Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Diagnosis: New Insights

CAPTURE, the new screening tool developed helps primary care physicians identify chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The results of the study were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Screening tools are commonly used in primary care settings to identify a number of medical conditions, but CAPTURE would be among the first with proven results to identify COPD.

Undiagnosed patients experience poor health and a risk of acute respiratory events, hospitalization and mortality. Earlier diagnosis and treatment intervention can slow the progression of COPD and potentially prevent the disease.

“There are national guidelines on how often mammograms and other lifesaving screenings should be done, but there are no recommended tools for COPD screening. The CAPTURE questionnaire will help physicians screen for COPD,” said Barry Make, MD, co-director of the COPD program at National Jewish Health and co-senior author of the study.

Screening Tool for COPD

For the study, patients without prior COPD diagnosis were enrolled in primary care networks across the U.S. All patients were asked five questions. In patients with intermediate scores, peak flow was measured. “We wanted to identify not just COPD, but clinically significant COPD,” said Dr. Make.

“This is a necessary step to help narrow the gap in the number of undiagnosed COPD patients,” continued Dr. Make. “Primary care is a key setting to establish this disease, as it represents patients with less severe disease and diverse and rural populations.”

According to Fernando Martinez, MD, chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and a co-lead in the study, “Moreover, it shows the robust nature of this collaborative relationship between numerous stakeholders, particularly primary care-based research networks.”

Source-Eurekalert