The last week of the year is often a time for tying up loose ends, getting ready to change your calendar, and of course, taking stock of important things from the previous twelve months. In that spirit, I wanted to take a look at some of the biggest COPD news of 2023!
A New Perspective On COPD
This technically happened in late 2022, but it was really this year that people started wrapping their minds around it. After analyzing decades of research, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) suggested a whole new way to look at COPD. They recommend considering not just what symptoms someone has, but HOW they got COPD in the first place. This has reminded health care professionals that while many people still have COPD related to smoking, others get it from air pollution, their genes, or even childhood events. You can learn more about GOLD in our COPD Digest blog!
New Treatments and Measures On the Horizon
In May, researchers used data from the long-running COPDGene population study to look at the impact of mucus on COPD severity. By looking at chest CT scans, they identified people mucus plugs in one or more segments of their lungs. They found that the death rate for people with none of these plugs was 34%, but the rate for people with three or more plugs jumped to 54%. This tells us that it is important to use airway clearance techniques along with medications and other therapies, especially since these plugs can often go unnoticed.
Promising results for some new therapies were also published. For example, the results from the phase III clinical trials for a medication called ensifentrine showed it to be safe and effective for reducing the risk of exacerbations (symptom flares) in many people with COPD. Phase III trials are often the last step before a med gets approved, so we may see a new treatment option on the market in the next 12-18 months! Another set of phase III results showed that an existing drug may also be helpful. Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody sometimes used in severe asthma, was found to reduce flare-ups and also improve some lung function numbers in certain people. These are people with high amounts of markers of inflammation (called eosinophils) in their blood. Since this is a new use for dupilumab (rather than a completely new molecule), the approval process may be a bit shorter. It looks like 2024 will be a great year for new treatment options! (Please note that the COPD Foundation does not endorse any specific medication and you should ask your health care provider before making any medical decisions).
Shining a Light on Oxygen Therapy
Closer to home, the COPD Foundation was proud to observe the first-ever World Oxygen Day on October 2 (“O-2”). This new annual event will bring more attention to the problems that oxygen therapy users face around the world. These problems can be things like not having access to equipment that fits their needs and lifestyle to not having enough training on those devices. They can even include hospitals that cannot get enough oxygen to keep up. People from over 20 different countries participated in the social media campaign leading up to World Oxygen Day. The day itself was highlighted by the World Oxygen Day Stakeholder Summit, which brought together people from across the US oxygen community to discuss how to work together to improve the system.
Your Voice Is Heard!
Finally, during COPD Awareness Month this November, GOLD and the COPD Foundation worked together to present the first-ever GOLD seminar aimed at people with COPD and their caregivers. COPD advocates were paired up with medical experts to share their stories and help others overcome the challenges of living with COPD. The session was also recorded and will be available online in January. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates!
Share YOUR News!
These are some of 2023’s biggest COPD stories overall, but what happened in your neck of the woods? We’d love to hear your adventures, challenges, and greatest memories of the year. Let us know so we can celebrate and support you, and most importantly of all, have happy and safe holidays!