Publications by authors named "Carlos J Alvarez-Martinez"
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed outcomes, resource use, and costs related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by analyzing a cohort of patients who visited the emergency department in 2018.
- In a sample of 2,384 COPD patients, the study found high mortality rates—23.4% within one year—and significant readmission rates, with costs totaling approximately €14.6 million.
- The findings highlight the need for specialized programs to improve care for COPD patients due to their high mortality, readmission rates, and substantial economic burden on the healthcare system.
Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessment plays a crucial role in the follow-up care of lung transplanted (LTx) patients. Previous reports have indicated that the HRQL achieved by these patients is often poorer compared to that of healthy individuals. However, the factors contributing to this lower HRQL remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The respiratory microbiome is altered in COPD patients but its relationship with core components of the disease, such as the severity of airflow limitation, the frequency of exacerbations or the circulating levels of eosinophils, is unclear.
Methods: Cross-sectional study comprising 72 clinically stable COPD patients (mean age 68 [SD 7.9] years; FEV1 48.
Introduction And Objectives: Determinants of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the early stages of its natural history are not well known. Improving our knowledge of these factors will help to design interventions that can modify prognosis. Study objectives are: a) to characterize a COPD population of young adults aged 35-50 years from a multidimensional point of view; b) to compare these patients with smokers with normal lung function; and c) to create a cohort of young adults aged 35-50 years (smokers or former smokers), with and without COPD, who will be followed in the future to improve understanding of the natural history of the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hospitalization for a severe exacerbation of COPD (eCOPD) is an important event in the natural history of COPD. Identifying factors related to mortality 1 year after hospitalization could help determine interventions to reduce mortality.
Methods: In a prospective, observational, multicentre study, we evaluated data from two cohorts: the Spanish audit of hospital COPD exacerbation care (our derivation sample) and the Spanish cohort of the European audit of COPD exacerbation care (our validation sample).
The aim of the proposed recommendations is be a tool to facilitate decision-making in patients with a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN). For an optimal decision, accessibility to the different diagnostics techniques and patient preferences need to be incorporated. The first assessment, which includes a chest computed tomography scan, separates a group of patients with extrapulmonary neoplasm or a high surgical risk who require individualized management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackgrounds: AUDIPOC is a nationwide clinical audit that describes the characteristics, interventions and outcomes of patients admitted to Spanish hospitals because of an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD), assessing the compliance of these parameters with current international guidelines. The present study describes hospital resources, hospital factors related to case recruitment variability, patients' characteristics, and adherence to guidelines.
Methodology/principal Findings: An organisational database was completed by all participant hospitals recording resources and organisation.