depression flare-ups, anxiety and depression flare-ups occurred simultaneously in 15 patients. In 9 of these 24 patients, anxiety or depression flare-ups were observed independently from each other. In 31 of the included 48 patients, AECOPDs and comorbid flare-ups occurred mostly simultaneously. Conclusion: Patients with COPD and common comorbidities show a variety of patterns of AECOPDs and comorbid flare-ups. Some patients, however, show repetitive patterns that could potentially be used to improve personalized disease management, if recognized.

eHealth Technologies for Monitoring Pediatric Asthma at Home: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: eHealth monitoring technologies offer opportunities to more objectively assess symptoms when they appear in daily life. Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood with an episodic course, requiring close follow-up of pediatric asthma control to identify disease deterioration, prevent exacerbations, and enhance quality of life. eHealth technologies in pediatric asthma care show promising results regarding feasibility, acceptability, and asthma-related health outcomes. However, broad systematic evaluations of eHealth technologies in pediatric asthma are lacking. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this scoping review was to identify the types and applications of eHealth technologies for monitoring and treatment in pediatric asthma and explore which monitoring domains show the most relevance or potential for future research. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. A systematic and comprehensive search was performed on English papers that investigated the development, validation, or application of eHealth technologies for home monitoring or treatment of pediatric asthma in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, IEEE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ACM Digital Library. Two authors independently assessed eligibility and extracted data. Data were presented by a descriptive analysis of characteristics and a narrative report for each eHealth domain. RESULTS: The review included 370 manuscripts. The following 10 monitoring domains were identified: air quality, airway inflammation markers, lung function, physical activity, sleep, audiovisual, other physiological measurements, questionnaires, medication monitoring, and digital environment (ie, digital platforms, applications, websites, and software tools to monitor or support monitoring). Rising numbers of studies were seen, and the numbers accelerated in the last few years throughout most domains, especially medication monitoring and digital environment. Limited studies (35/370, 9.5%) of multiparameter monitoring strategies, using three or more domains, were found. The number of monitoring validation studies remained stable, while development and intervention studies increased. Intervention outcomes seemed to indicate the noninferiority and potential superiority of eHealth monitoring in pediatric asthma. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic scoping review provides a unique overview of eHealth pediatric asthma monitoring studies, and it revealed that eHealth research takes place throughout different monitoring domains using different approaches. The outcomes of the review showed the potency for efficacy of most monitoring domains (especially the domains of medication monitoring, lung function, and digital environment). Future studies could focus on modifying potentially relevant hospital-based diagnostics for the home setting to investigate potential beneficial effects and focus on combining home-monitoring domains to facilitate multiparameter decision-making and personalized clinical decision support.

Artificial intelligence in systematic reviews: promising when appropriately used.

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews provide a structured overview of the available evidence in medical-scientific research. However, due to the increasing medical-scientific research output, it is a time-consuming task to conduct systematic reviews. To accelerate this process, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in the review process. In this communication paper, we suggest how to conduct a transparent and reliable systematic review using the AI tool 'ASReview' in the title and abstract screening. METHODS: Use of the AI tool consisted of several steps. First, the tool required training of its algorithm with several prelabelled articles prior to screening. Next, using a researcher-in-the-loop algorithm, the AI tool proposed the article with the highest probability of being relevant. The reviewer then decided on relevancy of each article proposed. This process was continued until the stopping criterion was reached. All articles labelled relevant by the reviewer were screened on full text. RESULTS: Considerations to ensure methodological quality when using AI in systematic reviews included: the choice of whether to use AI, the need of both deduplication and checking for inter-reviewer agreement, how to choose a stopping criterion and the quality of reporting. Using the tool in our review resulted in much time saved: only 23% of the articles were assessed by the reviewer. CONCLUSION: The AI tool is a promising innovation for the current systematic reviewing practice, as long as it is appropriately used and methodological quality can be assured. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022283952.

