This study will test whether a personalized mobile application that provides temperature-related health risk warnings and protective recommendations can reduce acute exacerbations in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Researchers will compare participants who receive the mobile application in addition to usual care with those who receive usual care alone. The main question is whether the mobile application reduces the number of COPD acute exacerbation events over 12 months. The study will also evaluate secondary outcomes including quality of life, functional capacity, symptoms, psychological status, physiological and biochemical indicators, environmental temperature risk perception, and participants' use of the mobile application.
This study is a proof-of-concept study using a cluster randomized controlled design, with hospitals serving as the unit of randomization. Four eligible hospitals in Beijing will be selected as study sites, and each hospital together with all eligible participants enrolled at that site will be treated as one cluster. Clusters will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group or the control group. In addition to usual COPD care, participants in the intervention group will receive temperature-related health risk warning messages and corresponding protective recommendations generated from real-time meteorological data and individual characteristics through the personalized mobile application. Participants in the control group will receive usual COPD care only without access to the mobile application. The study includes a baseline assessment and a 12-month follow-up period. Study visits will occur at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after enrollment. Baseline assessments will include demographic information, air-conditioner use, smoking and alcohol consumption, health status, acute exacerbation events, quality of life, functional capacity, symptoms, psychological status, environmental temperature perception, and physiological and biochemical indicators. Follow-up assessments will collect acute exacerbation events, quality of life, functional capacity, symptoms, psychological status, physiological and biochemical indicators, environmental temperature perception and participants' use of the mobile application. Due to the cluster design and the nature of the mobile application intervention, study participants and research staff who collect visit data will be unmasked. However, data analysts and members of the endpoint adjudication committee will remain masked to the randomization assignments.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
240
This study implements a digital early warning intervention targeting personalized temperature-related health risks. The mobile application integrates real-time meteorological data and individual characteristics to generate risk levels and deliver tailored health alerts and guidance aimed at supporting risk management and reducing exposure-related health risks.
Number of COPD Acute Exacerbations
Total number of acute exacerbations of COPD managed at home, via outpatient visits, emergency department visits, or hospitalizations.
Time frame: 12 months after baseline
Number of Home-managed COPD Acute Exacerbations
Number of home-managed COPD acute exacerbations
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Number of Outpatient-managed COPD Acute Exacerbations
Number of outpatient-managed COPD acute exacerbations
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Number of Emergency Department-managed COPD Acute Exacerbations
Number of emergency department-managed COPD acute exacerbations
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Number of Hospitalized COPD Acute Exacerbations
Number of hospitalized COPD acute exacerbations
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Changes in St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD Patients Score
The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD patients (SGRQ-C) score ranges from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate a worse outcome (poorer health-related quality of life).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level Score
The EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) score consists of two parts: a questionnaire and a visual analogue scale (VAS). The questionnaire includes five dimensions, where higher scores indicate worse health status. The VAS asks respondents to rate their overall health status on a 0-100 scale. Higher scores on the VAS mean a better outcome (better self-rated health status).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Change from Baseline in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second
Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1) will be measured in liters using spirometry.
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Change from Baseline in Forced Vital Capacity
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) will be measured in liters using spirometry.
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Change from Baseline in Percent Predicted FEV1
Percent Predicted Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1%pred) will be calculated from spirometry and expressed as a percentage of the predicted value.
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after baseline
Changes in Blood Pressure
Measured using a sphygmomanometer.
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Number of Participants With Abnormal Electrocardiogram Readings
Abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) readings will be identified from standard clinical ECG reports by qualified physicians. The total number of participants with these abnormal readings will be counted. A lower number of participants with abnormal ECG readings means a better outcome (better cardiac safety profile).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in Blood Oxygen Saturation
Measured using a pulse oximeter.
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in Modified Medical Research Council Score
The modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) score ranges from 0 to 4. Higher scores mean a worse outcome (more severe dyspnea).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in the COPD Assessment Test Questionnaire Score
The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) total score ranges from 0 to 40. Higher scores mean a worse outcome (a greater impact of COPD on patient's health status).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire Score
The 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire score ranges from 0 to 21. Higher scores mean a worse outcome (more severe anxiety symptoms).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire Score
The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ranges from 0 to 27. Higher scores mean a worse outcome (more severe depressive symptoms).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Changes in Environmental Temperature Risk Perception Score
Used to assess the participant's awareness and perception of health risks related to environmental temperature on the basis of the Temperature Risk Perception Questionnaire.
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Number of Participants With Abnormal Complete Blood Count Results
Abnormal complete blood count (CBC) readings will be identified from standard clinical CBC reports by qualified physicians. The total number of participants with these abnormal readings will be counted. A lower number of participants with abnormal CBC readings means a better outcome (better clinical safety profile).
Time frame: 12 months after baseline
Frequency of Personalized Mobile Application Use
Assessed using backend data statistics from the personalized Mobile Application.
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
Satisfaction with Personalized Mobile Application
Participant satisfaction with the personalized mobile application will be evaluated using the 10-item System Usability Scale (SUS). The SUS total score ranges from 0 to 100. Higher scores mean a better outcome (greater perceived usability and higher patient satisfaction with the mobile application).
Time frame: 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline
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