Asthma and COPD are diseases with a high, and increasing, prevalence, imposing a huge burden on primary and secondary care resources. Prevention, early identification of risk factors and appropriate management will remain important topics in the research agenda of this programme. To that end, collaboration with researchers from the Nutrition and Metabolism Research Institute, Maastricht (NUTRIM) took place, focusing on determinants of susceptibility, early markers of inflammation in asthma and COPD, and risk factors for, and markers of, systemic involvement in COPD.
Smoking cessation strategies
Together with investigators of the CAPHRI programme Health Communication, research on smoking cessation strategies are being developed, including trials on pharmacotherapy of nicotine addiction. Important strategies in this field, which can be seen as novel and innovative, are: nicotine vaccination, drug treatment, motivational interviewing and confrontational counseling. A focus is also placed on research into the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation strategies. Finally, an evaluation into the legislation banning smoking in public areas was carried out in the programme. Case-finding and early identification of risk factors for asthma and COPD in high-risk populations will remain important topics.
Disease management and integrated care
Disease management and integrated care aimed at health promotion, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration will be studied together with investigators from the Redesign of Health Care programme. Results are expected for projects on the clinical effect of reactivation of COPD patients by means of specific training programmes that are executed and monitored by physiotherapists in primary care within the next few years. In addition, a separate project will assess the frequency and reasons for patients to drop out prematurely from these training programmes.
Visiting professors
Two visiting professors (prof. A. Sheikh and prof. R West) are active within the programme.