Emerging Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications of Remote Patient Monitoring in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Care• A Patient-Centred Approach to Optimizing Inhaled Therapy: Integrating Patient, Device, Drug and Disease Factors• Clinical and Serological Evaluation and Management of Rheumatic Disease-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease• Single-Inhaler Triple Therapy Is Just The Start• Optimizing In-Hospital Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Care in Canada: Challenges, Evidence, and Future Directions

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with prevalence projected to rise by nearly 25% between 2020 and 2050 to reach approximately 600 million people worldwide.¹ COPD is characterized by persistent airflow limitation, leading to chronic dyspnea and reduced exercise capacity. Patients experience exacerbations of COPD (ECOPDs), clinically significant acute episodes characterized by increased airway inflammation and sudden worsening of breathlessness, which contribute substantially to lung function decline and are strongly associated with mortality.² Exacerbations account for the vast majority of COPD-related healthcare use, driving hospital admissions, healthcare costs, long-term functional decline, and mortality risk.² Despite progress in inhaled and biologic therapies, the management of recurrent exacerbations remains a significant challenge, and in fact, admissions for COPD are uniquely increasing rather than decreasing when compared with other chronic diseases after adjusting for population growth and aging in Canada.³ This highlights two important clinical realities: 1) that the current approach to COPD care is failing, and 2) that for both patients and health systems alike, there is a pressing need for innovative strategies to address and reduce the burden of COPD exacerbation admissions and readmissions.