Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) poses a significant global health burden despite being largely preventable and treatable. Despite the availability of guidelines, COPD care remains suboptimal in many settings, including high-income countries (HICs) and upper-middle-income countries (UMICs), with varied approaches to diagnosis and management. This study aimed to identify common and unique barriers to COPD care across six countries (Australia, Spain, Taiwan, Argentina, Mexico, and Russia) to inform global policy initiatives for improved care.
Methods: COPD care pathways were mapped for each country and supplemented with epidemiological, health-economic, and clinical data from a targeted literature review. Semi-structured interviews with 17 respiratory care clinicians were used to further validate the pathways and identify key barriers. Thematic content analysis was used to generate the themes.
Results: Six themes were common in most HICs and UMICs: "Challenges in COPD diagnosis", "Strengthening the role of primary care", "Fragmented healthcare systems and coordination challenges", "Inadequate management of COPD exacerbations", "Limited access to specialized care" and, "Impact of underfinanced and overloaded healthcare systems". One theme, "Insurance coverage and reimbursement challenges", was more relevant for UMICs. HICs and UMICs differ in patient and healthcare provider awareness, primary care involvement, spirometry access, and availability of specialized care. Both face issues with healthcare fragmentation, guideline adherence, and COPD exacerbation management. In addition, UMICs also grapple with resource limitations and healthcare infrastructure challenges.
Conclusion: Many challenges to COPD care are the same in both HICs and UMICs, underscoring the pervasive nature of these issues. While country-specific issues require customized solutions, there are untapped possibilities for implementing global respiratory strategies that support countries to manage COPD effectively. In addition to healthcare system-level initiatives, there is a crucial need for political prioritization of COPD to allocate the essential resources it requires.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S449659 | DOI Listing |
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol
January 2025
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, Beatrix Children's Hospital, Groningen, Netherlands.
Asthma is a genetically complex inflammatory airway disease associated with over 200 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, the functional effects of many asthma-associated SNPs in lung and airway epithelial samples are unknown. Here, we aimed to conduct expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis using a meta-analysis of nasal and lung samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiol Cardiothorac Imaging
February 2025
From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (X.Z.) and Columbia Magnetic Resonance Research Center (CMRRC) (W.S.), Columbia University, New York, NY; Departments of Medicine (C.B.C., J.P.F.) and Radiology (J.P.F.), University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif; Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY (M.R.P.); Department of Radiology (M.R.P., S.M.D., S.J.), Department of Medicine (M.C.B., R.G.B.), Department of Epidemiology (R.G.B.), Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics (W.S.), and Institute of Human Nutrition (W.S.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 632 W 168th St, PH-17, New York, NY 10032; Department of Radiology (B.A.V., J.A.C.L.) and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (N.N.H.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md; Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich (P.P.A.); Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis (D.A.B.); Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (D.C.); Departments of Radiology, Medicine, and the Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (E.A.H.); Sections on Cardiology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (D.W.K.); Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy (J.A.K.) and Department of Radiology, College of Medicine (M.G.M.), University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Ill; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging (Y.J.L., J.L.), Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (P.G.W.), and Cardiovascular Research Institute (P.G.W.), University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC (J.O., S.P.P.); Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Ariz (V.E.O.); Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (R.P.); Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn (J.D.S.); Department of Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (J.V.C.); and BREATH, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany (J.V.C.).
Purpose To assess the repeatability of real-time cine pulmonary MRI measures of metronome-paced tachypnea (MPT)-induced dynamic hyperinflation and its relationship with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity. Materials and Methods SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures In COPD Study (SPIROMICS) (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier no.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, West Virginia University (WVU) Medicine - Thomas Memorial Hospital, Charleston, USA.
Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome (SHS) is a severe manifestation of the Strongyloides parasite, often occurring in immunocompromised patients due to the inability to subdue larvae autoinfection. As the parasitic burden increases, the patient can develop worsening respiratory symptoms that mimic common pathologies such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The parasite is endemic to the Appalachian region as well as subtropical and tropical areas worldwide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChin Med J Pulm Crit Care Med
December 2024
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Center for Chronic Airway Diseases, Peking University Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Tuberculosis (TB) significantly increases the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), positioning TB-associated COPD (TB-COPD) as a distinct category within the spectrum of respiratory diseases prevalent, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This condition results from the body's immune response to TB, leading to prolonged inflammation and consequent persistent lung damage. Diagnostic approaches, particularly post-bronchodilator spirometry, are vital for identifying airflow obstruction and confirming TB-COPD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChin Med J Pulm Crit Care Med
December 2024
Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
Recent scientific breakthroughs have blurred traditional boundaries between innate and adaptive immunity, revealing a sophisticated network of tissue-resident cells that deliver immediate, localized immune responses. These lymphocytes not only provide rapid frontline defense but also present a paradoxical role in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and the long-term tissue consequences of viral infections including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This review traverses the intricate landscape of lung-resident lymphocytes, delving into their origins, diverse functions, and their dualistic impact on pulmonary health.
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