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[...]the maxillary approach to OSA is warranted, especially when clinical adjustments of the device are possible. [...]the question of the mechanism(s) by which a maxillary device might address OSA has been investigated. By integrating the physiologic behavior of various tissues, such as skeletal tissue (bone), soft tissue (muscle, etc.), dental tissue (teeth), and functional spaces (sinuses, upper airway), the SMH explains different forms of compensation, including developmental and postural compensation. [...]clinical decompensation (using oral appliances, surgery, etc.) is required so that appropriate spatial signaling can be re-established to reduce craniofacial deformity and upper airway dysfunction. [...]other investigators [13] believe that oral devices simply mechanically enlarge the upper airway. [...]research work is required in this endeavor, and I encourage researchers to continue this line of investigation.

Patients with COPD were randomly assigned to triple inhaled therapy with either a 160-μg or 320-μg dose of budesonide or to one of two dual therapies. Both triple regimens were superior to the dual regimens with respect to the rate of moderate or severe exacerbations; no difference was observed between the triple regimens.

Limited data are available for the efficacy of triple therapy with two long-acting bronchodilators and an inhaled corticosteroid in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We compared treatment with extrafine beclometasone dipropionate, formoterol fumarate, and glycopyrronium bromide (BDP/FF/GB; fixed triple) with tiotropium, and BDP/FF plus tiotropium (open triple). For this double-blind, parallel-group, randomised, controlled trial, eligible patients had COPD, post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of less than 50%, at least one moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbation in the previous 12 months, and a COPD Assessment Test total score of at least 10. After a 2-week run-in period receiving one inhalation per day via single-dose dry-powder inhaler of open-label 18 μg tiotropium, patients were randomised (2:2:1) using a interactive response technology system to 52 weeks treatment with tiotropium, fixed triple, or open triple. Randomisation was stratified by country and severity of airflow limitation. The primary endpoint was moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbation rate. The key secondary endpoint was change from baseline in pre-dose FEV1 at week 52. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01911364. Between Jan 21, 2014, and March 18, 2016, 2691 patients received fixed triple (n=1078), tiotropium (n=1075), or open triple (n=538). Moderate-to-severe exacerbation rates were 0·46 (95% CI 0·41–0·51) for fixed triple, 0·57 (0·52–0·63) for tiotropium, and 0·45 (0·39–0·52) for open triple; fixed triple was superior to tiotropium (rate ratio 0·80 [95% CI 0·69–0·92]; p=0·0025). For week 52 pre-dose FEV1, fixed triple was superior to tiotropium (mean difference 0·061 L [0·037 to 0·086]; p<0·0001) and non-inferior to open triple (−0·003L [–0·033 to 0·027]; p=0·85). Adverse events were reported by 594 (55%) patients with fixed triple, 622 (58%) with tiotropium, and 309 (58%) with open triple. In our TRINITY study, treatment with extrafine fixed triple therapy had clinical benefits compared with tiotropium in patients with symptomatic COPD, FEV1 of less than 50%, and a history of exacerbations. Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA.

Small airways disease (SAD) is a cardinal feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) first recognized in the nineteenth century. The diverse histopathological features associated with SAD underpin the heterogeneous nature of COPD. Our understanding of the key molecular mechanisms which drive the pathological changes are not complete. In this article we will provide a historical overview of key histopathological studies which have helped shape our understanding of SAD and discuss the hallmark features of airway remodelling, mucous plugging and inflammation. We focus on the relationship between SAD and emphysema, SAD in the early stages of COPD, and the mechanisms which cause SAD progression, including bacterial colonization and exacerbations. We discuss the need to specifically target SAD to attenuate the progression of COPD.

