Chest
Original ResearchObstructive Lung DiseasesRacial Differences in Quality of Life in Patients With COPD
Section snippets
Patient Selection
The COPDGene Study (www.copdgene.org) is an ongoing, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded multicenter investigation of the genetic epidemiology of smoking-related lung disease and involved recruitment of subjects at 21 clinical centers (e-Appendix 1). Subjects were selected for participation based on the following criteria: aged 45 to 80 years; cigarette smoking ≥ 10 pack-years; and willingness to undergo study-related testing that included spirometry, CT scan of the chest, and
Results
A comparison of baseline demographics by race is shown in Table 1. Eighteen percent of the cohort (224 of 1,273 subjects) were African American. African American subjects in the study were younger than Caucasian subjects (60 vs 65 years, P < .001) but exhibited comparable lung function. African Americans reported fewer pack-years of smoking (54 vs 42, P < .001), significantly shorter 6MWD (381 vs 298 m, P < .001) despite similar height, and less education than Caucasians (P < .001). A greater
Discussion
COPD is an important health problem for African Americans. Death rates for African Americans with COPD increased more rapidly than for Caucasians between 1980 and 2000.18 COPD also has been cited as a predictor of global decline in HRQL in African American middle-aged adults; however, the factors influencing HRQL in this patient population have been underexamined.19 Here, we report that in simple group comparisons, African Americans had worse dyspnea and HRQL than did Caucasians. Our general
Acknowledgments
Author contributions: Drs Han and Foreman had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Dr Han: contributed to the data collection, analysis, and writing of the manuscript.
Dr Curran-Everett: contributed primarily to the data analysis and the statistical analysis, drafting, and review of intellectual content of the manuscript.
Dr Dransfield: contributed to the data collection and analysis and
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2020, Respiratory MedicineCitation Excerpt :We chose to include race as it has been previously shown to influence QOL decline in participants who have experienced severe exacerbations. Specifically, black participants had a 4.2 higher adjusted SGRQ score for a hospitalized exacerbation compared to white participants [21]. Black participants may also experience racial discrimination as well as have differences in health behaviors including delays in seeking mental health treatment that may affect quality of life [22, 23].
Funding/Support: The project was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [award numbers U01HL089897 and U01HL089856]. The COPDGene project also is supported by the COPD Foundation through contributions made to an industry advisory board comprising AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and Sepracor Inc. Dr Han is supported by funding from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute [Grant K23 HL093351].
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