Augmenting outpatient alcohol treatment as usual with online approach bias modification training: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Previous research shows that automatic tendency to approach alcohol plays a causal role in problematic alcohol use and can be retrained by Approach Bias Modification (ApBM). ApBM has been shown to be effective for patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) in inpatient treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of adding an online ApBM to treatment as usual (TAU) in an outpatient setting compared to receiving TAU with an online placebo training. 139 AUD patients receiving face-to-face or online treatment as usual (TAU) participated in the study. The patients were randomized to an active or placebo version of 8 sessions of online ApBM over a 5-week period. The weekly consumed standard units of alcohol (primary outcome) was measured at pre-and post-training, 3 and 6 months follow-up. Approach tendency was measured pre-and-post ApBM training. No additional effect of ApBM was found on alcohol intake, nor other outcomes such as craving, depression, anxiety, or stress. A significant reduction of the alcohol approach bias was found. This research showed that approach bias retraining in AUD patients in an outpatient treatment setting reduces the tendency to approach alcohol, but this training effect does not translate into a significant difference in alcohol reduction between groups. Explanations for the lack of effects of ApBM on alcohol consumption are treatment goal and severity of AUD. Future ApBM research should target outpatients with an abstinence goal and offer alternative, more user-friendly modes of delivering ApBM training.

A mobilization poster stimulates early in-hospital rehabilitation after cardiac surgery: a prospective sequential-group study.

BACKGROUND: Patients infrequently mobilize at the surgical ward after cardiac surgery. Inactivity results in prolonged hospital stay, readmissions and increased cardiovascular mortality. Next, the course of in-hospital mobilization activities for patients is unclear. The aim was to evaluate early mobilization after heart surgery with a mobilization poster on the Activity Classification Guide for Inpatient Activities score from the American College for Sports Medicine (ACSM). Second, to develop a Thorax Centrum Twente (TCT) score to assess distinctive activities performed. METHODS: A poster was developed for the Moving is Improving! study to stimulate hospital mobilization after heart surgery. In this sequential-group study at a cardiothoracic surgery ward, 32 patients were included in the usual care group and 209 patients in the poster mobilization group. Change of ACSM and TCT scores over time were both defined as primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints included length of stay and survival. A subgroup analysis for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was performed. RESULTS: ACSM score increased during hospital stay (p < 0.001). No significant increase of ACSM score was observed with a mobilization poster (p = 0.27), nor in the CABG subgroup (p = 0.15). The poster increased mobility to chair, toilet, corridor (all p < 0.01) and cycle ergometer (p = 0.02) as measured by the activity-specific TCT scores, without differences in length of stay or survival. CONCLUSIONS: ACSM score measured day-to-day functional changes, without significant differences between the poster mobilization and usual care group. Actual activities measured with the TCT score did improve. The mobilization poster is now new standard care, and effects in other centers and other departments should be assessed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study does not fall under the ICMJE trial definition and was not registered.

Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase: A Friend against Cholestatic Itch? A Retrospective Observational Data Analysis in Patients with Extrahepatic Cholestasis.

Methods: We included 235 patients with chronic extrahepatic cholestasis due to pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, or papillary carcinoma. Results: GGT was significantly higher in patients without pruritus (median 967, IQR 587-1571) compared to patients with pruritus (median 561 IQR 266-1084 IU/l) (p < 0.01). In contrast, median alkaline phosphatase (AP) was 491 U/L (IQR; 353-684) in patients with pruritus and was not significantly different from 518 U/L (IQR; 353-726) in patients without pruritus (p = 0.524). Direct bilirubin was significantly higher in patients with pruritus compared to patients without pruritus (168 µmol/L (IQR; 95-256) vs. 120 µmol/L (IQR; 56.75-185.5)) (p < 0.01). After correcting for the extent of cholestasis via direct bilirubin, the negative association between GGT and pruritus remained significant and became stronger (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Serum GGT activity is inversely associated with the presence of cholestatic itch in patients with chronic extrahepatic cholestasis.