Few data are available for the efficacy of “triple therapy” with two long-acting bronchodilators and an inhaled corticosteroid in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We designed this study to assess efficacy of single-inhaler combination of an extra fine formulation of beclometasone dipropionate, formoterol fumarate, and glycopyrronium bromide (BDP/FF/GB) in COPD compared with beclometasone dipropionate and formoterol fumarate (BDP/FF) treatment. TRILOGY was a randomised, parallel group, double-blind, active-controlled study done in 159 sites across 14 countries. The sites were a mixture of primary, secondary, and tertiary care providers, and specialist investigation units. Eligible patients with COPD had post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of lower than 50%, one or more moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbation in the previous 12 months, COPD Assessment Test total score of 10 or more, and a Baseline Dyspnea Index focal score of 10 or less. Patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria at screening entered a 2-week open-label run-in period where they received beclometasone dipropionate (100 μg) and formoterol fumarate (6 μg) in two actuations twice daily. Patients were then randomly assigned (1:1) with an interactive response technology system to either continue BDP (100 μg) and FF (6 μg) or step-up to BDP (100 μg), FF (6 μg), and GB (12·5 μg) in two actuations twice daily for 52 weeks via pressurised metered-dose inhaler. The three co-primary endpoints were pre-dose FEV1, 2-h post-dose FEV1, and Transition Dyspnea Index (TDI) focal score, all measured at week 26 in the intention-to-treat population (all patients who were randomly assigned and received at least one dose of study drug and had at least one post-baseline efficacy assessment). Safety outcomes were measured in the safety population (all patients who were randomly assigned and received at least one dose of study drug). Secondary endpoints included moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbation rate over 52 weeks. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01917331. Between March 21, 2014, and Jan 14, 2016, 1368 patients received either BDP/FF/GB (n=687) or BDP/FF (n=681). At week 26, BDP/FF/GB improved pre-dose FEV1 by 0·081 L (95% CI 0·052–0·109; p<0·001) and 2-h post-dose FEV1 by 0·117 L (0·086–0·147; p<0·001) compared with BDP/FF. Mean TDI focal scores at week 26 were 1·71 for BDP/FF/GB and 1·50 for BDP/FF, with a difference of 0·21 (95% CI −0·08 to 0·51; p=0·160). Adjusted annual moderate-to-severe exacerbation frequencies were 0·41 for BDP/FF/GB and 0·53 for BDP/FF (rate ratio 0·77 [95% CI 0·65–0·92]; p=0·005), corresponding to a 23% reduction in exacerbations with BDP/FF/GB compared with BDP/FF. Adverse events were reported by 368 (54%) patients with BDP/FF/GB and 379 (56%) with BDP/FF. One serious treatment-related adverse event occurred (atrial fibrillation) in a patient in the BDP/FF/GB group. We provide evidence for the clinical benefits of stepping up patients with COPD from an inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist combination treatment to triple therapy using a single inhaler. Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, complex, and heterogeneous disorder that is responsible for substantial and growing morbidity, mortality, and health-care expense worldwide. Of imperative importance to decipher the complexity of COPD is to identify groups of patients with similar clinical characteristics, prognosis, or therapeutic needs, the so-called clinical phenotypes. This strategy is logical for research but might be of little clinical value because clinical phenotypes can overlap in the same patient and the same clinical phenotype could result from different biological mechanisms. With the goal to match assessment with treatment choices, the latest iteration of guidelines from the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease reorganised treatment objectives into two categories: to improve symptoms (ie, dyspnoea and health status) and to decrease future risk (as predicted by forced expiratory volume in 1 s level and exacerbations history). This change thus moves treatment closer to individualised medicine with available bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs. Yet, future treatment options are likely to include targeting endotypes that represent subtypes of patients defined by a distinct pathophysiological mechanism. Specific biomarkers of these endotypes would be particularly useful in clinical practice, especially in patients in which clinical phenotype alone is insufficient to identify the underlying endotype. A few series of potential COPD endotypes and biomarkers have been suggested. Empirical knowledge will be gained from proof-of-concept trials in COPD with emerging drugs that target specific inflammatory pathways. In every instance, specific endotype and biomarker efforts will probably be needed for the success of these trials, because the pathways are likely to be operative in only a subset of patients. Network analysis of human diseases offers the possibility to improve understanding of disease pathobiological complexity and to help with the development of new treatment alternatives and, importantly, a reclassification of complex diseases. All these developments should pave the way towards personalised treatment of patients with COPD in the clinic.

Virtual surgery planning is a non-invasive procedure, which uses digital clinical data for diagnostic, procedure selection and treatment planning purposes, including the forecast of potential outcomes. The technique begins with 3D data acquisition, using various methods, which may or may not utilize ionizing radiation, such as 3D stereophotogrammetry, 3D cone-beam CT scans, etc. Regardless of the imaging technique selected, landmark selection, whether it is manual or automated, is the key to transforming clinical data into objects that can be interrogated in virtual space. As a prerequisite, the data require alignment and correspondence such that pre- and post-operative configurations can be compared in real and statistical shape space. In addition, these data permit predictive modeling, using either model-based, data-based or hybrid modeling. These approaches provide perspectives for the development of customized surgical procedures and medical devices with accuracy, precision and intelligence. Therefore, this review briefly summarizes the current state of virtual surgery planning.