Sing Your Lungs Out; Te rōpū kai manawa

SYLO - A singing group for patients with chronic lung disease.  This community-based choir, run by volunteers, was started in October 2014.  Patients were enrolled as graduates of the Wellington Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme.  Quantitative and qualitative studies are on-going, measuring physiological, symptom and psychosocial outcomes.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sing-Your-Lungs-Out/279477085595109

The SYLO Choir’s Christmas Concert was covered by TVNZ:

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/breathless-choir-sings-good-health-6208680

Radio NZ Morning Report 6 October 2015:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201773417/emphysema-sufferers-sing-their-way-to-better-health

SYLO setup guidelines (123k)

SYLO Research Report February 2016 (17k)

SYLO Newsletter Christmas 2015 (2.931MB)

A novel taxonomy (disease classification) for asthma and COPD.

Airways disease is currently classified using diagnostic labels such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.  The current definitions of these classifications do not adequately describe the phenotypes of airways disease in the community, which may have differing disease processes, clinical features or responses to treatment.  Based on the Wellington Respiratory Survey we have identified by cluster analysis five distinct clinical phenotypes.  If confirmed in other populations these clinical phenotypes may form the basis of a modified taxonomy for the disorders of airways obstruction.

The prevalence of COPD in New Zealand

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term used to encompass the spectrum of smoking-related chest disorders such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and also some forms of asthma. This study determined the prevalence of COPD in a New Zealand population for the first time. Around 14% of New Zealand adults over the age of 40 years had COPD. It was more common in men than women, with increasing age, and in current and ex-smokers. This prevalence was broadly comparable with the few other studies worldwide that have applied similarly rigorous testing standards.

Smoking and COPD: what really are the risks?

Smoking is recognised as the most important cause of COPD, with most long-term smokers developing some respiratory impairment. However, through review of the literature and calculation of the ‘population attributable risk’, we identified that only about half of all cases of COPD are due to smoking. This raises the question as to what factors are responsible for the other half, and what can be done to reduce their impact. We proposed that a greater understanding of the causation of COPD is a research priority to provide the basis for the development of primary and secondary prevention programmes. This recommendation does not lessen the significance of tobacco smoking as the most important cause of COPD or the public health importance of measures to reduce tobacco consumption.

Complete reference ranges for pulmonary function tests

Reference ranges for pulmonary function tests are a prerequisite for the accurate interpretation of results. The reference equations currently used in New Zealand are inadequate, being derived from multiple sources, many produced over 25 years ago. It was possible through the COPD programme to develop a complete set of contemporary lung function reference equations for the New Zealand population. These reference equations are now being implemented in Australian and New Zealand respiratory physiology lung function laboratories, through the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Scientists.

Physiological associations of computerised tomography lung density

The application of computerised tomography (CT) scanning in the assessment of emphysema has evolved since the 1980’s when it was first demonstrated that CT measurements could be used to detect the presence of emphysema. In this study we examined the relationship between lung density measurements and detailed lung function tests in a large population sample. This identified that lung density measurements correlated most strongly with measures of airways disease that were not specific for emphysema. This led to the recommendation that lung density measurements should be used with caution in the long-term assessment of the progression of emphysema.

Sing Your Lungs Out; Te rōpū kai manawa

SYLO - A singing group for patients with chronic lung disease.  This community-based choir, run by volunteers, was started in October 2014.  Patients were enrolled as graduates of the Wellington Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme.  Quantitative and qualitative studies are on-going, measuring physiological, symptom and psychosocial outcomes.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sing-Your-Lungs-Out/279477085595109

The SYLO Choir’s Christmas Concert was covered by TVNZ:

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/breathless-choir-sings-good-health-6208680

Radio NZ Morning Report 6 October 2015:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201773417/emphysema-sufferers-sing-their-way-to-better-health

SYLO setup guidelines (123k)

SYLO Research Report February 2016 (17k)

SYLO Newsletter Christmas 2015 (2.931MB)

A novel taxonomy (disease classification) for asthma and COPD.

Airways disease is currently classified using diagnostic labels such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.  The current definitions of these classifications do not adequately describe the phenotypes of airways disease in the community, which may have differing disease processes, clinical features or responses to treatment.  Based on the Wellington Respiratory Survey we have identified by cluster analysis five distinct clinical phenotypes.  If confirmed in other populations these clinical phenotypes may form the basis of a modified taxonomy for the disorders of airways obstruction.

The prevalence of COPD in New Zealand

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term used to encompass the spectrum of smoking-related chest disorders such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and also some forms of asthma. This study determined the prevalence of COPD in a New Zealand population for the first time. Around 14% of New Zealand adults over the age of 40 years had COPD. It was more common in men than women, with increasing age, and in current and ex-smokers. This prevalence was broadly comparable with the few other studies worldwide that have applied similarly rigorous testing standards.

