Objective:To explore the correlation between abnormal vital signs (e.g., heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature) and acute exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as to evaluate the clinical value of continuous monitoring via wearable devices for the early warning and intervention.Methods:A multicenter cross-sectional study enrolled 335 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from 12 community health centers in Beijing and Chengdu between June 2023 and May 2024. General demographic and clinical data were collected, and each participant underwent continuous monitoring of resting heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature using wearable devices for 21 days. Based on whether participants had experienced acute exacerbations requiring outpatient, emergency, or inpatient treatment within the previous year, they were categorized into the acute exacerbation group and the non-exacerbation group. Differences in physiological parameters between the acute exacerbation group and non-exacerbation group were analyzed, and contributing factors were assessed using logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 335 patients with stable COPD were enrolled, including 252 cases (75.22%) in the acute exacerbation group and 83 cases (24.78%) in the non-acute exacerbation group. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex distribution, comorbidities, or baseline lung function between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the non-acute exacerbation group, patients in the acute exacerbation group had a faster resting heart rate((76.01 ± 7.78) beats/min vs. (72.72 ± 7.35) beats/min, t=3.126, P=0.002), a higher proportion of patients with decreased oxygen saturation (1.75% (0.97%, 3.03%) vs. 0.86% (0.44%, 1.65%), Z=11.086, P=0.001), and a higher proportion of patients with elevated body temperature (0.60% (0.39%, 1.03%) vs. 0.31% (0.17%, 0.54%), Z=7.314, P=0.007). Logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age ( OR=1.051, 95% CI: 1.023-1.080), increased heart rate ( OR=1.055, 95% CI:1.013-1.098), decreased oxygen saturation ( OR=1.197, 95% CI:1.023-1.400), and elevated body temperature ( OR=1.777, 95% CI:1.148-2.752) were positively associated factors for acute exacerbation of COPD. Conclusions:Abnormalities in physiological indicators such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature are associated with acute exacerbations in COPD patients. Continuous monitoring using wearable devices may provide a new method for early warning and timely intervention in COPD exacerbations.

Objective:To explore the correlation between abnormal vital signs (e.g., heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature) and acute exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as to evaluate the clinical value of continuous monitoring via wearable devices for the early warning and intervention.Methods:A multicenter cross-sectional study enrolled 335 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from 12 community health centers in Beijing and Chengdu between June 2023 and May 2024. General demographic and clinical data were collected, and each participant underwent continuous monitoring of resting heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature using wearable devices for 21 days. Based on whether participants had experienced acute exacerbations requiring outpatient, emergency, or inpatient treatment within the previous year, they were categorized into the acute exacerbation group and the non-exacerbation group. Differences in physiological parameters between the acute exacerbation group and non-exacerbation group were analyzed, and contributing factors were assessed using logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 335 patients with stable COPD were enrolled, including 252 cases (75.22%) in the acute exacerbation group and 83 cases (24.78%) in the non-acute exacerbation group. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex distribution, comorbidities, or baseline lung function between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the non-acute exacerbation group, patients in the acute exacerbation group had a faster resting heart rate((76.01 ± 7.78) beats/min vs. (72.72 ± 7.35) beats/min, t=3.126, P=0.002), a higher proportion of patients with decreased oxygen saturation (1.75% (0.97%, 3.03%) vs. 0.86% (0.44%, 1.65%), Z=11.086, P=0.001), and a higher proportion of patients with elevated body temperature (0.60% (0.39%, 1.03%) vs. 0.31% (0.17%, 0.54%), Z=7.314, P=0.007). Logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age ( OR=1.051, 95% CI: 1.023-1.080), increased heart rate ( OR=1.055, 95% CI:1.013-1.098), decreased oxygen saturation ( OR=1.197, 95% CI:1.023-1.400), and elevated body temperature ( OR=1.777, 95% CI:1.148-2.752) were positively associated factors for acute exacerbation of COPD. Conclusions:Abnormalities in physiological indicators such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature are associated with acute exacerbations in COPD patients. Continuous monitoring using wearable devices may provide a new method for early warning and timely intervention in COPD exacerbations.

Objective:To survey the experiences and perception of caregivers on home care service for community-dwelling elderly.Methods:From August to December 2021, individual semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with caregivers of the elderly from five community health centers in Beijing Xicheng and Miyun districts selected by purposive sampling.Results:Nine caregivers,2 males and 7 females aged 49-76 (62.8±9.4) years were interviewed in this study. The nursing care period was 3-48 (17±13) years. Four themes were extracted from the interview data: older people′s own condition was the primary factor influencing the home care needs; medical needs for home care were determined by the caregivers′ factors; community health service was important for meet home medical needs; and supporting of home care services for the elderly need to be strengthened.Conclusion:The experience of elderly home caregivers in using community home medical services is affected by many factors, and in the future, the content of home medical services should be improved, and the skills training of community elderly home caregivers should be strengthened, so as to improve the quality of life at home and promote the health literacy of the elderly.

Objective:To investigate the perspective of family doctor teams on the status quo of home care for community-dwelling elderly.Methods:The focus group interviews on the status quo of home care for community-dwelling elderly were conducted from August 19 to December 28, 2021. One urban area and 1 suburban area of Beijing was selected by purpose sampling method as target areas. Five community health service centers were selected from each area, and 5 family doctor team members were selected as interviewees in each center. The outline of interviews was as follows: what kinds of home care does the family doctor team provide for the community-dwelling elderly; how does the family doctor team evaluate the existing community-based home care; what suggestions on developing community-based home care for the elderly in the future. The data of the interview were analyzed by the thematic framework.Results:Xicheng district and Miyun district were selected as the study sites in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, and 41 family doctor team members were interviewed. Three themes and 6 sub-themes were extracted. The study showed that: (1) the family doctor contracted service for the elderly was carried out smoothly in the community; (2) the current situation of home care for the elderly in the community varied, the chronic disease management for the elderly was effective, the health education in the community was popular, the implementation of free annual health check for the elderly in urban areas was more difficult than that in suburban areas, and the family doctor team provided home visits as needed and required; (3) the members of family doctor team usually undertook multiple tasks due to the insufficiency of auxiliary staff, and the incentive mechanism of the home visit was not perfect, which needed to be improved.Conclusion:From the perspective of family doctor teams, the contract service for the elderly is generally carried out smoothly in Beijing communities, but it varies in different types of home care for the elderly, and the work and incentive mechanism of family doctor team need to be improved.