Education＆ScienceEducational Article
Diffusion capacity and static hyperinflation as markers of disease progression predict 3-year mortality in COPD: Results from COSYCONET
February 2025
Authors: Hendrik Pott, Barbara Weckler, Swetlana Gaffron, Roman Martin, Dieter Maier, Peter Alter, Frank Biertz, Tim Speicher, Wilhelm Bertrams, Anna Lena Jung, Katrin Laakmann, Dominik Heider, Miel Wouters, Claus F. Vogelmeier, Bernd Schmeck, on behalf of the COSYCONET Study Group
Comment by Mark Lavercombe: Markers of disease activity and prognosis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are likely to become more important in the future as the prevalence of this condition remains high worldwide. The potential benefits of understanding which patients are likely to progress more quickly will include aid in the selection of treatment options, patient education and healthcare expenditure planning. In this paper, the authors analyse data from the German COSYCONET cohort to identify the impact of novel markers on both disease progression and improvement. Reduction in KCO, increase in RV/TLC and reduction in FEV1 were all associated with progression, and KCO and RV/TLC changes with mortality at 18 months. Reduction in the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire score, reduction in RV/TLC and reduction in exacerbations were associated with disease improvement.