Clinical importance of patient-reported outcome measures in severe asthma: results from U-BIOPRED.

Rationale: Knowledge about the clinical importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in severe asthma is limited.

Objectives: To assess whether and to what extent asthma exacerbations affect changes in PROMS over time and asthma-specific PROMs can predict exacerbations in adult patients with severe asthma in usual care.

Methods: Data of 421 patients with severe asthma (62% female; mean age 51.

Impact of Treatable Traits on Asthma Control and Quality of Life.

Background: Many adult patients with asthma have uncontrolled disease and impaired quality of life, despite current asthma-specific drug therapies.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of 9 traits in patients with asthma, their associations with disease control and quality of life, and referral rates to nonmedical health care professionals.

Methods: Retrospectively, data from patients with asthma were collected in 2 Dutch hospitals (Amphia Breda and RadboudUMC Nijmegen).

Isokinetic testing of quadriceps function in COPD: feasibility, responsiveness, and minimal important differences in patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.

Background: Isokinetic testing of peripheral muscle function is valid and reliable in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objective: To evaluate whether and to what extent isokinetic testing of quadriceps function meets pre-defined test criteria in patients with COPD; to determine the response to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), and to calculate minimal important differences (MIDs) of isokinetic quadriceps function.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 2033 patients with COPD (age: 65±9 years, body mass index: 26±6 kg/m, FEV: 49±22% predicted) who followed a comprehensive PR program.

Patient activation is a treatable trait in patients with chronic airway diseases: An observational study.

Background: Self-management is key for reducing the burden of disease in chronical illness. However, applying self-management presupposes behavioral change. Sufficient knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to make the needed behavior changes are important prerequisites.

Differences in Pulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary Traits between Women and Men with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Evidence suggests sex-related differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Whether these differences are reflected in the prevalence of treatable traits remains unknown. Methods: Two samples of patients referred to secondary (n = 530) or tertiary care (n = 2012) were analyzed.

The Impact of Long COVID-19 on Mental Health: Observational 6-Month Follow-Up Study.

Background: The psychological impact of COVID-19 can be substantial. However, knowledge about long-term psychological outcomes in patients with COVID-19 is scarce.

Objective: In this longitudinal, observational study, we aimed to reveal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptoms of anxiety and depression up to 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms in patients with confirmed COVID-19 and persistent complaints.

"Can Do, Do Do" Quadrants and 6-Year All-Cause Mortality in Patients With COPD.

Background: Physical capacity (PC; "can do") and physical activity (PA; "do do") are prognostic indicators in COPD and can be used to subdivide patients with COPD into four exclusive subgroups (the so-called "can do, do do" quadrants). This concept may be useful to understand better the impact of PC and PA on all-cause mortality in patients with COPD.

Research Question: What is the 6-year all-cause mortality risk of the "can do, do do" quadrants of patients with COPD?

Study Design And Methods: This retrospective study used data from patients with COPD who underwent a comprehensive assessment at their first-ever outpatient consultation.

Patient Activation for Self-Management in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis or Sarcoidosis.

Background: Self-management is considered important in the management of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or sarcoidosis. However, data about the degree of activation for self-management is lacking.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the degree of activation for self-management in patients with IPF or sarcoidosis using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) and to evaluate the association between PAM scores, clinical characteristics, and health-related outcomes.

Severe Fatigue in Long COVID: Web-Based Quantitative Follow-up Study in Members of Online Long COVID Support Groups.

Background: Fatigue is the most commonly reported symptom in patients with persistent complaints following COVID-19 (ie, long COVID). Longitudinal studies examining the intensity of fatigue and differentiating between physical and mental fatigue are lacking.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the severity of fatigue over time in members of online long COVID peer support groups, and (2) assess whether members of these groups experienced mental fatigue, physical fatigue, or both.

The Impact of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome on Self-Reported Physical Activity.

A subgroup of patients recovering from COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms, decreased quality of life, increased dependency on others for personal care and impaired performance of activities of daily living. However, the long-term effects of COVID-19 on physical activity (PA) in this subgroup of patients with persistent symptoms remain unclear. Demographics, self-reported average time spent walking per week, as well as participation in activities pre-COVID-19 and after three and six months of follow-up were assessed in members of online long-COVID-19 peer support groups.

Recovery from COVID-19: a sprint or marathon? 6-month follow-up data from online long COVID-19 support group members.

Background: It remains unknown whether and to what extent members of online "long COVID" peer support groups remain symptomatic and limited over time. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate symptoms in members of online long COVID peer support groups up to 6 months after the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related symptoms.

Methods: Demographics, symptoms, health status, work productivity, functional status and health-related quality of life were assessed about 3 and 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms in members of online long COVID peer support groups.

Characteristics and treatable traits of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with and without paid employment.

Introduction: Patients with COPD are vulnerable to workforce detachment. Better knowledge of features associated with paid work loss might be of help to design and select appropriate interventions.

Method: This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the presence of treatable traits in COPD patients without paid work.

Correlates of variability in endurance shuttle walk test time in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: The endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) is used to evaluate exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The recommended pre-intervention tolerated duration (Tlim) is between 3-8 minutes for optimal interpretation of treatment effects. However, this window may be exceeded and factors determining ESWT Tlim are not completely understood.

Effectiveness of Home-Based Occupational Therapy on COPM Performance and Satisfaction Scores in Patients with COPD.

Background.: Occupational therapy (OT) may be an important intervention in patients with COPD, but studies show conflicting results.

Purpose.

Generic and Respiratory-Specific Quality of Life in Non-Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19.

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on quality of life appears to be highly underestimated, especially in patients who have not been admitted to the hospital. Therefore, our aim was to assess respiratory-specific quality of life in addition to generic quality of life in former patients with confirmed/suspected COVID-19 who have never been admitted to the hospital. Members of an online Belgian social support group for patients with confirmed/suspected COVID-19 with persistent complaints, completed an online survey.

Persistent symptoms 3 months after a SARS-CoV-2 infection: the post-COVID-19 syndrome?

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 did not require hospitalisation, nor underwent COVID-19 testing. There is anecdotal evidence that patients with "mild" COVID-19 may complain about persistent symptoms, even weeks after the infection. This suggests that symptoms during the infection may not resolve spontaneously.

"Can Do" Versus "Do Do" in Patients with Asthma at First Referral to a Pulmonologist.

Background: Pharmacotherapy is key in asthma control, including preventing lung function decline, in primary care. However, patients' physical functioning (eg, physical capacity [PC] [=can do] and physical activity [PA] [=do do]) correlates poorly with lung function. Therefore, a better insight into the physical function of patients with asthma is needed, using the "can do, do do" concept.

Care Dependency in Non-Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19.

Background: A large sample of "mild" COVID-19 patients still experience multiple symptoms months after being infected. These persistent symptoms are associated with many clinically relevant outcomes, including poor health status and impaired functional status. To date, no information is available about care dependency.

Challenges to the Application of Integrated, Personalized Care for Patients with COPD-A Vision for the Role of Clinical Information.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a complex disease defined by airflow limitation and characterized by a spectrum of treatable and untreatable pulmonary and extra-pulmonary disease characteristics. Nonpharmacological management related to physical activity, physical capacity, body composition, breathing and energy-saving techniques, coping strategies, and self-management is as important as its pharmacological management. Most patients with COPD carry other chronic diagnoses and this poses a key challenge, as it lowers the quality of life, increases mortality, and impacts healthcare consumption.