Conditions: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Keywords: pulmonary disease chronic obstructive airflow spirometry primary healthcare guideline-based therapy
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 56
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory (lung) disease that makes it harder to breathe over time. To date, there is no cure for COPD, but it can be managed when diagnosed and proper medical care is provided.

The purpose of this study is to determine if diagnosis and guided therapy with the use of spirometry is related to better patient outcomes (the condition of a patient's health) compared to usual care which may or may not include the use of spirometry. Spirometry is a standardized test used in medical practice that measures how much air your lungs can hold and how forcefully you can breathe out.

For this study, the investigators will compare two groups: 1) intervention (treatment) group and 2) usual care group (control). The intervention group will have a spirometry test and the results will be provided to the primary care physician. The usual care group will not initially have a spirometry test. Both groups will be followed for outcomes.

Detailed description:
The purpose of this study is to determine if diagnosis and guided therapy with the use of spirometry is related to better patient associated outcomes compared to usual care which may or may not include the use of spirometry. To do this, we propose a comparative effectiveness trial of introducing a COPD assessment and management bundle targeted to primary care providers for patients suspected of having COPD versus usual care.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients with a physician-diagnosed COPD or asthma suspicious for COPD being managed by the physician randomized to the intervention group will perform a spirometry test and provide information regarding their medical history on their initial visit, which is 90 minutes before their doctor's appointment. A letter containing the interpretation of spirometry test results, and recommendations for guideline based therapy based on GOLD guidelines will be available to the primary care doctor at the time of the patient's clinic visit. The doctor may review the results and use his or her own judgment in moving forward with the subject's diagnosis and management. A copy of the spirometry results and assessment based on the GOLD criteria at the time of the test of your subject will be uploaded to his or her electronic health record for future reference.

Outcomes will be assessed every 3 months for up to one year through patient telephone calls and medical chart reviews. arm 2: Patients with a physician-diagnosed COPD or physician-diagnosed asthma suspicious for COPD being managed by the physician randomized to the usual care group will provide medical history, not initially have a spirometry, and will be observed as usual care.

Outcomes will be assessed every 3 months for up to one year through patient telephone calls and medical chart reviews. At the conclusion of the research study which will be 12 months from the patients' initial visit, patients being managed by the physician randomized to the usual care group will have a spirometry test and these results will not be shared with the doctor or the patients during the study but will be uploaded to the electronic health record after the end of the study for future reference.

Interventions: intervention 1: Spirometry test intervention 2: Levalbuterol
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: For the initial visit for the intervention group, an initial demographics form and a health questionnaire will given to the subject to complete. To evaluate the breathing and quality of living, a spirometry test will be performed that will evaluate how well and how fast the subject can breath and blow out air. intervention 2: The spirometry test will be performed with a breathing medication called Levalbuterol (Xopenex®). Levalbuterol is used in standard practice for COPD and is commonly used during spirometry.

Protocol document: