Victor Kim

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations in the COPDGene study: associated radiologic phenotypes

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis-given the increasing emphasis on quantitative computed tomographic (CT) phenotypes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-that a relationship exists between COPD exacerbation frequency and quantitative CT measures of emphysema and airway disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS This research protocol was approved by the institutional review board of each participating institution, and all participants provided written informed consent. One thousand two subjects who were enrolled in the COPDGene Study and met the GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) criteria for COPD with quantitative CT analysis were included. Total lung emphysema percentage was measured by using the attenuation mask technique with a -950-HU threshold. An automated program measured the mean wall thickness and mean wall area percentage in six segmental bronchi. The frequency of COPD exacerbation in the prior year was determined by using a questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed to examine the relationship of exacerbation frequency with lung function and quantitative CT measurements. RESULTS In a multivariate analysis adjusted for lung function, bronchial wall thickness and total lung emphysema percentage were associated with COPD exacerbation frequency. Each 1-mm increase in bronchial wall thickness was associated with a 1.84-fold increase in annual exacerbation rate (P = .004). For patients with 35% or greater total emphysema, each 5% increase in emphysema was associated with a 1.18-fold increase in this rate (P = .047). CONCLUSION Greater lung emphysema and airway wall thickness were associated with COPD exacerbations, independent of the severity of airflow obstruction. Quantitative CT can help identify subgroups of patients with COPD who experience exacerbations for targeted research and therapy development for individual phenotypes.

The Chronic Bronchitic Phenotype of COPD: An Analysis of the COPDGene Study

BACKGROUND Chronic bronchitis (CB) in patients with COPD is associated with an accelerated lung function decline and an increased risk of respiratory infections. Despite its clinical significance, the chronic bronchitic phenotype in COPD remains poorly defined. METHODS We analyzed data from subjects enrolled in the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) Study. A total of 1,061 subjects with GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) stage II to IV were divided into two groups: CB (CB+) if subjects noted chronic cough and phlegm production for ≥ 3 mo/y for 2 consecutive years, and no CB (CB-) if they did not. RESULTS There were 290 and 771 subjects in the CB+ and CB- groups, respectively. Despite similar lung function, the CB+ group was younger (62.8 ± 8.4 vs 64.6 ± 8.4 years, P = .002), smoked more (57 ± 30 vs 52 ± 25 pack-years, P = .006), and had more current smokers (48% vs 27%, P < .0001). A greater percentage of the CB+ group reported nasal and ocular symptoms, wheezing, and nocturnal awakenings secondary to cough and dyspnea. History of exacerbations was higher in the CB+ group (1.21 ± 1.62 vs 0.63 ± 1.12 per patient, P < .027), and more patients in the CB+ group reported a history of severe exacerbations (26.6% vs 20.0%, P = .024). There was no difference in percent emphysema or percent gas trapping, but the CB+ group had a higher mean percent segmental airway wall area (63.2% ± 2.9% vs 62.6% ± 3.1%, P = .013). CONCLUSIONS CB in patients with COPD is associated with worse respiratory symptoms and higher risk of exacerbations. This group may need more directed therapy targeting chronic mucus production and smoking cessation not only to improve symptoms but also to reduce risk, improve quality of life, and improve outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRY ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00608764; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

New Concepts in the Pathobiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by an abnormal persistent inflammatory response to cigarette smoke. This noxious insult leads to emphysema and airway remodeling, manifested by squamous and mucous metaplasia of the epithelium, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and airway wall fibrosis. These pathologic abnormalities interact synergistically to cause progressive airflow obstruction. Although it has been accepted that the spectrum of COPD is vast, the reasons for the development of different phenotypes from the same exposure to cigarette smoke have not been determined. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that airways disease and emphysema often coexist in many patients, even with a clear clinical phenotype of either emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Recent studies have focused on the nature of the inflammatory response to cigarette smoke, the inflammatory cell lines responsible for COPD pathogenesis, and new biomarkers for disease activity and progression. New cytokines are being discovered, and the complex interactions among them are being unraveled. The inflammatory biomarker that has received the most attention is C-reactive protein, but new ones that have caught our attention are interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-8, and IL-10. Further research should focus on how these new concepts in lung inflammation interact to cause the various aspects of COPD pathology.