Diagnosing Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Exhaled Breath Profiling Using an Electronic Nose: A Multicenter Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the potential of exhaled breath analysis of volatile organic compounds to diagnose lung cancer, clinical implementation has not been realized, partly due to the lack of validation studies. RESEARCH QUESTION: This study addressed two questions. First, can we simultaneously train and validate a prediction model to distinguish patients with non-small cell lung cancer from non-lung cancer subjects based on exhaled breath patterns? Second, does addition of clinical variables to exhaled breath data improve the diagnosis of lung cancer? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this multicenter study, subjects with non-small cell lung cancer and control subjects performed 5 min of tidal breathing through the aeoNose, a handheld electronic nose device. A training cohort was used for developing a prediction model based on breath data, and a blinded cohort was used for validation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed, including breath data and clinical variables, in which the formula and cutoff value for the probability of lung cancer were applied to the validation data. RESULTS: A total of 376 subjects formed the training set, and 199 subjects formed the validation set. The full training model (including exhaled breath data and clinical parameters from the training set) were combined in a multivariable logistic regression analysis, maintaining a cut off of 16% probability of lung cancer, resulting in a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 51%, and a negative predictive value of 94%; the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.87. Performance of the prediction model on the validation cohort showed corresponding results with a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 49%, a negative predictive value of 94%, and an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.86. INTERPRETATION: Combining exhaled breath data and clinical variables in a multicenter, multi-device validation study can adequately distinguish patients with lung cancer from subjects without lung cancer in a noninvasive manner. This study paves the way to implement exhaled breath analysis in the daily practice of diagnosing lung cancer. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Netherlands Trial Register; No.: NL7025; URL: https://trialregister.nl/trial/7025.

Patient and Health Care Provider Perspectives on Potential Preventability of Hospital Admission for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent chronic disease partly characterised by the occurrence of acute exacerbations (AECOPD). The need for hospital admissions for COPD exacerbations could theoretically be decreased through timely and appropriate outpatient care or self-management. The aim of this study is to explore and compare patients' and health care providers' (HCP) perspectives on the potential preventability of COPD hospitalisations and to identify strategies to prevent unnecessary hospitalisations. Patients and Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients admitted for an AECOPD (N = 11), HCPs on the respiratory ward (N = 11), and treating pulmonologists (N = 10). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: Patient and HCP perspectives on the potential preventability of hospital admissions for AECOPD often conflict. The kappa coefficients were -0.18 [95% CI: -0.46-0.11] for patients and pulmonologists and -0.28 [95% CI: -0.80-0.21] for patients and HCPs, which indicates poor agreement. The kappa coefficient for pulmonologists and HCPs was 0.14 [95% CI: -0.13-0.41], which indicates slight agreement. Patient and HCP factors that could potentially prevent hospitalisation for AECOPD were identified, including timely calling for help, recognizing and acting on symptoms, and receiving instruction about COPD, including treatment and action plans. Conclusion: Patients and their HCPs have different beliefs about the potential preventability of AECOPD hospitalisations. Most patients and HCPs mentioned factors that potentially could have led to a different outcome for the current AECOPD or that could impact the patient's health status and treatment of AECOPDs in the future. The factors identified in this study indicate that shared decision making is crucial to center the patient's perspective and individual needs and to provide timely treatment or prevention of AECOPD, thereby potentially decreasing hospital admission rates.

Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Treatment for Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Since the first description of the median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS), the existence for the syndrome and the efficacy of treatment for it have been questioned. METHODS: A systematic review conforming to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement was conducted, with a broader view on treatment for MALS including any kind of coeliac artery release, coeliac plexus resection, and coeliac plexus blockage, irrespective of age. Online databases were used to identify papers published between 1963 and July 2021. The inclusion criteria were abdominal symptoms, proof of MALS on imaging, and articles reporting at least three patients. Primary outcomes were symptom relief and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS: Thirty-eight studies describing 880 adult patients and six studies describing 195 paediatric patients were included. The majority of the adult studies reported symptom relief of more than 70% from three to 228 months after treatment. Two adult studies showed an improved QoL after treatment. Half of the paediatric studies reported symptom relief of more than 70% from six to 62 months after laparoscopic coeliac artery release, and four studies reported an improved QoL. Thirty-five (92%) adult studies and five (83%) paediatric studies scored a high or unclear risk of bias for the majority of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) items. The meaning of coeliac plexus resection or blockage could not be substantiated. CONCLUSION: This systematic review suggests a sustainable symptom relief of more than 70% after treatment for MALS in the majority of adult and paediatric studies; however, owing to the heterogeneity of the inclusion criteria and outcome parameters, the risk of bias was high and a formal meta-analysis could not be performed. To improve care for patients with MALS the next steps would be to deal with reporting standards, outcome definitions, and consensus descriptions of the intervention(s), after which an appropriate randomised controlled trial should be performed.

