---
title: Mechanisms of COPD Exacerbation Recurrence
nct_id: NCT04024735
overall_status: UNKNOWN
sponsor: University College, London
study_type: OBSERVATIONAL
primary_condition: Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
countries: United Kingdom
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT04024735.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04024735"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2019-07-18
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:00:26.386Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Mechanisms of COPD Exacerbation Recurrence

**NCT ID:** [NCT04024735](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04024735)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** UNKNOWN
- **Study Type:** OBSERVATIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 166
- **Lead Sponsor:** University College, London
- **Conditions:** Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, COPD Exacerbation, Patient Readmission, Recurrence
- **Start Date:** 2019-06-01
- **Completion Date:** 2022-05-01
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2019-07-18

## Brief Summary

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common smoking-related lung disease. Patients with COPD are at increased risk of readmission to hospitals within the following 30 days. Hospital readmissions of COPD contribute to clinical and economic burden on society. Understanding why some COPD patients are readmitted remains a key area of unmet need.

To our knowledge, no previous study has fully investigated both the social and clinical risk factors associated with these types of patients. The investigators want to prospectively and comprehensively explore the possible causes, whether clinical or social factors, that cause rehospitalisation. The investigators will be collecting demographic and clinical information including daily physical activity level, lung function, blood and sputum samples. These measurements will be collected at patient admission, discharge and at follow-up of 30 and 90 days. This process could lead to a better understanding of the reasons which prevent early hospital readmission for those patients.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** No

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have a primary diagnosis of COPD
* Patients admitted to hospital with an exacerbation.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients in whom an initial diagnosis of an AECOPD is revised to an alternative at a later phase of the study.
* Patients who have a predominant history of asthma
* Patients with a confirmed active malignancy
* Patients who have a predominant history of bronchiectasis.
* Cognitive impairment patients with a Mental Test Score (MTS) of 6 or less.
* Inability to give informed consent to take part in the study
```

## Interventions

- **Spirometry, Forced Oscillation Technique, Step-counter, sputum and blood samples** (DIAGNOSTIC_TEST) — We will be collecting demographic and clinical information including daily physical activity level, lung function, blood and sputum samples. These measurements will be collected at patient admission, discharge and at follow-up of 30 and 90 days.

## Primary Outcomes

- **The primary outcome is the factors that determine readmission to hospital within 30 and 90 days post discharge.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Readmission rate at 30 days and at 3 months** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Prevalence of comorbidities between those who are and are not readmitted within 30 and 90 days.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Changes in admission-to-discharge in within breath reactance (∆Xrs5Hz) between patients who are and are not readmitted to the hospital within 30 and 90 days.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in the modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC) at admission, discharge and after 30 days follow-up or at readmission.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in quality of life by measuring COPD assessment test (CAT) at admission, discharge and after 30 days follow-up or at readmission.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at admission, discharge and after 30 days follow-up or at readmission.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Prevalence of frailty between those who are and are not readmitted to the hospital within 30 and 90 days.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in physical activity level (daily steps) following the discharge between patients who are and are not readmitted.** _(time frame: 30 days)_
- **Changes in admission-to-discharge peak inspiration flow rate (PIFR) between patients who are and are not readmitted.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in white cell count (WCC) blood biomarkers** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in C-reactive protein (CRP) blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in Eosinophils blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in Neutrophils blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in troponin blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in procalcitonin blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in fibrinogen blood biomarker** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Change in sputum biomarkers** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Number of hospital admissions in the previous year.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Number of exacerbations in the previous year.** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Use of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT)** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Length of stay (LOS) in hospital** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV)** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_
- **Previous admission to the ICU** _(time frame: 30 and 90 days)_

## Locations (1)

- Royal Free Hospital NHS, London, United Kingdom — _RECRUITING_

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.royal free hospital nhs|london||united kingdom` — added _(2026-05-12)_

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*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT04024735.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04024735*  
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