COPD Horizon Scanning Volume 2 Issue 1

Systematic Review of Telemedicine Services for Patients Affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Source: Telemedicine and e-Health

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: Nov 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Italian authors have searched Medline and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for literature covering the adoption and impact of telemedicine on COPD patients.

Length of publication: 6 pages

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Acknowledgement: DH Care Networks

2009 Annual Evidence Update on COPD – Invited commentary

Source: NHS Evidence – respiratory

Follow this link for the invited commentary

Date of publication: November 2009

Publication type: Web page

In a nutshell: Dr Tom Wilkinson (Southampton University School of Medicine) summarises the latest key developments in COPD.

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details Follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Acknowledgement: NHS Evidence – respiratory

Action Plan to enhance self-management and early detection of exacerbations in COPD patients; a multicenter RCT

Source: BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 2009

Follow this link for the abstract

Follow this link for the full-text

Date of publication: 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: This RCT  identifies if an action plan (AP)  is an effective component of self-management  in patients with COPD and  clearly differentiates from existing studies  in  its design, outcome measures and generalizability of the results considering that the  study is carried out in multiple sites including general practices.

Length of publication: 23 pages

Acknowledgement: PubMed

Providing reviews of evidence to COPD patients: qualitative study of barriers and facilitating factors to patient-mediated practice change

Source: Chronic Respiratory Disease, 23 December 2009 (Online First)

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitating factors to people with COPD performing the following actions: (a) reading a manual that contained summaries of evidence on treatments used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and (b) at a medical consultation, asking questions that were provided in the manual and were designed to prompt doctors to review current treatments in the light of evidence. The study found that patients did not see it as possible or acceptable to master research evidence or initiate discussions of evidence with doctors. If evidence summaries for patients are to be used they should be understandable and relevant to patients so they can be used as a basis for discussion.

Length of publication:  Web page

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Acknowledgement: Pubmed

Primary prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care

Source: Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society (2009) Volume 6, pages 704-706

Follow this link for the abstract

Follow this link for the full-text

Date of publication: 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent disease, with cigarette smoking being the main risk factor. Prevention is crucial in the fight against COPD.  The benefits of detecting new patients with COPD should be determined before recommending screening and case-finding programs in primary care. No evidence is available that screening by spirometry results in significant health gains. Effective treatment options in patients with mild disease are lacking. Smoking cessation is the cornerstone of COPD prevention. Because cigarette smoking is not only a major cause of COPD but is also a major cause of many other diseases, a decline in tobacco smoking would result in substantial health benefits.

Length of publication: 3 pages

Acknowledgement: PubMed

Further dissemination

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Contact your local NHS library for any assistance. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

The (cost)-effectiveness of self-treatment of exacerbations on the severity of exacerbations in COPD patients: the COPE-II study

Source: Thorax published early online 6 September 2009

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: September 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: The authors evaluated the effect of self-treatment on the severity of exacerbations during one year plus carried out a cost-effectiveness analysis.  Patients were randomly allocated to four two-hour sessions, with or without training in self-treatment. Concluded that self-treatment of exacerbations incorporated in a self-management programme leads to less exacerbation days and lower costs.

Length of publication: 16 pages

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details Follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Acknowledgement: Medline

Telemedicine for management of patients with COPD?

Source: The Lancet, Volume 374, Issue 9691, Pages 672 – 673, 29 August 2009

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: August 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: Think piece on the “uncritical rollout of telehealth for COPD that is taking place in parts of the UK and internationally”, suggesting the European Commission “offers a sounder and strategically considered approach”.

Length of publication: 2 pages

Some important notes: This issue also includes an editorial and several clinical articles on COPD, including new drug therapies.
Full text articles may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details.  Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

The effectiveness of a social marketing model on casefinding for COPD in a deprived inner city population

Source: Primary Care Respiratory Journal. 2009 Sep 15. pii: pcrj-2009-02-0018. doi: 10.4104/pcrj.2009.00050. [Epub ahead of print]

Follow this link for the abstract and a link to the full text

Date of publication: September 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: This research from the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a social marketing model on case-finding for COPD in a population with high smoking rates and COPD prevalence. A two-week marketing campaign was conducted using high visibility posters, leaflets distributed with the local newspaper, and the creation of a free automated COPD information line.  the authors conclude that “This form of healthcare marketing was costly and not effective for COPD case-finding in our area.”

Length of publication: 7 page pdf

Acknowledgement: Mednar Alerts