Changes in problematic activities of daily living in persons with COPD during 1 year of usual care.

Introduction: Persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are often limited in performing their activities of daily living (ADLs). However, it remains unknown whether and to what extent problematic ADLs change over time and whether exacerbation-related hospitalisations affect problematic ADLs. Therefore, we investigated self-reported problematic ADLs of persons with COPD during 1 year of usual care (i.

Long term survival after admission for COPD exacerbation: A comparison with the general population.

Background And Objective: Life expectancy data of COPD patients in comparison to the general population are primarily based upon long-term population cohort studies. These studies are limited by a poor definition of clinically significant COPD. The key element in the course of COPD is a clinical exacerbation.

Gender differences in partners of patients with COPD and their perceptions about the patients.

Background/objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) not only affects patients but also their partners. Gender-related differences in patients with COPD are known, for instance regarding symptoms and quality of life. Yet, research regarding gender differences in partners of patients with COPD has been conducted to a lesser extent, and most research focused on female partners.

Activity Levels and Exercise Motivation in Patients With COPD and Their Resident Loved Ones.

Background: Resident loved ones of patients with COPD can play an important role in helping these patients engage in physical activity. We aimed to compare activity levels and exercise motivation between patients with COPD and their resident loved ones; to compare the same outcome measures in patients after stratification for the physical activity level of the loved ones; and to predict the likelihood of being physically active in patients with a physically active resident loved one.

Methods: One hundred twenty-five patient/loved one dyads were cross-sectionally and simultaneously assessed.

Patient versus proxy-reported problematic activities of daily life in patients with COPD.

Background And Objective: Loved ones (proxies) of patients with COPD are confronted with the patients' limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs). However, it remains unknown whether proxies are able to correctly estimate the problematic ADLs of the patient. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the level of agreement between patient-reported and proxy-reported problematic ADLs of the patient.

Health Status and Morbidities in Resident Relatives of Patients With COPD.

Objectives: Resident relatives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may play a major role in obtaining a healthy lifestyle for patients. Little is known about resident relatives. This study aimed to compare health status, morbidities, care dependency, and mobility between patients with COPD and their resident relatives.

Informal caregiver strain, preference and satisfaction in hospital-at-home and usual hospital care for COPD exacerbations: results of a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Informal caregivers play an important role in hospital-at-home schemes. However they may increase their burden, especially chronic diseases, like COPD. In the absence of clear differences in effectiveness and cost-effectiveness between hospital-at-home and usual hospital care, informal caregiver preferences play an important role.

Cost-effectiveness of early assisted discharge for COPD exacerbations in The Netherlands.

Objectives: Hospital admissions for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the main cost drivers of the disease. An alternative is to treat suitable patients at home instead of in the hospital. This article reports on the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of early assisted discharge in The Netherlands.

Early assisted discharge with generic community nursing for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations: results of a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of early assisted discharge for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, with home care provided by generic community nurses, compared with usual hospital care.

Design: Prospective, randomised controlled and multicentre trial with 3-month follow-up.

Setting: Five hospitals and three home care organisations in the Netherlands.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of early assisted discharge for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations: the design of a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the main cause for hospitalisation. These hospitalisations result in a high pressure on hospital beds and high health care costs. Because of the increasing prevalence of COPD this will only become worse.

Low-grade systemic inflammation and the response to exercise training in patients with advanced COPD.

Study Objective: Low-grade systemic inflammation may cause a chronic catabolic state that may affect trainability in patients with COPD as has been seen previously in healthy elderly. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to study the relationship between baseline circulating levels of inflammatory markers and the response to exercise training in clinically stable patients with COPD.

Design: An open prospective intervention study.

Hypogonadism, quadriceps weakness, and exercise intolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Rationale: Circulating levels of testosterone and gonadotrophins of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have never been compared with those of elderly men with normal pulmonary function. Moreover, the relationship of hypogonadism with quadriceps muscle weakness and exercise intolerance has been studied scarcely in men with COPD.

Objectives: To compare circulating levels of hormones of the pituitary-gonadotrophic axis of men with COPD with those of age-matched control subjects.