Elevated MMP-9 Is Associated With Accelerated Lung Function Decline and COPD Development: A Prospective Cohort Study and Mendelian Randomisation Analysis.

Background And Objective: The imbalance in proteases/antiproteases caused by inflammation contributes to COPD, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) may play an important role. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associations of MMP-9 with respiratory health outcomes.

Methods: This study was conducted in two parts.

Long Noncoding RNA Interleukin 6 Antisense RNA 1 Promotes Inflammatory Effects in Lung Macrophages via Exosomes Through the S100A9/TLR4 Pathway in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Progression.

This study investigates the role of interleukin 6 antisense RNA 1 (), a highly expressed long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An adeno-associated virus (AAV) was used to induce the expression of in mice, and they were exposed to cigarette smoke to establish a COPD model. -overexpressing mice exposed to cigarette smoke demonstrated exacerbated COPD-like pathologies.

Assessment of Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry (PRISm) Based on Different Definitions in the Early COPD Cohort.

Background: Preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm), which identifies a population at high risk for COPD, has drawn increasing attention. However, definitions for PRISm vary across studies, and researches comparing these definitions are limited.

Objective: We aim to assess the agreement, the clinical features, and the prevalence of PRISm defined by restrictive spirometric pattern (RSP) method [that is forced vital capacity (FVC) method] versus forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV) method and by fixed values versus the lower limit of normal (LLN).

Discriminative Accuracy of the Simplified Spirometry for Identifying Spirometry-Defined COPD in the Community.

Background: The low spirometry testing rate for screening of COPD is partly attributed to complex procedures, stringent quality control requirements, and long examination times. Simplifying the spirometry protocol may increase the feasibility of COPD screening in community settings.

Research Question: Does the simplified spirometry protocol have high diagnostic accuracy and time efficiency in screening for COPD?

Study Design And Methods: We designed a community-based, cross-sectional diagnostic study.

Impaired Ventilatory Efficiency Identifies High-Risk Mild-to-Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objectives: Identifying high-risk patients is fundamental to slowing disease progression in mild-to-moderate COPD. Over one-fifth of these patients have impaired ventilatory efficiency, strongly associated with advanced disease severity, while its unclear prognostic value for high-risk case identification persists.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted from July 2019 to September 2024 (encompassing the COVID-19 pandemic period) in China.

Lung Function Decline and Airflow Limitation Risk in Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry Subtypes by Smoking Status.

Background: Preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) is regarded as a COPD precursor, but whether this varies by smoking status remains unclear.

Research Question: Are annual lung function decline and the risk of developing airflow limitation different among PRISm subtypes by smoking status?

Study Design And Methods: A total of 2,850 participants from a 15-year population-based prospective cohort were included in this analysis. Participants were categorized into 3 groups: patients with normal spirometry who do not smoke (normal control), patients with PRISm who do not smoke (NS-PRISm), and patients with PRISm who have ever smoked (ES-PRISm).

Lung function decline and incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in participants with spirometry-defined small airway dysfunction: a 15-year prospective cohort study in China.

Background: Small airway dysfunction (SAD) is common but little is known about the longitudinal prognosis of spirometry-defined SAD. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the risk of lung function decline and incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of spirometry-defined SAD.

Methods: It was a population-based prospective cohort study conducted in Guangdong, China.

An integrated machine learning model of transcriptomic genes in multi-center chronic obstructive pulmonary disease reveals the causal role of TIMP4 in airway epithelial cell.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous syndrome, resulting in inconsistent findings across studies. Identifying a core set of genes consistently involved in COPD pathogenesis, independent of patient variability, is essential.

Methods: We integrated lung tissue sequencing data from patients with COPD across two centers.

Associations of small airway dysfunction assessed by impulse oscillometry with lung function decline and exacerbations in participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A prospective cohort study in China.

Introduction: Small airway dysfunction (SAD) assessed by impulse oscillometry (IOS) was common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, little is known about the associations between IOS-defined small airway dysfunction (SAD) and the long-term prognosis of COPD. This study aimed to explore the associations between IOS-defined SAD, lung function decline and exacerbations in patients with COPD.

Association between FEV/FVC levels and all-cause mortality in the general population.

Background: The ratio of the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV) to the forced vital capacity (FVC) is an essential tool for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the relationship between levels of FEV/FVC and mortality in the general population remains unclear, particularly its non-linear relationship. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between the FEV/FVC and all-cause mortality in the general population.

Effect of Carbocysteine on Exacerbations and Lung Function in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Multicentre, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objectives: Carbocysteine can reduce the frequency of acute exacerbations and improve respiratory symptoms to a certain extent in severe to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of carbocysteine on the rate of exacerbations and pulmonary function for mild-to-moderate COPD patients.