Chronic Bronchitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic bronchitis (CB) is a common but variable phenomenon in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It has numerous clinical consequences, including an accelerated decline in lung function, greater risk of the development of airflow obstruction in smokers, a predisposition to lower respiratory tract infection, higher exacerbation frequency, and worse overall mortality. CB is caused by overproduction and hypersecretion of mucus by goblet cells, which leads to worsening airflow obstruction by luminal obstruction of small airways, epithelial remodeling, and alteration of airway surface tension predisposing to collapse. Despite its clinical sequelae, little is known about the pathophysiology of CB and goblet cell hyperplasia in COPD, and treatment options are limited. In addition, it is becoming increasingly apparent that in the classic COPD spectrum, with emphysema on one end and CB on the other, most patients lie somewhere in the middle. It is known now that many patients with severe emphysema can develop CB, and small airway pathology has been linked to worse clinical outcomes, such as increased mortality and lesser improvement in lung function after lung volume reduction surgery. However, in recent years, a greater understanding of the importance of CB as a phenotype to identify patients with a beneficial response to therapy has been described. Herein we review the epidemiology of CB, the evidence behind its clinical consequences, the current understanding of the pathophysiology of goblet cell hyperplasia in COPD, and current therapies for CB.

Oxygen therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Since the introduction of oxygen as a therapeutic agent 70 years ago, much has been learned regarding the detrimental effects of hypoxemia and the beneficial impact of oxygen therapy. It is projected that there are close to 800,000 patients receiving long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in the United States, at a cost of approximately

Pathogenesis of Emphysema: From the Bench to the Bedside

1.8 billion annually. The large numbers of patients receiving supplemental oxygen as treatment and the high costs incurred in providing oxygen therapy necessitate the practitioner to know the indications for LTOT as well its effects on survival, pulmonary hemodynamics, sleep, and exercise capacity. It is now recognized that the basis for LTOT prescription for all patients is founded on data that are over 25 years old and that only involve a very select cohort of patients. It is clear that further studies are required to assess the effects of oxygen on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with only mild hypoxemia, not only survival but also on neurocognitive function, quality of life, exercise physiology, and sleep quality. In addition, although proven to be safe when prescribed long term to individuals with lung disease, there are some concerns about worsening carbon dioxide retention and increased oxidant injury. The goals of this article are to briefly describe the indications for chronic oxygen administration, the physiologic effects of treatment, and potential toxicities, as well as its effect on morbidity and mortality.

Genome-wide association study of smoking behaviours in patients with COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized physiologically by expiratory flow limitation and pathologically by alveolar destruction and enlargement and small and large airway inflammation and remodeling. An imbalance between protease and antiprotease activity in the lung is proposed as the major mechanism resulting in emphysema. The imbalance is mostly due to an increase in the numbers of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils. Emphysema can also develop from increased alveolar wall cell death and/or failure in alveolar wall maintenance. Chronic inflammation and increased oxidative stress contribute to increased destruction and/or impaired lung maintenance and repair. Genetic factors may play an important role in disease susceptibility because only a minority of smokers develops emphysema. Recent literature implicates surfactant instability, malnutrition, and alveolar cell apoptosis as possible etiologies. Identification of cellular and molecular mechanisms of COPD pathogenesis is an area of active, ongoing research that may help to determine therapeutic targets for emphysema.

Association between Functional Small Airway Disease and FEV1 Decline in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and COPD severity. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD) and a dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) locus associated with smoking cessation in multiple populations. Objective To identify SNPs associated with lifetime average and current CPD, age at smoking initiation, and smoking cessation in patients with COPD. Methods GWAS were conducted in four independent cohorts encompassing 3441 ever-smoking patients with COPD (Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease stage II or higher). Untyped SNPs were imputed using the HapMap (phase II) panel. Results from all cohorts were meta-analysed. Results Several SNPs near the HLA region on chromosome 6p21 and in an intergenic region on chromosome 2q21 showed associations with age at smoking initiation, both with the lowest p=2×10−7. No SNPs were associated with lifetime average CPD, current CPD or smoking cessation with p<10−6. Nominally significant associations with candidate SNPs within cholinergic receptors, nicotinic, alpha 3/5 (CHRNA3/CHRNA5; eg, p=0.00011 for SNP rs1051730) and cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily A, polypeptide 6 (CYP2A6; eg, p=2.78×10−5 for a non-synonymous SNP rs1801272) regions were observed for lifetime average CPD, however only CYP2A6 showed evidence of significant association with current CPD. A candidate SNP (rs3025343) in DBH was significantly (p=0.015) associated with smoking cessation. Conclusion The authors identified two candidate regions associated with age at smoking initiation in patients with COPD. Associations of CHRNA3/CHRNA5 and CYP2A6 loci with CPD and DBH with smoking cessation are also likely of importance in the smoking behaviours of patients with COPD.

