Publications by authors named "Frits Me Franssen"

Article Synopsis
  • Spirometry is a test used to evaluate lung function by comparing it to normal levels in healthy non-smokers, focusing on metrics like forced vital capacity (FVC) and the FEV/FVC ratio.
  • The study analyzed data from over 14,000 participants aged 40 and older across 41 sites, revealing regional differences in FVC tied to factors like age and height, categorized into four regions: Europe/richer countries, Near East, Africa, and Far East.
  • Findings showed significant regional variations in FVC values between men and women, particularly in Europe compared to the Far East, but minimal differences in the FEV/FVC ratio across regions.
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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.

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To become a proactive and informed partner in postacute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) management, patients need to have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to self-manage COVID-19-related health challenges. Due to several restrictions and consequently social isolation, online platforms and forums where people can share information and experiences became more popular and influential. Therefore, this study aimed to identify perceived information needs and care needs of members of 2 Facebook groups for patients with COVID-19 and persistent complaints in the Netherlands and Belgium and patients with COVID-19 who registered at a website of the Lung Foundation Netherlands.

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Current pharmacotherapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) aims at reducing respiratory symptoms and exacerbation frequency. Effective therapies to reduce disease progression, however, are still lacking. Furthermore, COPD medications showed less favorable effects in emphysema than in other COPD phenotypes.

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Background: Reviews suggest that the ADO score is the most discriminatory prognostic score for predicting mortality among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, but a full evaluation and external validation within primary care settings is critical before implementation.

Objectives: To validate the ADO score in prevalent and screen-detected primary care COPD cases at 3 years and at shorter time periods.

Patients And Methods: One thousand eight hundred and ninety-two COPD cases were recruited between 2012 and 2014 from 71 United Kingdom general practices as part of the Birmingham COPD Cohort study.

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Chronic airflow limitation is the common denominator of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is not possible to predict morbidity and mortality of individual patients based on the degree of lung function impairment, nor does the degree of airflow limitation allow guidance regarding therapies. Over the last decades, understanding of the factors contributing to the heterogeneity of disease trajectories, clinical presentation, and response to existing therapies has greatly advanced.

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The independent and central role of the patient with a complex chronic respiratory disease in targeted, personalized disease management strategies is becoming increasingly important. Patients are the ones living with the disease and are finally responsible for their lives underlining their role as essential members of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Areas covered: The present paper narratively reviews existing research and discusses the special, as well as specialized, role of the patient with a complex chronic respiratory disease in the healthcare system and highlights fundamental elements of the (future) relationship between patient and healthcare professionals.

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Background: Smoking increases the risk of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and is associated with the development of COPD. Until now, it is unclear whether CAP in COPD is due to smoking-related effects, or due to COPD pathophysiology itself.

Objective: To evaluate the association between COPD and CAP by smoking status.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients often experience lower limb muscle dysfunction and wasting. Exercise-based training has potential to improve muscle function and mass, but literature on this topic is extensive and heterogeneous including numerous interventions and outcome measures. This review uses a detailed systematic approach to investigate the effect of this wide range of exercise-based interventions on muscle function and mass.

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Impaired cognitive function is increasingly recognized in COPD. Yet, the prevalence of cognitive impairment in specific cognitive domains in COPD has been poorly studied. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study was to compare the prevalence of domain-specific cognitive impairment between patients with COPD and non-COPD controls.

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Background: Spontaneous sputum production occurs in a subset of COPD patients; however, its clinical relevance has not been established. Differences in health status and clinical outcomes between patients with and without positive sputum cultures are unknown.

Objective: To compare clinical characteristics and health status of spontaneous sputum producers with a positive culture (SC+) and negative culture (SC-) with nonsputum producers (NP) in a cohort of COPD patients referred for pulmonary rehabilitation.

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We aimed to investigate the construct validity of the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to identify characteristics related to an abnormal TUG time and to examine the responsiveness of the TUG to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). TUG time was assessed before and after comprehensive PR in 500 COPD patients, and compared cross-sectionally in 100 non-COPD subjects. Physical health outcomes, mental health outcomes, symptom-related outcomes and multidimensional indices were assessed in COPD patients only.

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Nutritional status has been associated with clinical outcome in chronic airflow limitation (CAL), but epidemiological studies are scarce. We aimed to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and CAL, taking into account confounding factors. 18,606 participants (49% male, 21% smokers, mean age: 55.

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