On January 24, 2024, renowned expert Prof. Paul Jones visited the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine for academic exchanges on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Paul Jones, a world-renowned expert in the field of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, has served as a permanent member of the Scientific Committee and Board of Directors of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, GOLD. The tools he has designed, such as the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and the Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Tool (EXACT), are widely used in clinical assessment and treatment of respiratory diseases. His contributions have been significant in the prevention and management of COPD worldwide.

Professors Gao Xinglin and Li Jing, key members of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, warmly welcomed Prof. Paul Jones’s visit. Prof. Li Jing briefly introduced the development and talent cultivation efforts of the Department. Prof. Paul Jones delivered a lecture on risk assessment and treatment strategies for acute exacerbations of COPD, followed by a discussion on a specific COPD case.

Prof. Paul Jones also gave a lecture, incorporating the latest research advancements and unpublished data from previous studies, providing valuable recommendations on risk assessment and medication guidance for acute exacerbations of COPD. His insights have been invaluable in enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of COPD for the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common and prevalent respiratory condition in China, with nearly over 100 million COPD patients. The prevalence rate among individuals over 20 years old is 8.6%, which sharply rises to 13.6% among those over 40 years old. As age increases, so does the prevalence rate. Therefore, standardized and evidence-based diagnosis, treatment, and management are crucial for alleviating patients’ symptoms, controlling disease progression, and improving their quality of life. Prof. Paul Jones emphasized the importance of preventing recurrent acute exacerbations in patients and the judicious use of bronchodilators in the management of COPD. He further discussed his unique insights into the value of combination therapy such as ICS+LABA+LAMA and the role of eosinophils in the course of COPD.

During the exchange meeting, young physician Dr. Le Yanqing fluently presented a case of a COPD patient with recurrent acute exacerbations in English. The attending doctors listened attentively, actively posed questions, and engaged in in-depth discussions on the case. Following this, they accompanied Prof. Paul Jones and Prof. Li Jing to the patient’s bedside, carefully inquired about the patient’s symptoms, conducted a detailed physical examination, and provided the patient with confidence and a suitable medication plan. The patient expressed gratitude to Prof. Paul Jones with a thumbs-up gesture.

Subsequently, Prof. Paul Jones and the team visited the Pulmonary Function Testing Room, Bronchoscopy Room, and Sleep Lab, providing valuable suggestions for the development of the Department.

Prof. Paul Jones’s visit has enriched every member of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine from exchanges, teaching, ward rounds to chronic disease management, imbuing them with cutting-edge concepts and providing active guidance for clinical practice. The Department will continue to enrich itself, enhance its comprehensive strength, build the discipline to a new height, and seek for more opportunities to welcome experts and scholars from home and abroad for guidance and exchange.

Text by Li Jing

Photos by Chen Sijia

Updated: February 6, 2024