The COPD Assessment Test (CAT)™ includes 8 questions about the impact of COPD on symptoms, well-being, and daily life. It is used by health care providers and people living with COPD globally as a shared decision-making tool and to support meaningful conversations between them. Although developed originally for COPD, it has been used in other lung conditions, including asthma, bronchiectasis, and pulmonary fibrosis.

To reflect the fact that the CAT can be used by patients with conditions other than COPD, its content and name have been changed a little to “Chronic Airways Assessment Test” (CAAT)™ (the CAT/CAAT name still sounds the same). The CAAT is now managed by a global patient advocacy group called the Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP). This was done to support the use of this simple questionnaire in the assessment of multiple lung conditions. The CAAT and its many translations, as well as user guides and educational information, are available for downloading or completing online, free of charge for patients, health care providers, and academic or government researchers at https://gaapp.org/caat-cat.

Psychological stress can be harmful to one’s health. Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” is released when the body is experiencing stress. It can cause increased inflammation in the body and a weakened immune system. For patients living with COPD, this could mean more symptoms or flare-ups (exacerbations) of their disease. Nail cortisol can be used to identify patients who are experiencing chronic stress, as it reflects cortisol accumulated over a period of 3-5 months.

In this study, we evaluated the relationship between nail cortisol and perceived stress, blood cortisol levels, and inflammation in 50 individuals living with COPD. We also evaluated whether individuals who had high nail cortisol, blood cortisol, and perceived stress had similar characteristics.

We found no relationship between the levels of nail cortisol and levels of perceived stress, blood cortisol level, or level of inflammation. Also, individuals who had high perceived stress, blood cortisol, or nail cortisol were not similar to each other. In our study, nail cortisol was not a reliable marker of chronic stress in individuals living with COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung condition. People with COPD may experience flare-ups in which their symptoms, like coughing and shortness of breath, worsen. People who experience frequent flare-ups have a higher risk of poor health results. Treatments are available, but many do not receive them, and many who have frequent flare-ups have not been screened for COPD. Identifying people with a higher risk for these flare-ups and changing their treatment could improve their long-term health.

This article describes the U.S. and U.K. PREVAIL studies evaluating a program to improve the care of patients with COPD called CONQUEST. The CONQUEST program starts with identifying patients in primary care practices who have frequent flare-ups and may benefit from having their COPD symptoms evaluated and changes made to their treatment. Patients are then invited to meet with health care professionals for a clinical review and to consider treatment options according to the clinical guidance and support offered as part of CONQUEST.

The PREVAIL studies will then compare results over an average of 2 years among those who participated in CONQUEST and those who did not. If the program is beneficial, it could be used by others to improve the long-term health of this higher-risk population.

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often rely on inhalers to help them breathe, but the medications in the inhalers only work if the inhaler is used correctly. Many patients make mistakes when using their inhalers, reducing the usefulness of their treatment. Our study explored whether a clinical pharmacist could help improve inhaler use in a rehabilitation hospital.

Between January and April 2022, 19 hospitalized patients received guidance from a clinical pharmacist, who reviewed and improved their inhaler technique during 6 sessions. We saw a significant reduction in critical inhaler errors—from more than one in 3 at the start to fewer than one in 10 at discharge. To evaluate the approach, we held a focus group with nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals. They found the pharmacist’s role valuable and discussed how to put this care into daily practice. They stressed the need for close collaboration between pharmacists and nurses. They also highlighted the importance of continued patient support after discharge through primary care providers and outpatient clinics.

Our research shows that involving a clinical pharmacist in COPD care can make a real difference. By improving inhaler use and ensuring better follow-up, we can help patients get the most out of their medication and improve their quality of life.

The ProAir Digihaler is a reliever inhaler that can record how often a person uses the inhaler as well as how well the person inhales during use. This study looked at whether the ProAir Digihaler could help detect early warning signs of a COPD flare-up, also known as an acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).

Forty people with COPD used the ProAir Digihaler for 3 months. We collected data on inhaler use and breathing strength during that time. We found that, in the 2 weeks before a COPD flare-up, certain breathing measurements—such as how much air was inhaled and how long the inhalation lasted—significantly dropped. However, the number of inhaler puffs per day and the strength of the inhalation (peak inspiratory flow) did not change much.

These results suggest that changes in how a person inhales their medication, measured by the digital inhaler, could be an early sign of a worsening COPD condition. This type of remote monitoring could help patients and doctors identify and manage flare-ups earlier, possibly improving health results.