Jerneja Farkas

Cachexia as a major public health problem: frequent, costly, and deadly

Perception of healthy body size and composition differs considerably across the globe, ethnic groups, cultures, and even inside medical community. Although the concept of ideal body weight has evolved over the past decades, the observation that weight loss can have more deleterious effects within a short-term period than weight gain has remained rather consistent. Weight loss, as a prelude to cachexia, occurs frequently in a variety of disease states and meets the requirements of a global public health problem. Consequently, interventions to prevent and control chronic diseases require a comprehensive approach that targets a population as a whole and includes both prevention and treatment strategies. Around the globe, cachexia awareness campaigns and expanding the current public health priorities to highlight the cachexia magnitude and areas of interventions is necessary. Simultaneously, scientific efforts should provide us with more reliable estimates of body wasting and cachexia as well as pathophysiology of cachexia-associated death. As certain proportion of patients will, irrespective of preventive measures, eventually develop cachexia, a quest for effective remedy remains vital.

Self-rated health and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.

In patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), there is limited information on self‐rated health (SRH). We aimed to examine the distribution of SRH and whether SRH is associated with mortality in patients with stable CHF.

Cardiac biomarkers predict outcome after hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PURPOSE In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular system is involved but less is known about role of specific cardiac biomarkers. We aimed to investigate associations between N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and troponin T during hospitalisation with 6-month outcome. METHODS This was a prospective study conducted in consecutive patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of COPD. On admission, and at discharge, NT-proBNP and troponin T were measured, and echocardiography was performed. Hospitalisations and mortality were recorded for 6 months after discharge. RESULTS We included 127 patients (70 ± 10 years, 70% men, GOLD III/IV 87%). Left ventricular dysfunction was detected in 70 (55%) patients and diastolic dysfunction was the most common type (53 patients-42%). NT-proBNP and troponin T were elevated on admission in 60% and 36%, and at discharge in 28% and 19% of patients. During follow-up, 53 (42%) patients were hospitalized and 17 (13%) patients died. In Kaplan Meier analysis of survival curves, NT-proBNP on admission distinguished between deceased and surviving patients (p=0.011) whilst troponin T at discharge separated hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients (p=0.017). The adjusted Cox proportional hazard model confirmed these findings: discharge troponin T predicted hospitalisations (hazard ratio 2.89, 95% confidence interval 1.13-7.36) and admission NT-proBNP predicted mortality (hazard ratio 4.20, 95% confidence interval 1.07-14.01). CONCLUSIONS Elevated NT-proBNP at discharge and troponin T on admission predict outcome in patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of COPD.

Discharge Coordinator Intervention Prevents Hospitalizations in Patients With COPD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES To test whether coordination of discharge from hospital reduces hospitalizations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING Specialized pulmonary hospital. PARTICIPANTS Patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of COPD. INTERVENTION Care as usual included routine patient education, supervised inhaler use, respiratory physiotherapy, and disease-related communication. The discharge coordinator intervention added assessment of patient situation and homecare needs. Patients and caregivers were actively involved and empowered in the discharge planning process, which was communicated with community medical professionals to provide continuity of care at home. MEASUREMENTS The primary end-point of the study was the number of patients hospitalized because of worsening COPD. Key secondary end-points were time-to-COPD hospitalization, all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalization, days alive and out of hospital, and health-related quality of life. RESULTS Of 253 eligible patients (71 ± 9 years, 72% men, 87% GOLD III/IV), 118 were assigned to intervention and 135 to usual care. During a follow-up of 180 days, fewer patients receiving intervention were hospitalized for COPD (14% versus 31%, P = .002) or for any cause (31% versus 44%, P = .033). In time-to-event analysis, intervention was associated with lower rates of COPD hospitalizations (P = .001). A Cox model of proportional hazards, adjusted for sex, age, GOLD stage, heart failure, malignant disease, and long-term oxygen treatment, demonstrated that intervention reduced the risk of COPD hospitalization (hazard ratio 0.43, 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.77, P = .002). CONCLUSION Among patients hospitalized for acute COPD exacerbation, discharge coordinator intervention reduced both COPD hospitalizations and all-cause hospitalizations.

Self-Rated Health Predicts Acute Exacerbations and Hospitalizations in Patients With COPD

BACKGROUND Self-rated health predicts outcome in chronic disease, but such information is scarce in COPD. We aimed to assess self-rated health as an outcome predictor in carefully characterized patients with this condition. METHODS This was a prospective study in 127 clinically stable patients with COPD (64 +/- 8 years, 79% men, 82% Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage II or III). Self-rated health was assessed using a 5-grade Likert scale ranging from very poor to very good. RESULTS During 26.0 +/- 4.9 months of follow-up, 78 patients experienced acute exacerbation, 39 were hospitalized, and 10 died. Poor or very poor self-rated health was reported by 19 patients (15%) and was more common in patients experiencing acute exacerbations (20% vs 6%, P = .027) and hospitalizations (19% vs 5%, P = .039). Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated more acute exacerbations (P = .003) and hospitalizations (P = .008) in patients with poor or very poor self-rated health. In a fully adjusted Cox model of proportional hazard, poor or very poor self-rated health remained predictive of acute exacerbations (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80; 95% CI, 1.03-3.11) and hospitalizations (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.12-3.68) but not of death. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that self-rated health is predictive of acute exacerbations and hospitalizations. Although prediction of mortality was limited, the study is supportive of self-rated health testing in COPD.

