Improving Dyspnea by Targeting Weight Loss in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease and Severe Obesity Through Health Coaching and Remote Monitoring

Abstract

Dyspnea is one of the leading symptoms of chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD), such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Notably, patients with COLD and coexisting obesity report more dyspnea, increased health care utilization, poorer health-related quality of life, reduced functional capacity, and low physical activity.1,2 Despite the clinically negative effect of obesity in many outcomes in COLD, studies in COPD populations have shown improved survival in overweight and obese individuals compared with normal-weight counterparts, and increased mortality in the underweight individuals: the "obesity paradox."3