A Systematic Literature Review of the Humanistic Burden of COPD

• Main Authors: Hurst JR, Siddiqui MK, Singh B, Varghese P, Holmgren U, de Nigris E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-05-01
• Series: International Journal of COPD
• Subjects: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; quality of life; humanistic burden; patient-reported outcomes.
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/a-systematic-literature-review-of-the-humanistic-burden-of-copd-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-COPD

John R Hurst,1 Mohd Kashif Siddiqui,2 Barinder Singh,3 Precil Varghese,4 Ulf Holmgren,5 Enrico de Nigris6 1UCL Respiratory, University College London, London, UK; 2HEOR and RWE Analytics, Regulatory Access, Parexel International Ltd, Mohali, India; 3HEOR Evidence Evaluation, Parexel International Ltd, Mohali, India; 4Biopharmaceuticals Medical, Respiratory and Immunology, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, MD, USA; 5Real World Science and Digital, Biopharmaceutical Medical, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; 6Global Product and Portfolio Strategy, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UKCorrespondence: John R HurstUCL Respiratory, Royal Free Campus, London, NW3 2QG, UKTel [phone]Email [e-mail]: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, causing substantial economic and social burden.Objective: This review assessed the patient-reported humanistic burden associated with moderate to very severe COPD, specifically the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), symptoms, limitations in daily life, and emotional implications, through the use of HRQoL instruments.Methods: A systematic review was conducted to retrieve relevant clinical data from published literature using a representative sample of countries where healthcare systems provide wide availability of COPD medications and/or universal coverage includes respiratory medicines (Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the USA). The primary inclusion criteria were patients with moderate to very severe COPD. HRQoL was quantified with non-disease-specific and disease-specific questionnaires.Results: In total, 82 studies from 95 publications presented HRQoL data from patients with moderate to very severe COPD. Patient-reported HRQoL declined with worsening airflow limitation, advancing GOLD group, and increasing exacerbation frequency. Both increasing frequency of hospitalization for COPD exacerbations and recurrent hospitalization adversely impacted HRQoL. Comorbidity incidence was higher in patients with increased airflow limitation. It was associated with a further decline in HRQoL and increased depression and anxiety, particularly as disease-associated pain worsened. Physical activity improved HRQoL over time.Conclusion: This review highlighted the impact of exacerbations and associated hospitalizations on the humanistic burden of COPD. These findings underline the importance of managing COPD actively, including prompt and appropriate use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies that can improve symptoms and reduce the risk of exacerbations, thereby lessening the humanistic burden. Future reviews could consider a broader range of countries and publications to further assess the humanistic impact of COPD in low- and middle-income economies.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, quality of life, humanistic burden, patient-reported outcomes