The Effectiveness and Tolerability of Glycopyrronium for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Clinical Setting: GLARE-Taiwan.

Glycopyrronium (GLY) is a pharmacological maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, its effectiveness and tolerability for COPD patients in routine clinical practice have not been well-investigated. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of GLY on health-related quality of life and its safety in patients with COPD in a routine clinical care setting.

Environmental risks and sphingolipid signatures in adult asthma and its phenotypic clusters: a multicentre study.

Background: Adult asthma is phenotypically heterogeneous with unclear aetiology. We aimed to evaluate the potential contribution of environmental exposure and its ensuing response to asthma and its heterogeneity.

Methods: Environmental risk was evaluated by assessing the records of National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and residence-based air pollution (particulate matter with diameter less than 2.

Relationship between exposure to ozone and exacerbation requiring hospital admission among patients with asthma: a case-control study in central Taiwan.

Objective: The convergence of asthma and air pollutants in ageing populations is currently a growing health issue worldwide, and hence there is an essential need to investigate the association between exposure to air pollution, particularly ozone (O), and exacerbation requiring admission in patients with asthma.

Setting: A case-control study at a tertiary referral hospital in central Taiwan.

Participants: We used an asthma cohort, which included 11 400 patients with asthma, for the period 2006-2018 at Taichung Veterans General Hospital.

The Long-Term Effectiveness of Omalizumab in Adult Patients with Severe Allergic Asthma: Continuous Treatment Versus Boosting Treatment.

The implications of boosting Omalizumab treatment (OT) in patients with severe allergic asthma (SAA) remain unclear. The study aimed to explore and compare the 12-month effectiveness between continuous, at least 10-month OT (continuation group) and four-month boost of Omalizumab (boost group) in adult patients with SAA. In this retrospective cohort study, clinical data were collected for further analysis.

The prevalence and clinical features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with traits of asthma in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: The application of the checkbox for identifying patients with traits of both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma proposed by the 2015 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)/Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) recommendations has not been well studied although such identification is important in clinical practice. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and features of COPD coexistent with asthma traits diagnosed based on the 2015 GINA/GOLD strategies, and explore the gap between guidelines and routine practice in the diagnosis and pharmacological management of such condition in a COPD cohort.

Methods: COPD subjects were enrolled retrospectively throughout Taiwan.

Budesonide/Formoterol Anti-Inflammatory Reliever and Maintenance or Fluticasone Propionate/Salmeterol Plus As-Needed, Short-Acting β Agonist: Real-World Effectiveness in pAtients without Optimally Controlled asThma (REACT) Study.

Introduction: In the prospective, observational, 16-week REACT study conducted between October 21, 2008 and May 12, 2011, we compared the real-world effectiveness of anti-inflammatory reliever and maintenance therapy with budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort Turbuhaler) and maintenance therapy with fixed-dose fluticasone/salmeterol (Seretide) plus as-needed, short-acting β agonists (SABAs) in Taiwanese patients with inadequate asthma control.

Methods: Asthma control was assessed using the five-item Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5) and standardized pulmonary function testing. Assessments were performed at baseline and at weeks 4-5 and 12-16.

Dynamics of the lung microbiome in intensive care patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and community-acquired pneumonia.

Little is known about the composition and clinical implications of lung microbiome in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and community-acquired pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit admission. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the longitudinal changes in microbial airway composition and its variations between COPD patients with different weaning outcomes. Fifty-one endotracheal aspirate samples from 21 participants and 5 saline samples were collected as the patient and control group, respectively.

Dynamic Changes in Prognosis with Elapsed Time on Ventilators among Mechanically Ventilated Patients.

Previous outcome studies of mechanical ventilation usually adopted a static timeframe to observe the outcome and reported prognosis from the standpoint of the first ventilator day. However, patients and their families may repeatedly inquire about prognosis over time after the initiation of mechanical ventilation. We aimed to describe dynamic changes in prognosis according to the elapsed time on a ventilator among mechanically ventilated patients.

Distinct Physiological Characteristics of Isolated Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms.

Background & Aims: Patients with isolated laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms (LPRS) defined as those without concomitant typical reflux symptoms (CTRS) are clinically challenging to manage due to unclear pathophysiology. We investigated esophageal physiology in patients with isolated LPRS and their response to proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy.

Methods: This is a multi-center observational study conducted in referral hospitals in Taiwan.

The association between airflow limitation and blood eosinophil levels with treatment outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and prolonged mechanical ventilation.

The clinical implications of airflow limitation severity and blood eosinophil level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) are unknown. Thus, this study aimed to identify whether or not these two indicators were significantly associated with short-term in-respiratory care center (RCC) treatment outcomes in this population. Of all participants (n = 181) in this retrospective cross-sectional study, 41.

Shared prenatal impacts among childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis: a population-based study.

