Understanding COPD: Symptoms, Triggers, and Treatment Options

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a clinical disease that damages the Lungs and airways, thereby affecting breathing and other lung-related activities. It is also known as COPD.

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis constitute COPD. Emphysema is a condition that damages air sacs, and on the other hand, chronic bronchitis results in inflammation of the airways.

The leading causes that contribute to the development of COPD are smoking, tobacco intake, any existing breathing problem, exposure to dust, inhalants, chemicals and fumes, along with improper ventilation.

COPD, a chronic disease, lacks curable treatment options. Therefore, it is important to consider regenerative therapy options, such as stem cell therapy, since stem cell therapy can regenerate damaged tissue and restore lung functions.

Clinical presentation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The clinical presentation of COPD can be classified into two categories. Early symptoms are those which are usually seen in the initial stage, and advanced symptoms are those which can be seen as the condition worsens.

INITIAL SYMPTOMS	ADVANCED SYMPTOMS
1. Shortness of breath, dyspnea	1. Increase in shortness of breath even after mild activities
2. Cough that is mild and recurrent	2. Chronic cough
3. Accumulation of phlegm	3. Wheezing, chest tightness
4. Lack of energy	4. Fatigue, weight loss

Clinicians recommend the use of the GOLD classification grading system to determine the severity of COPD. According to the GOLD classification, there are four grades of COPD depending on the FEV1 percentage. FEV1 is the amount of air that one breathes out in one second after forced expiration. 

STAGE	SEVERITY	FEV1 PERCENTAGE
I	Mild	≥80%
II	Moderate	50 – 80%
III	Severe	30 – 50%
IV	Very severe	<30%

Thus, the table signifies the stages of severity of COPD.

Common trigger factors of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Air pollution: Exposure to indoor pollutants like dust, pollen, chemicals, pet hair, and perfumes and outdoor pollutants like smoke from factories, dust from construction, in addition to fire smoke can cause severe lung problems.

Weather: Both extreme minus temperatures and relatively high temperatures can worsen COPD. As a result, it is important to manage cold temperatures by staying indoors and avoiding exposure and using an air conditioner can help manage hot temperatures.

Cigarette smoke: Cigarette smoking poses a risk to both the individuals who smoke as well as those who inhale the smoke released by cigarette smoking. As a result, cigarette smoking contributes to one of the major causes of lung problems.

Infections: A few infections that attack the lungs and cause breathing issues contribute to the development of COPD. They also worsen symptoms and can even lead to pneumonia.

Industry workers: Workers who work in factories are at risk of inhaling harmful chemicals and pollutants, which can trigger COPD.

Examination and testing of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Based on the symptoms, doctors initially take a patient’s history, including family history. After determining, clinicians carry out several tests, including arterial blood gases (ABG) and pulmonary function tests, to determine lung function. If the requirement for additional examination arises, then doctors perform chest X-rays and MRIs to determine the areas of damage and extent of damage.

Treatment interventions for COPD

After the examination and confirmation of the presence of COPD, the next step is treating the condition. So for the treatment of the disease, the doctor employs the following intervention strategies:

1. Non-pharmacological treatment: Lifestyle modifications like avoiding smoking, exposure to pollutants, and proper nutrition intake help improve COPD.
2. Pharmacological therapy: Medications such as inhaled corticosteroids are the preferable treatment option for COPD. Along with corticosteroids, bronchodilators help relax the bronchial pathway. Other available options are theophylline to provide relief from shortness of breath and antibiotics and antivirals to treat infections.

Note: The above information is purely for educational purposes and should not be mistaken for medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or medical practitioner.

3. Oxygen therapy: Since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease makes breathing difficult, an oxygen mask can help the person breathe efficiently.
4. Surgical options: Surgery remains the last treatment resort for patients suffering from extreme shortness of breath. Surgeries like bullectomy, which involves removing large air sacs (bullae), or volume reduction surgery, which involves removing damaged tissue of the lungs, can be helpful.
5. Transplantation of lung: In severe cases where other treatment options do not provide relief, lung transplantation remains the only choice of treatment. However, transplantation carries its own set of risks.

Regenerative Stem cell therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Stem cell therapy improves lung function by introducing healthy cells and replacing damaged cells. They also promote regeneration and exert paracrine effects. The following are the mechanisms that stem cells exert in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Effect of paracrine signaling: 

Stem cells stimulate the release of bioactive molecules like cytokines, factors such as growth factors and chemokines. Besides release of growth factors, these cells also stimulate and trigger the effect of surrounding epithelial and immune cells. Thus, paracrine signalling begins the process of regeneration, which repairs the tissue, modulates immune response and reduces inflammation.

Regeneration of damaged tissue:

Stem cells travel or migrate to the site of damage, stimulate proliferation and differentiate into specialized types of cells. After differentiation, they regenerate and replace the damaged epithelial cells. Stem cells also modulate immune response, decrease inflammation and even enhance anti-apoptosis.

In the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, MSCs enhance the lung’s functions by reducing pulmonary fibrosis, improving the formation of alveoli, and restoring the lung structure.

Role of anti-inflammation:

Stem cells decrease the release of inflammatory molecules IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α and enhance the release of anti-inflammatory molecules IL-10, TGF-β, and PGE2 to counteract inflammation since it is the common clinical symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The role of these anti-inflammatory molecules is to reduce immune cell activity and suppress inflammation.

Immunomodulation effect:

Stem cells modulate the immune system by interacting with B cells, T cells, and macrophages and creating a favorable environment for regeneration. They suppress the proliferation of immune cells and change their activity from inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. In addition to this, they also generate Treg cells. 

Therefore, the overall effect of immunomodulation is the repair of damaged tissue and reduction in inflammation.

Lung function improvement:

Stem cell therapy offers several benefits. They are improvement in lung functions, enhancement of forced expiratory volume, reduction in pulmonary fibrosis and reduction of exacerbations.

Outcomes post stem cell therapy:

In COPD, the benefits and outcomes that one can reap after stem cell therapy are enhanced lung efficiency, enhancement of oxygen-carrying capacity, reduced use of inhalers, increase in pulmonary functions and enhanced quality of life.

COPD Patient Success Stories

Conclusion

Stem cell treatment for COPD has shifted focus from managing symptoms to promoting survival. Conventional treatment strategies cannot halt the progression of the disease and focus on just managing the condition. On the other hand, regenerative medicine therapy shows a remarkable ability to improve lung function.

Stem cell therapy for COPD regenerates the lung tissue, modulates immune response, exerts anti-inflammatory effects and stimulates anti-apoptosis, for instance.

Thus, clinicians who opt for stem cell therapy elevate their practice and offer patients with advanced technological solutions.

FAQs

Q: Define chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a clinical disease that damages the lungs and airways, affecting breathing and other lung-related activities. It is otherwise known as COPD.

Q: How to determine the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Clinicians recommend using the GOLD classification grading system to determine the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to the GOLD classification, there are four grades of COPD depending on the FEV1 percentage.

Q: List the risk factors and causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The factors that contribute to the risk of development of COPD are smoking, tobacco intake, any existing breathing problem, changes in weather, exposure to dust, inhalants, chemicals and fumes, along with improper ventilation.

Q: How do stem cells regenerate lung tissue?

Stem cells travel or migrate to the site of damage, stimulate proliferation and differentiate into specialized types of cells. After differentiation, they regenerate and replace the damaged epithelial cells. Additionally, they also modulate immune response, decrease inflammation and enhance anti-apoptosis.