Methods: In this phase 4, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial, we randomly assigned mild-to-moderate COPD patients in a 2:1 ratio to treatment with carbocysteine (500mg, thrice daily) or matched placebo for 12 months.

Risk of All-Cause Mortality in US Adults With Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry: An Observational Study.

Background: Preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) is defined as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV)/forced vital capacity (FVC)≥0.70 and FEV<80% predicted. Previous studies have shown that individuals with PRISm may develop airflow obstruction and have an increased mortality risk.

Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Mild Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Evidence From the NHANES III and 2007-2012.

Background: It is unclear whether patients with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage 1 (mild) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a higher risk of all-cause mortality than participants with normal spirometry results.

Methods: We used the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III and 2007-2012, which included participants aged 20-79 years, to investigate whether patients with mild COPD (whole population and subgroups) have a higher risk of all-cause mortality than participants with normal spirometry. Mild COPD was defined as prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second /forced vital capacity <0.

Increased plasma interleukin-1β is associated with accelerated lung function decline in non-smokers.

Interleukin-1β is one of the major cytokines involved in the initiation and persistence of airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the association between plasma interleukin-1β and lung function decline remains unclear. We aimed to explore the association between plasma interleukin-1β and lung function decline.

Comparing spirometry, impulse oscillometry with computed tomography for assessing small airway dysfunction in subjects with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Studies on consistency among spirometry, impulse oscillometry (IOS), and histology for detecting small airway dysfunction (SAD) remain scarce. Considering invasiveness of lung histopathology, we aimed to compare spirometry and IOS with chest computed tomography (CT) for SAD detection, and evaluate clinical characteristics of subjects with SAD assessed by these three techniques.

Methods: We collected baseline data from the Early COPD (ECOPD) study.

Association between impaired diffusion capacity and small airway dysfunction: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Small airway dysfunction (SAD) and impaired diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide ( ) are positively associated with a worse prognosis. Individuals with both dysfunctions have been identified in clinical practice and it is unknown whether they have worse health status or need management. We conducted this study to explore the association between SAD and impaired , and the difference between the groups with two dysfunctions, with either one dysfunction and with no dysfunction.

Association of Forced Expiratory Volume in 0.5s With All-Cause Mortality Risk in Adults.

Introduction: Previous studies have proposed forced expiratory volume in 0.5s (FEV) to determine health outcomes in infants and young children, but few studies exist in adults. This study aims to investigate the associations between FEV and all-cause mortality in adults.

New Classifications of COPD Severity Based on Impulse Oscillometry: A SAIO Grade Base on ECOPD Cohort in China.

Background: Recently, the severities of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can also be assessed by impulse oscillometry (IOS). This study aimed to explore a new classification of severity of COPD based on IOS and associations with acute exacerbations (AE) in patients with COPD.

Methods: The data of our study were based on the baseline and 2-year follow-up data of a prospective cohort in China.

Association of Exercise Tolerance with Respiratory Health Outcomes in Mild-to-Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Previous studies have identified exercise intolerance in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The association of exercise tolerance with lung function decline and acute exacerbation risk in mild-to-moderate COPD is unclear, especially in the community population. We evaluated exercise tolerance in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD and analyzed its associations with respiratory health outcomes.

Effect of high-dose N-acetylcysteine on exacerbations and lung function in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD: a double-blind, parallel group, multicentre randomised clinical trial.

Evidence for the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is limited. The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (an antioxidant and mucolytic agent) for patients with mild-to-moderate COPD is uncertain. In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 968 patients with mild-to-moderate COPD to treatment with N-acetylcysteine (600 mg, twice daily) or matched placebo for two years.

The Nonlinear Relationship Between High-Density Lipoprotein and Changes in Pulmonary Structure Function and Pulmonary Function in COPD Patients in China.

Background: The previous findings on the correlation between spirometry and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are intriguing yet conflicting. The aim of this research is to evaluate the relationship between HDL levels and spirometry as well as imaging parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China.

Methods: This study encompasses a total of 907 COPD patients.

Clinical features and associated factors of impaired ventilatory efficiency: findings from the ECOPD study in China.

Background: Impaired ventilatory efficiency during exercise is a predictor of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, little is known about the clinical features and associated factors of impaired ventilatory efficiency in China.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional community-based study in China and collected demographic and clinical information, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, spirometry, and CT data.

Clinical features and 1-year outcomes of variable obstruction in participants with preserved spirometry: results from the ECOPD study in China.

Background: There are limited data on the clinical features and longitudinal prognosis of variable obstruction, particularly among never smokers and different variable obstruction types. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of the participants with variable obstruction and determine the relationship between variable obstruction and the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the decline of lung function in a community-dwelling study of Chinese, especially among never smokers and different variable obstruction subtypes.

Methods: Participants with preserved spirometry (postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ≥0.