Factors influencing endoscopic estimation of colon polyp size in a colon model.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal polyps are removed to prevent progression to colorectal cancer. Polyp size is an important factor for risk stratification of malignant transformation. Endoscopic size estimation correlates poorly with pathological reports and several factors have been suggested to influence size estimation. We aimed to gain insight into the factors influencing endoscopic polyp size estimation. METHODS: Images of polyps in an artificial model were obtained at 1, 3, and 5 cm from the colonoscope's tip. Participants were asked to estimate the diameter and volume of each polyp. RESULTS: Fifteen endoscopists from three large-volume centers participated in this study. With an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.71) for diameter and 0.56 (95% CI, 0.50-0.62) for volume. Polyp size estimated at 3 cm from the colonoscope's tip yielded the best results. A lower distance between the tip and the polyp was associated with a larger estimated polyp size. CONCLUSION: Correct endoscopic estimation of polyp size remains challenging. This finding can affect size estimation skills and future training programs for endoscopists.

Therapeutic Alliance in Web-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In face-to-face therapy for eating disorders, therapeutic alliance (TA) is an important predictor of symptom reduction and treatment completion. To date, however, little is known about TA during web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (web-CBT) and its association with symptom reduction, treatment completion, and the perspectives of patients versus therapists. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate TA ratings measured at interim and after treatment, separately for patients and therapists; the degree of agreement between therapists and patients (treatment completers and noncompleters) for TA ratings; and associations between patient and therapist TA ratings and both eating disorder pathology and treatment completion. METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed on randomized controlled trial data of a web-CBT intervention for eating disorders. Participants were 170 females with bulimia nervosa (n=33), binge eating disorder (n=68), or eating disorder not otherwise specified (n=69); the mean age was 39.6 (SD 11.5) years. TA was operationalized using the Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ). Paired t tests were conducted to assess the change in TA from interim to after treatment. Intraclass correlations were calculated to determine cross-informant agreement with regard to HAQ scores between patients and therapists. A total of 2 stepwise regressive procedures (at interim and after treatment) were used to examine which HAQ scores predicted eating disorder pathology and therapy completion. RESULTS: For treatment completers (128/170, 75.3%), the HAQ-total scores and HAQ-Helpfulness scores for both patients and therapists improved significantly from interim to post treatment. For noncompleters (42/170, 24.7%), all HAQ scores decreased significantly. For all HAQ scales, the agreement between patients and therapists was poor. However, the agreement was slightly better after treatment than at interim. Higher patient scores on the helpfulness subscale of the HAQ at interim and after treatment were associated with less eating disorder psychopathology. A positive association was found between the HAQ-total patient scores at interim and treatment completion. Finally, posttreatment HAQ-total patient scores and posttreatment HAQ-Helpfulness scores of therapists were positively associated with treatment completion. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that TA in web-CBT is predictive of eating disorder pathology and treatment completion. Of particular importance is patients' confidence in their abilities as measured with the HAQ-Helpfulness subscale when predicting posttreatment eating disorder pathology and treatment completion.