Background: Increasing prevalence of childhood allergic diseases including asthma is a global health concern, and we aimed to investigate prenatal risk factors for childhood asthma and to address the potential shared prenatal impacts among childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR) and atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods: We used two claim databases, including Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS) and National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), to identify independent paired mother-child data (mother-child dyads) between 2006 and 2009. The association between prenatal factors and asthma was determined by calculating adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using conditional logistic regression analysis.

The impact of 2011 and 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) guidelines on allocation and pharmacological management of patients with COPD in Taiwan: Taiwan Obstructive Lung Disease (TOLD) study.

Background: This nationwide study was performed to evaluate the evolution of distributions of patients with COPD according to the 2011 and 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) guidelines and to assess the concordance between the prescribed medications and the pharmacological management recommended by the two distinct classification systems in Taiwan.

Subjects And Methods: Data were retrospectively retrieved from stable COPD patients in 11 participating hospitals across Taiwan. Patients were grouped according to GOLD 2011 and 2017 guidelines respectively.

Clinical features, bacteriology of endotracheal aspirates and treatment outcomes of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and community-acquired pneumonia in an intensive care unit in Taiwan with an emphasis on eosinophilia versus non-eosinophilia: a retrospective case-control study.

Objectives: The clinical implications of blood eosinophil level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission are still unknown. Thus, this study aimed to compare the features of such patients with and without blood eosinophilia.

Design: This was a retrospective case-control study.

Comparison between COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scores for evaluation of clinical symptoms, comorbidities and medical resources utilization in COPD patients.

Background: The 2011 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) proposed a new severity assessment system for emphasizing clinical symptom evaluation by COPD Assessment Test (CAT) or modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scores. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two scoring systems in evaluating COPD patients.

Methods: A population based cross-sectional study employing computer-assisted telephone interviewing system (CATI) for surveying the epidemiology of COPD in Taiwan.

Characteristics and risk factors for inconsistency between the risk of exacerbations and the severity of airflow limitation in COPD based on GOLD 2017: A retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Background And Objectives: The clinical implications of the discordance between the risk of exacerbations and the level of airflow limitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are still unknown. This study aimed to clarify the clinical significance of such discordance in the management of COPD by exploring its characteristics and risk factors.

Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, participating physicians completed a detailed patient record form for each participating outpatient with COPD.

Comparative efficacy and tolerability of beclomethasone/formoterol and fluticasone/salmeterol fixed combination in Taiwanese asthmatic patients.

Background: The study was designed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of a fixed combination of extra-fine beclomethasone and formoterol, with the fixed combination fluticasone and salmeterol in Taiwanese asthmatic patients.

Methods: This was a phase III, multicentre, randomized, two-arm parallel groups, controlled study. Patients with moderate to severe asthma were randomized to a 12-week treatment with either beclomethasone 100 mcg plus formoterol 6 mcg (BDP/F) or fluticasone 125 mcg plus salmeterol 25 mcg (FP/S), both delivered 2 inhalations twice daily.

Factors responsible for poor sleep quality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Sleep disturbance is a common complaint in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). However, the factors resulting in sleep disturbance remain unclear. This retrospective, observational, multicenter study aimed to identify the factors associated with sleep disturbance in patients with COPD.

The suitability of the GERDyzer instrument in pH-test-proven laryngopharyngeal reflux patients.

The use of validated patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments for the treatment outcome measure of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is crucial given the lack of objective markers. However, current symptom-based PRO instruments can only partially capture the impact of LPR. The GERD Analyzer (GERDyzer), an existing disease-specific PRO instrument, which measures multidimensional health-related quality of life (HRQL) affected by the illness rather than by any specific symptoms, has been validated in patients with erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Predictive factors warrant screening for obstructive sleep apnea in COPD: a Taiwan National Survey.

Background And Objectives: COPD and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) share similar pathological processes and cardiovascular sequelae. Coexisting OSA in COPD - "overlap syndrome" - has worse prognosis than either condition alone, and appropriate treatment improves survival. Our objectives were to ascertain the frequency at which COPD coexists with the risk of OSA in Taiwan and to compare the risk factors, COPD symptoms, and life quality metrics between COPD subgroups with versus without risk of OSA.

COPD in Taiwan: a National Epidemiology Survey.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of COPD in Taiwan and to document the disease characteristics and associated risk factors.

Methods: We conducted a random cross-sectional national survey of adults older than 40 years in Taiwan. Respiratory health screening questions identified subjects with diagnosed COPD or whose reported symptoms also fulfilled an epidemiological case definition; these were eligible to complete the survey, which also included indices of symptom severity and disability and questions on comorbidities, medical treatments, smoking habits, and occupations potentially harmful to respiratory health.

Features of COPD patients by comparing CAT with mMRC: a retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Background: The group assignment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may differ depending on whether the COPD assessment test (CAT) or modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (mMRC) is used.

Aims: This study intended to clarify how different patient characteristics influence the differences, to determine the relationships between CAT and mMRC and to characterise COPD patients by both CAT and mMRC.

Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study.