The German COPD cohort COSYCONET: Aims, methods and descriptive analysis of the study population at baseline.
The German COPD cohort study COSYCONET ("COPD and SYstemic consequences-COmorbidities NETwork") investigates the interaction of lung disease, comorbidities and systemic inflammation. Recruitment took place from 2010 to 2013 in 31 study centers. In addition to the baseline visit, follow-up visits are scheduled at 6, 18, 36 and 54 months after baseline. The study also comprises a biobank, image bank, and includes health economic data. Here we describe the study design of COSYCONET and present baseline data of our COPD cohort.



Inclusion criteria were broad in order to cover a wide range of patterns of the disease. In each visit, patients undergo a large panel of assessments including e.g. clinical history, spirometry, body plethysmography, diffusing capacity, blood samples, 6-min walk-distance, electrocardiogram and echocardiography. Chest CTs are collected if available and CTs and MRIs are performed in a subcohort. Data are entered into eCRFs and subjected to several stages of quality control.



Overall, 2741 subjects with a clinical diagnosis of COPD were included (59% male; mean age 65 ± 8.6 years (range 40-90)). Of these, 8/35/32/9% presented with GOLD stages I-IV; 16% were uncategorized, including the former GOLD-0 category. 24% were active smokers, 68% ex-smokers and 8% never-smokers. Data completeness was 96% for the baseline items.



The German COPD cohort comprises patients with advanced and less advanced COPD. This is particularly useful for studying the time course of COPD in relation to comorbidities. Baseline data indicate that COSYCONET offers the opportunity to investigate our research questions in a large-scale, high-quality dataset.
Institute for Biostatistics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Annika
A
Karch
Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Marburg, University Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Baldingerstraße, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Claus
C
Vogelmeier
Clinic for Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Tobias
T
Welte
Department of Internal Medicine V - Pulmonology, Allergology, Respiratory Intensive Care Medicine, Saarland University Hospital, Kirrberger Straße 1, 66424 Homburg, Germany.
Robert
R
Bals
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Heidelberg, Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Kauczor
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Heidelberg, Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Jürgen
J
Biederer
Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Joachim
J
Heinrich
Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Holger
H
Schulz
Department of Internal Medicine B - Cardiology, Intensive Care, Pulmonary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University Medicine Greifswald, Scientific Division of Pneumology and Pneumological Epidemiology, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Strasse, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
Sven
S
Gläser
Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Helmholtz Zentrum München (GmbH), German Research Center for Environmental Health, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Rolf
R
Holle
LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Pulmonary Research Institute, Airway Research Center North, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Woehrendamm 80, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany.
Henrik
H
Watz
Pulmonary Department, Mainz University Hospital, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
Stephanie
S
Korn
Institute for Biostatistics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Nina
N
Adaskina
Institute for Biostatistics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Frank
F
Biertz
Institute for Biostatistics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Charlotte
C
Vogel
Centre for Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Institute for Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Southmoor Rd, Manchester M23 9LT, UK.
Jørgen
J
Vestbo
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Emiel F M
EF
Wouters
LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Pulmonary Research Institute, Airway Research Center North, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Woehrendamm 80, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany.
Klaus Friedrich
KF
Rabe
ASCONET Study Coordination Office, University of Marburg, Baldingerstraße, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Sandra
S
Söhler
Institute for Biostatistics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: koch.armin@mh-hannover.de.
Armin
A
Koch
Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ziemssenstr. 1, 80336 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: rudolf.joerres@med.uni-muenchen.de.
Rudolf A
RA
Jörres
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*
COPD; Cohort; Comorbidity; Study design; Systemic inflammation