Self-management interventions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Self-management interventions help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to acquire and practise the skills they need to carry out disease-specific medical regimens, guide changes in health behaviour and provide emotional support to enable them to control their disease. Since the 2014 update of this review, several studies have been published. OBJECTIVES: Primary objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of COPD self-management interventions compared to usual care in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and respiratory-related hospital admissions. To evaluate the safety of COPD self-management interventions compared to usual care in terms of respiratory-related mortality and all-cause mortality. Secondary objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of COPD self-management interventions compared to usual care in terms of other health outcomes and healthcare utilisation. To evaluate effective characteristics of COPD self-management interventions. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Airways Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, trials registries and the reference lists of included studies up until January 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster-randomised trials (CRTs) published since 1995. To be eligible for inclusion, self-management interventions had to include at least two intervention components and include an iterative process between participant and healthcare provider(s) in which goals were formulated and feedback was given on self-management actions by the participant. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, assessed trial quality and extracted data. We resolved disagreements by reaching consensus or by involving a third review author. We contacted study authors to obtain additional information and missing outcome data where possible. Primary outcomes were health-related quality of life (HRQoL), number of respiratory-related hospital admissions, respiratory-related mortality, and all-cause mortality. When appropriate, we pooled study results using random-effects modelling meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS: We included 27 studies involving 6008 participants with COPD. The follow-up time ranged from two-and-a-half to 24 months and the content of the interventions was diverse. Participants' mean age ranged from 57 to 74 years, and the proportion of male participants ranged from 33% to 98%. The post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio of participants ranged from 33.6% to 57.0%. The FEV1/FVC ratio is a measure used to diagnose COPD and to determine the severity of the disease. Studies were conducted on four different continents (Europe (n = 15), North America (n = 8), Asia (n = 1), and Oceania (n = 4); with one study conducted in both Europe and Oceania). Self-management interventions likely improve HRQoL, as measured by the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total score (lower score represents better HRQoL) with a mean difference (MD) from usual care of -2.86 points (95% confidence interval (CI) -4.87 to -0.85; 14 studies, 2778 participants; low-quality evidence). The pooled MD of -2.86 did not reach the SGRQ minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of four points. Self-management intervention participants were also at a slightly lower risk for at least one respiratory-related hospital admission (odds ratio (OR) 0.75, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.98; 15 studies, 3263 participants; very low-quality evidence). The number needed to treat to prevent one respiratory-related hospital admission over a mean of 9.75 months' follow-up was 15 (95% CI 8 to 399) for participants with high baseline risk and 26 (95% CI 15 to 677) for participants with low baseline risk. No differences were observed in respiratory-related mortality (risk difference (RD) 0.01, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.04; 8 studies, 1572 participants ; low-quality evidence) and all-cause mortality (RD -0.01, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.01; 24 studies, 5719 participants; low-quality evidence). We graded the evidence to be of 'moderate' to 'very low' quality according to GRADE. All studies had a substantial risk of bias, because of lack of blinding of participants and personnel to the interventions, which is inherently impossible in a self-management intervention. In addition, risk of bias was noticeably increased because of insufficient information regarding a) non-protocol interventions, and b) analyses to estimate the effect of adhering to interventions. Consequently, the highest GRADE evidence score that could be obtained by studies was 'moderate'. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Self-management interventions for people with COPD are associated with improvements in HRQoL, as measured with the SGRQ, and a lower probability of respiratory-related hospital admissions. No excess respiratory-related and all-cause mortality risks were observed, which strengthens the view that COPD self-management interventions are unlikely to cause harm. By using stricter inclusion criteria, we decreased heterogeneity in studies, but also reduced the number of included studies and therefore our capacity to conduct subgroup analyses. Data were therefore still insufficient to reach clear conclusions about effective (intervention) characteristics of COPD self-management interventions. As tailoring of COPD self-management interventions to individuals is desirable, heterogeneity is and will likely remain present in self-management interventions. For future studies, we would urge using only COPD self-management interventions that include iterative interactions between participants and healthcare professionals who are competent using behavioural change techniques (BCTs) to elicit participants' motivation, confidence and competence to positively adapt their health behaviour(s) and develop skills to better manage their disease. In addition, to inform further subgroup and meta-regression analyses and to provide stronger conclusions regarding effective COPD self-management interventions, there is a need for more homogeneity in outcome measures. More attention should be paid to behavioural outcome measures and to providing more detailed, uniform and transparently reported data on self-management intervention components and BCTs. Assessment of outcomes over the long term is also recommended to capture changes in people's behaviour. Finally, information regarding non-protocol interventions as well as analyses to estimate the effect of adhering to interventions should be included to increase the quality of evidence.

Predicting Mortality in COPD with Validated and Sensitive Biomarkers; Fibrinogen and Mid-Range-Proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM).

