Estimating the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD exacerbations: reduction of hospital inpatient days during the following year.

Aims: To study the short- and long-term results of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) given in the Helsinki University Heart and Lung Center and to understand the hospital resources used to treat severe COPD exacerbations in the city of Helsinki.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-eight inactive patients with severe COPD were recruited for a PR course; three of them did not finish the course. The course took 6-8 weeks and included 11-16 supervised exercise sessions.

Individual FEV1 Trajectories Can Be Identified from a COPD Cohort.

Objective: We aim to make use of clinical spirometry data in order to identify individual COPD-patients with divergent trajectories of lung function over time.

Study Design And Setting: Hospital-based COPD cohort (N = 607) was followed on average 4.6 years.

Physical activity in COPD patients decreases short-acting bronchodilator use and the number of exacerbations.

Background: Physically inactive patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit higher rates of exacerbations and symptoms of dyspnoea than active patients. Whether the use of COPD medication explains these differences is not known.

Aim: This study evaluated differences in the use of COPD medication and the number of exacerbations due to physical activity.

Diagnosis and pharmacotherapy of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the finnish guidelines.

The Finnish Medical Society Duodecim initiated and managed the update of the Finnish national guideline for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Finnish COPD guideline was revised to acknowledge the progress in diagnosis and management of COPD. This Finnish COPD guideline in English language is a part of the original guideline and focuses on the diagnosis, assessment and pharmacotherapy of stable COPD.

[Update on current care guideline: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)].

Clinical serverity of COPD is based not only on the grade of obstruction in spirometry, but also on symptoms and risk of exacerbations. Symptoms can be defined by questionnaires, such as CAT-test (COPD assessment -test) or mMRC (modified Medical Research Council -test). Smoking cessation and physical activity are important treatment options.

[Endobronchial ultrasonography--when needed?].

Endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) and associated needle biopsy is a mini-invasive means to study mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes and tumors. Guidance by real-time ultrasound image allows the biopsy of even small targets with high accuracy. The investigation is well tolerated, highly specific and its main indication is the staging of lung cancer.

Physical inactivity in COPD and increased patient perception of dyspnea.

Objective: To study patients' levels of exercise activity and the clinical characteristics that relate to physical activity and inactivity among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: A postal questionnaire was administered to 719 patients with COPD in 2010; patients were recruited from the Helsinki and Turku University Central Hospitals in Finland and have been followed since 2005. The questionnaire asked participants about their exercise routines and other daily activities, potential restrictions to exercise, health-related quality of life, and subjective sensations of dyspnea upon exertion.