National trends in heart failure hospitalization rates in Slovenia 2004-2012.

Heart failure (HF) hospitalization rates are decreasing in western Europe, but little is known about trends in central and east European countries. We analysed the Slovenian national hospitalization database to determine the burden of HF hospitalization.

Mini nutritional assessment, body composition, and hospitalisations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND Limited information is available about Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We have conceived this analysis to study the associations between MNA questionnaire, body composition, and rehospitalisations in patients with COPD. METHODS This prospective study recruited control subjects and COPD patients for pulmonary function testing, nutritional assessment using MNA questionnaire, body composition measurement, and dyspnoea evaluation. We recorded hospitalisations during 6 months after discharge. RESULTS Our sample included 22 healthy controls (71 ± 5 years, 59% men) and 108 COPD patients (71 ± 10 years, 75% men, 85% severe or very severe COPD). MNA score was significantly higher in control subjects than in COPD patients (27.0 ± 1.7 vs 21.2 ± 4.9, p < 0.001). MNA score decreased over GOLD stage (p = 0.02) and indicated malnutrition in 14% of patients, and further 55% were at risk of malnutrition. Body mass index but not body composition parameters was higher in control subjects when compared to COPD patients (29.1 ± 3.8 vs 27.0 ± 6.3, p = 0.041). A positive correlation between MNA score, body fat content (p = 0.001), and lean body mass (p < 0.001) was observed. During follow-up, 45 (41%) patients were rehospitalised. Malnourished patients had higher risk of rehospitalisation in univariate analysis (HR 2.62, 95%Cl 1.13-6.07), which was maintained in an adjusted model (HR 2.93, 95%CI 1.05-7.32). CONCLUSIONS Malnutrition and risk of malnutrition was frequent, associated with lower body fat mass and lean body mass, and independently predicted hospitalisations at six months.

Self-rated health, nutritional intake and mortality in adult hospitalized patients

In the general population, poor self‐rated health (SRH) is associated with malnutrition; however, these associations have not been studied in hospitalized patients. We aimed to evaluate SRH, indicators of nutrition, nutritional status and their association with in‐hospital mortality.

Distribution of self-rated health and association with clinical parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

SummaryBACKGROUND: Data on self-rated health (SRH) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are very limited; we therefore initiated this study to investigate the distribution of SRH and association with established parameters of disease severity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 135 clinically stable patients with COPD (64 ± 8 years, 71% men, GOLD stage: II –59; III –55; IV –21) and 25 healthy control persons. SRH was evaluated using the 5-grade Likert scale (1-very poor to 5-very good). RESULTS: Patients with COPD had poorer SRH when compared with controls (3.0 ± 0.7 vs. 3.8 ± 0.6, P < 0.001). SRH decreased over GOLD stage (P = 0.016) and 27 (20%) patients reported poor or very poor SRH. In univariate analysis, GOLD stage (P = 0.022), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) score (P = 0.001), BODE index score (P < 0.001), score on the modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea scale (P < 0.001) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance (P < 0.001) determined poor or very poor SRH. In a multivariate model which included BODE index score, a CES-D score ≥ 16 (P = 0.013) and BODE index score (P = 0.012) determined poor or very poor SRH. In the model with individual components of the BODE index, a CES-D score ≥ 16 (P = 0.012), MMRC score of 3 or 4 (P = 0.019) and 6MWT distance ≤ 249 m (P = 0.019) determined poor or very poor SRH. CONCLUSION: In patients with COPD, SRH is worse than in healthy control persons and deteriorates over GOLD stage. Perception of health as poor or very poor is associated with psychological components (CES-D score) and disease severity (BODE index score, 6MWT distance and MMRC dyspnea score).

Effectiveness of discharge-coordinator intervention in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: study protocol of a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) follows a slowly progressive natural course that can be accelerated by acute exacerbations, which frequently trigger admissions to hospital. Specific healthcare professional profiles such as that of discharge coordinator have been successful in reducing numbers of hospitalizations and need for medical care in patients with various chronic diseases, but data for COPD are sparse and inconclusive. This study was conceived to test whether coordinated discharge and post-discharge care could reduce re-hospitalizations and use of resources in patients with COPD. METHODS/DESIGN This ongoing single-center randomized controlled clinical trial, which began in November 2009, is enrolling COPD patients in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages II IV, hospitalized because of acute exacerbation. Patients are randomized in a 1:1 fashion to the intervention group, which has care organized by a discharge coordinator, and a control group receiving the usual care. The primary endpoint of the study is the number of patients hospitalized because of worsening of COPD. Data are collected at baseline, at the time of hospital discharge, and at the following time-points after discharge: 48 hours, 7 10 days, 30 days, 90 days, and 180 days. DISCUSSION In COPD patients requiring hospital admission, coordinated discharge appears a feasible option for improving patient and healthcare system-related outcomes. This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of a discharge coordinator in patients hospitalized because of acute exacerbation of COPD and may give relevant guidance for implementation in clinical practice. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT01225627.