Although fibrinogen is a FDA qualified prognostic biomarker in COPD, it still lacks sufficient resolution to be clinically useful. Next to replication of findings in different cohorts also the combination with other validated biomarkers should be investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to confirm in a large well-defined population of COPD patients whether fibrinogen can predict mortality and whether a combination with the biomarker MR-proADM can increase prognostic accuracy. From the COMIC cohort study we included COPD patients with a blood sample obtained in stable state (n = 640) and/or at hospitalization for an acute exacerbation of COPD (n = 262). Risk of death during 3 years of follow up for the separate and combined biomarker models was analyzed with Cox regression. Furthermore, logistic regression models for death after one year were constructed. When both fibrinogen and MR-proADM were included in the survival model, a doubling in fibrinogen and MR-proADM levels gave a 2.2 (95% CI 1.3-3.7) and 2.1 (95% CI 1.5-3.0) fold increased risk of dying, respectively. The prediction model for death after 1 year improved significantly when MR-proADM was added to the model with fibrinogen (AUC increased from 0.78 to 0.83; p = 0.02). However, the combined model was not significantly more adequate than the model with solely MR-proADM (AUC 0.83 vs 0.82; p = 0.34). The study suggests that MR-proADM is more promising than fibrinogen in prediciting mortality. Adding fibrinogen to a model containing MR-proADM does not significantly increase the predictive capacity of the model.

Stability in eosinophil categorisation during subsequent severe exacerbations of COPD.

BACKGROUND: The blood eosinophil count has been shown to be a promising biomarker for establishing personalised treatment strategies to reduce corticosteroid use, either inhaled or systemic, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Eosinophil levels seem relatively stable over time in stable state, but little is known whether this is also true in subsequent severe acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the stability in eosinophil categorisation between two subsequent severe AECOPDs employing frequently used cut-off levels. METHODS: During two subsequent severe AECOPDs, blood eosinophil counts were determined at admission to the hospital in 237 patients in the Cohort of Mortality and Inflammation in COPD Study. The following four cut-off levels were analysed: absolute counts of eosinophils ≥0.2×109/L (200 cells/µL) and ≥0.3×109/L (300 cells/µL) and relative eosinophil percentage of ≥2% and ≥3% of total leucocyte count. Categorisations were considered stable if during the second AECOPD their blood eosinophil status led to the same classification: eosinophilic or not. RESULTS: Depending on the used cut-off, the overall stability in eosinophil categorisation varied between 70% and 85% during two subsequent AECOPDs. From patients who were eosinophilic at the first AECOPD, 34%-45% remained eosinophilic at the subsequent AECOPD, while 9%-21% of patients being non-eosinophilic at the first AECOPD became eosinophilic at the subsequent AECOPD. CONCLUSIONS: The eosinophil variability leads to category changes in subsequent AECOPDs, which limits the eosinophil categorisation stability. Therefore, measurement of eosinophils at each new exacerbation seems warranted.

Effectiveness and safety of cervical catheter tip placement in intrathecal baclofen treatment of spasticity: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intrathecal baclofen treatment of spasticity, administered via a cervical catheter tip. DESIGN: A review of PubMed and the Cochrane Library up to September 2020. No restriction in study design. Two reviewers independently evaluated eligibility, extracted data and evaluated risk of bias. Studies were included in which patients were treated with intrathecal baclofen for spasticity, with the catheter tip at or above the first thoracic level, independent of diagnosis and age. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were eligible, with a moderate to critical risk of bias. Improvement in spasticity was seen only in the upper extremity in 6% of subjects, only in the lower extremity in 2%, in both upper and lower extremities in 50% and without specification of location in 41%. Upper extremity function improved in 88% of cases. Neither drug-related (1%) nor technical (21%) complications occurred more often than in lower placement of the tip. Effects on respiratory function and sleep apnoea were not investigated. CONCLUSION: Cervically administered intrathecal baclofen seems to improve upper extremity spasticity and function, without causing more complications than thoracolumbar intrathecal baclofen. However, the mainly drug-related complications have not been thoroughly investigated and the available literature is of poor methodological quality. Further research is needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this procedure.