COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Measuring Exacerbations Of COPD: A Novel Approach
Article Date: 28 Jul 2010
Exacerbations are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leading to dramatic reductions in quality of life and expensive emergency room visits and hospitalizations. To date, there has been no standard, validated method for defining or evaluating these events in clinical trials, limiting scientific understanding of these events and the effect of treatment.
Since detection of exacerbations is dependent on a patient's decision to contact their health care provider in response to worsening symptoms, and the decision to alter treatment is largely based on patient report, it is logical and desirable to standardize these assessments through a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument. The EXAcerbations of Chronic Pulmonary Disease Tool (EXACT) was developed as a daily diary based on COPD patients' descriptions of their exacerbations with input from experts in pulmonary medicine.
The instrument development process has been led by Drs. Nancy Kline Leidy with the assistance of Dr. Teresa Wilcox and a scientific team from the United BioSource Corporation. Drs. Paul Jones of St. George's Hospital Medical School, London UK, and Dr. Sanjay Sethi of the University at Buffalo, New York, provided important clinical and scientific input throughout.
The project has been supported through unrestricted funds from multiple pharmaceutical sponsors interested in improving treatment of COPD. "The EXACT is unique because it systematically assesses exacerbations of COPD. It also provides a standardized method for evaluating the treatment benefit of COPD therapies and provides important, quantitative information about patients' day-to-day experience with COPD," says Dr. Leidy.
The EXACT has undergone initial testing for reliability and validity and has been translated into 28 languages. The diary is currently being used in several multinational clinical trials. The development of the EXACT is described in the most recent issue of Value in Health, the official journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).
Value in Health (ISSN 1098-3015) publishes papers, concepts, and ideas that advance the field of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research and help health care leaders to make decisions that are solidly evidence-based. The journal is published bi-monthly and has a regular readership of over 5,000 clinicians, decision-makers, and researchers worldwide.
Source:
ISPOR
Article Date: 28 Jul 2010
Exacerbations are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leading to dramatic reductions in quality of life and expensive emergency room visits and hospitalizations. To date, there has been no standard, validated method for defining or evaluating these events in clinical trials, limiting scientific understanding of these events and the effect of treatment.
Since detection of exacerbations is dependent on a patient's decision to contact their health care provider in response to worsening symptoms, and the decision to alter treatment is largely based on patient report, it is logical and desirable to standardize these assessments through a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument. The EXAcerbations of Chronic Pulmonary Disease Tool (EXACT) was developed as a daily diary based on COPD patients' descriptions of their exacerbations with input from experts in pulmonary medicine.
The instrument development process has been led by Drs. Nancy Kline Leidy with the assistance of Dr. Teresa Wilcox and a scientific team from the United BioSource Corporation. Drs. Paul Jones of St. George's Hospital Medical School, London UK, and Dr. Sanjay Sethi of the University at Buffalo, New York, provided important clinical and scientific input throughout.
The project has been supported through unrestricted funds from multiple pharmaceutical sponsors interested in improving treatment of COPD. "The EXACT is unique because it systematically assesses exacerbations of COPD. It also provides a standardized method for evaluating the treatment benefit of COPD therapies and provides important, quantitative information about patients' day-to-day experience with COPD," says Dr. Leidy.
The EXACT has undergone initial testing for reliability and validity and has been translated into 28 languages. The diary is currently being used in several multinational clinical trials. The development of the EXACT is described in the most recent issue of Value in Health, the official journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).
Value in Health (ISSN 1098-3015) publishes papers, concepts, and ideas that advance the field of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research and help health care leaders to make decisions that are solidly evidence-based. The journal is published bi-monthly and has a regular readership of over 5,000 clinicians, decision-makers, and researchers worldwide.
Source:
ISPOR
I have my "emergency kit" from the DR. and guidelines if I need to start it until the office opens up and I can let the Dr. know. By his preference, he asks I not start the abx. until I check in with him unless I'm out of town or something but I have three different abx. I'm suppose to rotate through when called for.
SInce the last big ill, I've not been able to be off prednisone for more than a couple of weeks... guess this time its just taking longer to recoup but that sounds pretty standard for after a big sick.
My Dr. says the same thing. I hate steroids & haven't taken any since 2006. They tried me on Advair & it didn't like me either. I've been using that vincopetine for a month or so & the wheezing has stopped all together. The steroids make me mean & shaky. I will take the med-pack if I have to though. Deb
Then the doctor never called me back when I left messages about
when was I suppose to stop taking the Prednisone and how long was I to use it?
I decided for me...........I won't use a kit any more.....I'll just go to the ER since it always seems I get sick on Sundays??? lol strange huh
Well the doctors asst. usually work and forget........and that is why they tell me to ahead and go to the ER anyway?
Ok
I'm dyslexic sometimes, I meant Vinpocetine:>) Deb