Safety and Efficacy of an Inhaled Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor (BIBW 2948 BS) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

RATIONALE The small conducting airways are the major site of airflow obstruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and may precede emphysema development. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized a novel computed tomography (CT) biomarker of small airway disease predicts FEV1 decline. METHODS We analyzed 1,508 current and former smokers from COPDGene with linear regression to assess predictors of change in FEV1 (ml/yr) over 5 years. Separate models for subjects without and with airflow obstruction were generated using baseline clinical and physiologic predictors in addition to two novel CT metrics created by parametric response mapping (PRM), a technique pairing inspiratory and expiratory CT images to define emphysema (PRM(emph)) and functional small airways disease (PRM(fSAD)), a measure of nonemphysematous air trapping. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Mean (SD) rate of FEV1 decline in ml/yr for GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) 0-4 was as follows: 41.8 (47.7), 53.8 (57.1), 45.6 (61.1), 31.6 (43.6), and 5.1 (35.8), respectively (trend test for grades 1-4; P < 0.001). In multivariable linear regression, for participants without airflow obstruction, PRM(fSAD) but not PRM(emph) was associated with FEV1 decline (P < 0.001). In GOLD 1-4 participants, both PRM(fSAD) and PRM(emph) were associated with FEV1 decline (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Based on the model, the proportional contribution of the two CT metrics to FEV1 decline, relative to each other, was 87% versus 13% and 68% versus 32% for PRM(fSAD) and PRM(emph) in GOLD 1/2 and 3/4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS CT-assessed functional small airway disease and emphysema are associated with FEV1 decline, but the association with functional small airway disease has greatest importance in mild-to-moderate stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease where the rate of FEV1 decline is the greatest. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 00608764).

Lymphoid Follicle Cells in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overexpress the Chemokine Receptor CXCR3

RATIONALE Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation is implicated in mucin hypersecretion in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OBJECTIVES To investigate the safety and efficacy of an inhaled EGFR antagonist (BIBW 2948) in COPD. METHODS Multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 4 weeks of treatment with two doses of BIBW 2948 (15 and 30 mg twice a day) on safety and mucin-related outcomes in 48 patients with COPD. The effect of BIBW 2948 on EGFR activation in airway epithelial cells was assessed using an ex vivo assay. Efficacy measures included the volume of mucin in the airway epithelium (Vs mu,bala) in bronchial biopsies and the expression of mucin genes in bronchial brushings. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Inhaled BIBW 2948 induced a dose-related inhibition of EGFR internalization (reflecting decreased EGFR activation) in epithelial cells from treated subjects. However, BIBW 2948 was associated with a dose-related increase in adverse events, including reversible liver enzyme elevation (n = 2), and reduction in FEV(1). The changes in mucin stores and mucin gene expression were not significantly different in the pooled BIBW 2948 group versus placebo (volume of mucin per surface area of basal lamina = 0.22 +/- 7.11 vs. 0.47 +/- 8.06 microm(3)/microm(2); P = 0.93). However, in the 30 mg twice a day group, the reduction in epithelial mucin stores was greatest in subjects with the greatest degree of EGFR inhibition (Pearson r = 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.99). CONCLUSIONS Four-week treatment with BIBW 2948 did not significantly decrease epithelial mucin stores and was poorly tolerated in patients with COPD. Ex vivo analyses suggest that higher doses may be more effective at both EGFR inhibition and decreases in mucin stores but that adverse events should be expected. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00423137).