Smoking and COPD: what really are the risks?

Smoking is recognised as the most important cause of COPD, with most long-term smokers developing some respiratory impairment. However, through review of the literature and calculation of the ‘population attributable risk’, we identified that only about half of all cases of COPD are due to smoking. This raises the question as to what factors are responsible for the other half, and what can be done to reduce their impact. We proposed that a greater understanding of the causation of COPD is a research priority to provide the basis for the development of primary and secondary prevention programmes. This recommendation does not lessen the significance of tobacco smoking as the most important cause of COPD or the public health importance of measures to reduce tobacco consumption.

Complete reference ranges for pulmonary function tests

Reference ranges for pulmonary function tests are a prerequisite for the accurate interpretation of results. The reference equations currently used in New Zealand are inadequate, being derived from multiple sources, many produced over 25 years ago. It was possible through the COPD programme to develop a complete set of contemporary lung function reference equations for the New Zealand population. These reference equations are now being implemented in Australian and New Zealand respiratory physiology lung function laboratories, through the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Scientists.

Physiological associations of computerised tomography lung density

The application of computerised tomography (CT) scanning in the assessment of emphysema has evolved since the 1980’s when it was first demonstrated that CT measurements could be used to detect the presence of emphysema. In this study we examined the relationship between lung density measurements and detailed lung function tests in a large population sample. This identified that lung density measurements correlated most strongly with measures of airways disease that were not specific for emphysema. This led to the recommendation that lung density measurements should be used with caution in the long-term assessment of the progression of emphysema.

Sing Your Lungs Out; Te rōpū kai manawa

SYLO - A singing group for patients with chronic lung disease.  This community-based choir, run by volunteers, was started in October 2014.  Patients were enrolled as graduates of the Wellington Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme.  Quantitative and qualitative studies are on-going, measuring physiological, symptom and psychosocial outcomes.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sing-Your-Lungs-Out/279477085595109

The SYLO Choir’s Christmas Concert was covered by TVNZ:

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/breathless-choir-sings-good-health-6208680

Radio NZ Morning Report 6 October 2015:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201773417/emphysema-sufferers-sing-their-way-to-better-health

SYLO setup guidelines (123k)

SYLO Research Report February 2016 (17k)

SYLO Newsletter Christmas 2015 (2.931MB)

A novel taxonomy (disease classification) for asthma and COPD.

Airways disease is currently classified using diagnostic labels such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.  The current definitions of these classifications do not adequately describe the phenotypes of airways disease in the community, which may have differing disease processes, clinical features or responses to treatment.  Based on the Wellington Respiratory Survey we have identified by cluster analysis five distinct clinical phenotypes.  If confirmed in other populations these clinical phenotypes may form the basis of a modified taxonomy for the disorders of airways obstruction.

The prevalence of COPD in New Zealand

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term used to encompass the spectrum of smoking-related chest disorders such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and also some forms of asthma. This study determined the prevalence of COPD in a New Zealand population for the first time. Around 14% of New Zealand adults over the age of 40 years had COPD. It was more common in men than women, with increasing age, and in current and ex-smokers. This prevalence was broadly comparable with the few other studies worldwide that have applied similarly rigorous testing standards.

Smoking and COPD: what really are the risks?

Smoking is recognised as the most important cause of COPD, with most long-term smokers developing some respiratory impairment. However, through review of the literature and calculation of the ‘population attributable risk’, we identified that only about half of all cases of COPD are due to smoking. This raises the question as to what factors are responsible for the other half, and what can be done to reduce their impact. We proposed that a greater understanding of the causation of COPD is a research priority to provide the basis for the development of primary and secondary prevention programmes. This recommendation does not lessen the significance of tobacco smoking as the most important cause of COPD or the public health importance of measures to reduce tobacco consumption.

Complete reference ranges for pulmonary function tests

Reference ranges for pulmonary function tests are a prerequisite for the accurate interpretation of results. The reference equations currently used in New Zealand are inadequate, being derived from multiple sources, many produced over 25 years ago. It was possible through the COPD programme to develop a complete set of contemporary lung function reference equations for the New Zealand population. These reference equations are now being implemented in Australian and New Zealand respiratory physiology lung function laboratories, through the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Scientists.

Physiological associations of computerised tomography lung density

The application of computerised tomography (CT) scanning in the assessment of emphysema has evolved since the 1980’s when it was first demonstrated that CT measurements could be used to detect the presence of emphysema. In this study we examined the relationship between lung density measurements and detailed lung function tests in a large population sample. This identified that lung density measurements correlated most strongly with measures of airways disease that were not specific for emphysema. This led to the recommendation that lung density measurements should be used with caution in the long-term assessment of the progression of emphysema.