Dyspnea-induced Limitation (DYSLIM), a new self-administered concise questionnaire to evaluate dyspnea-related activity limitation in chronic respiratory diseases.

Background And Aim: Few questionnaires are available for routine assessment of dyspnea. The study aimed to design a self-administered questionnaire assessing the impact of chronic dyspnea on daily activities, named DYSLIM (Dyspnea-induced Limitation).

Methods: The development followed 4 steps: 1: selection of relevant activities and related questions (focus groups); 2: clinical study: internal and concurrent validity vs.

[Is helium beneficial in a pulmonary rehabilitation program for severe COPD?].

Unlabelled: Helium is known to reduce airflow limitation. Our hypothesis was that severe COPD patients undertaking exercise would show greater improvement in endurance under a heliox mixture (80/20%) than under air alone. This hypothesis was tested in a double-blinded, randomized study.

[Therapeutic patient education in respiratory rehabilitation].

Introduction: Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is an essential component of pulmonary readaptation in chronic respiratory diseases. Numerous and varied patient education projects offer heterogeneous contents and methods, which render them difficult to analyze and to compare. The objective of this review was to provide perspective on the main principles of patient education, using a non-exhaustive approach.

[How to improve patient's access to Respiratory Rehabilitation?].

Despite effectiveness and clear international guidelines, respiratory rehabilitation remains underutilized: less than 15% of suitable patients in France and worldwide receive this treatment. The factors of this lack of referral and uptake have been studied and are not limited to a problem of quantitative adequacy of supply and demand. The lack of knowledge of health professionals, patients, payers, heterogeneous programs which does not necessary correspond to the needs of the patient (modalities, geography, duration), the lack of trained and available professionals, the profile of patients and prescribers and the quality of the programs are identified as potentially hindering the completion of a rehabilitation program.

Relationship between gender and survival in a real-life cohort of patients with COPD.

Background: Although COPD affects both men and women, its prevalence is increasing more rapidly in women. Disease outcomes appear different among women with more frequent dyspnea and anxiety or depression but whether this translates into a different prognosis remains to be determined. Our aim was to assess whether the greater clinical impact of COPD in women was associated with differences in 3-year mortality rates.

Prevalence and management of chronic breathlessness in COPD in a tertiary care center.

Background: Breathlessness is the prominent symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Despite optimal therapeutic management including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, many COPD patients exhibit significant breathlessness. Chronic breathlessness is defined as breathlessness that persists despite optimal treatment of the underlying disease.

Minimal clinically important difference of 3-minute chair rise test and the DIRECT questionnaire after pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients.

Background: The 3-minute chair rise test (3-minute CRT) and the Disability Related to COPD Tool (DIRECT) are two reproducible and valid short tests that can assess the benefit of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in terms of functional capacity and dyspnea in everyday activities.

Methods: We determined the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the DIRECT questionnaire and 3-minute CRT using distribution methods and anchor encroaches with a panel of eight standard tests in a cohort of 116 COPD patients who completed a PR program in real-life settings.

Results: The estimated MCID for the 3-minute CRT and DIRECT scores was five repetitions and two units, respectively, using separate and combined independent anchors.

Management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Guidelines from the Société de pneumologie de langue française (summary).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the chronic respiratory disease with the most important burden on public health in terms of morbidity, mortality and health costs. For patients, COPD is a major source of disability because of dyspnea, restriction in daily activities, exacerbation, risk of chronic respiratory failure and extra-respiratory systemic organ disorders. The previous French Language Respiratory Society (SPLF) guidelines on COPD exacerbations were published in 2003.

Impact of gender on COPD expression in a real-life cohort.

Reports regarding gender-related differences in COPD expression have provided conflicting results. In the French Initiatives BPCO real-world cohort, which contained 688 patients (146 women) when data were extracted, women were matched with men (1:3 ratio: n = 107:275) on age (5-year intervals) and FEV1 (5% predicted intervals) and comparisons were performed using univariate logistic regressions. For a given age and level of airflow obstruction, women with COPD had higher BOD scores due to more pronounced dyspnea and lower BMI, suggesting worse prognosis, and were more likely to exhibit anxiety, suggesting the need for specific assessment and care.

Differences in content and organisational aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes.

The aim was to study the overall content and organisational aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes from a global perspective in order to get an initial appraisal on the degree of heterogeneity worldwide. A 12-question survey on content and organisational aspects was completed by representatives of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes that had previously participated in the European Respiratory Society (ERS) COPD Audit. Moreover, all ERS members affiliated with the ERS Rehabilitation and Chronic Care and/or Physiotherapists Scientific Groups, all members of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and all American Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Assembly members were asked to complete the survey via multiple e-mailings.

[Gastroesophageal reflux and respiratory manifestations: diagnostic approach, therapeutic indications and results].

The authors report a study of 140 patients presenting with a non-allergic respiratory tract disease (121 cases of asthma--19 cases of spasmodic cough). Gastro-oesophageal reflux was detected by 24-hour pHmetry in 86 of these patients. In 34 of them (i.

One-year clinical study on nifedipine in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive lung disease.

The advantages of long-term administration of vasodilators in the treatment of chronic cor pulmonale were investigated after informed consent in 60 patients with obstructive respiratory insufficiency (56 men, 4 women, mean age 63.5 +/- 1.5 years; mean pulmonary pressure 30.

[Endoscopic resection in bronchology using the YAG laser. Evaluation of a 5-year experience].

The authors describe their experience with 1222 tracheobronchial endoscopic laser resections. The technique uses the thermal effects of the YAG laser which can be set to produce coagulation and vaporization. In most cases, the rigid bronchoscope under general anesthesia was preferred to the flexible fiberscope under local anesthesia.