BACKGROUND: Poor sleep quality is often reported among patients with COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is beneficial in improving exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, its benefit in terms of sleep quality in patients with COPD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PR on sleep quality of patients with COPD. METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with COPD were studied. All subjects participated in a 12-week (2 sessions/week) hospital-based out-patient PR study. Baseline and post-PR status were evaluated by spirometry, a sleep questionnaire (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), a disease-specific questionnaire of HRQOL (St George Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ]), cardiopulmonary exercise testing, respiratory muscle strength, and the Borg dyspnea scale. RESULTS: Mean FEV ₁ /FVC in the subjects was 0.49 ± 0.13, and the mean FEV ₁ was 1.06 ± 0.49 L/min (49.7 ± 18.0% of predicted). After PR, the PSQI score decreased from 9.41 ± 4.33 to 7.82 ± 3.90 ( P < .001). The number of subjects with a PSQI score > 5 also decreased (85.3–64.7%, P = .006). There were significant improvements in HRQOL (SGRQ, P = .003), exercise capacity (peak oxygen uptake, P < .001; and work rate, P < .001), dyspnea score ( P < .001), and respiratory muscle strength (inspiratory muscle strength, P = .005; and expiratory muscle strength, P = .004) after PR. There were no significant changes in pulmonary function test results (FEV ₁ , P = .77; FVC, P = .90; FEV ₁ /FVC, P = .90). CONCLUSIONS: PR results in significant improvement in sleep quality, along with concurrent improvements in HRQOL and exercise capacity. PR is an effective nonpharmacologic treatment to improve sleep quality in patients with COPD and should be part of their clinical management.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases with age. Treatment often includes CPAP. CPAP adherence is correlated with disease severity and symptoms. We hypothesized that CPAP acceptance rates in elderly patients with OSA would be lower than in younger patients with OSA, and examined factors associated with CPAP acceptance. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 315 subjects with OSA (apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 5 events/h) who were treated at our hospital from 2008 to 2011 with CPAP therapy. All underwent CPAP titration testing before CPAP prescription. Subjects were grouped by age: young (25–40 y, n = 35), middle-age (41–65 y, n = 169), and elderly (> 65 y, n = 111). Demographic variables, excessive daytime sleepiness, overnight polysomnography study variables, CPAP acceptance, and CPAP adherence were compared. Regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with acceptance. RESULTS: The elderly subjects had less excessive daytime sleepiness and less pronounced alterations in overnight polysomnography variables than the subjects in the other groups, but had more cardiovascular comorbidities. The CPAP acceptance rate (overall 125/315, 39.7%) was significantly lower in the elderly group, compared with the younger group (31.5% vs 60%, P = .01). CPAP acceptance was associated with fewer comorbidities, higher excessive daytime sleepiness, and higher apnea-hypopnea index, but not age. CPAP adherence was not associated with age. CONCLUSIONS: CPAP acceptance is low in elderly patients in Taiwan. CPAP acceptance, instead of CPAP adherence, is the critical issue with elderly patients with OSA.

Introduction: Mechanical ventilation of patients may be accomplished by either translaryngeal intubation or tracheostomy. Although numerous intensive care unit (ICU) studies have compared various outcomes between the two techniques, no definitive consensus indicates that tracheostomy is superior. Comparable studies have not been performed in a respiratory care center (RCC) setting. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of 985 tracheostomy and 227 translaryngeal intubated patients who received treatment in a 24-bed RCC between November 1999 and December 2005. Treatment and mortality outcomes were compared between tracheostomized and translaryngeal intubated patients, and the factors associated with positive outcomes in all patients were determined. Results: Duration of RCC (22 vs. 14 days) and total hospital stay (82 vs. 64 days) and total mechanical ventilation days (53 vs. 41 days) were significantly longer in tracheostomized patients (all P < 0.05). The rate of in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the translaryngeal group (45% vs. 31%;P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in weaning success between the groups (both were >55%) or in RCC mortality. Because of significant baseline between-group heterogeneity, case-match analysis was performed. This analysis confirmed the whole cohort findings, except for the fact that a trend for in-hospital mortality was noted to be higher in the translaryngeal group (P = 0.08). Stepwise logistic regression revealed that patients with a lower median severity of disease (APACHE II score 2.5 g/dl) or had normal metabolism (BUN <40 mg/dl) were more likely to be successfully weaned and survive (all P < 0.05). Patients who were tracheostomized were also significantly more likely to survive (P < 0.05) Conclusions: These findings suggest that the type of mechanical ventilation does not appear to be an important determinant of weaning success in an RCC setting. Focused care administered by experienced providers may be more important for facilitating weaning success than the ventilation method used. However, our findings do suggest that tracheostomy may increase the likelihood of patient survival.

Background: Since late 2019, there has been a global COVID-19 pandemic. To preserve medical capacity and decrease adverse health effects, preventing the progression of COVID-19 to severe status is essential. Jing-Si Herbal Tea (JSHT), a novel traditional Chinese medicine formula was developed to treat COVID-19. This study examined the clinical efficacy and safety of JSHT in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled 260 patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. The enrolled patients were divided into the JSHT (n = 117) and control (n = 143) groups. Both groups received standard management. The JSHT group was treated with JSHT as a complementary therapy.Results: Compared with standard management alone, JSHT combined with standard management more effectively improved the reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction cycle threshold value, C-reactive protein level, and Brixia score in the adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, especially in the male and older patients (those aged ≥60 years). The results revealed that the patients treated with JSHT combined with standard management had 51, 70, and 100% lower risks of intubation, Medisave Care Unit admission, and mortality compared with those receiving standard management only.Conclusions: JSHT combined with standard management more effectively reduced the SARS-CoV-2 viral load and systemic inflammation and alleviated lung infiltrates in the patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, especially in the male and older patients (those aged ≥60 years). JSHT combined with standard management may prevent critical status and mortality in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. JSHT is a promising complementary therapy for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.