The COPD Working Group has published the final results of their 21-month international, multicentre study that recruited 349 patients, from 11 centres in 7 countries. The study was designed to validate the predictive value of the concept of clinical control in COPD in terms of exacerbation risk.
Patients were considered controlled according to clinical criteria if they were clinically stable, which was defined as having no exacerbations in the previous 3 months, and low impact, which was assessed according to sputum (presence and colour), breathlessness, daily physical activity and rescue medication use.
Up to 65% of patients were classified as controlled when using clinical criteria compared to 38% being classified as controlled when using CAT score. Patients defined as controlled based on clinical criteria or CAT scores had significantly less exacerbations during follow‐up. Control status by clinical criteria was found to be a better predictor of exacerbations compared to CAT criteria. A manuscript of these results has been published in Respirology
Predictive Value of Control of COPD for Risk of Exacerbations: An International Prospective Study - https://doi.org/10.1111/resp.13811
In a second manuscript in Archivos de Bronconeumologia, the authors describe the short-term predictive value of COPD control, with the results showing a significantly increased risk of moderate or severe exacerbations during the following 6 months in patients who are classified as uncontrolled
Changes in Control Status of COPD over Time and Their Consequences: A Prospective International Study - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arbres.2020.06.003
The proposed concept of control, using easy-to-obtain clinical criteria, can be used in clinical practice at each clinical visit as a complement to the current recommendations proposed by guidelines.
Grateful acknowledgement of Novartis for their support of this project.