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Abstract Background Obesity contributes to worse symptoms and exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) improve weight and metabolic profiles and have emerging pulmonary benefits. However, their real-world impact on respiratory outcomes in patients with COPD and obesity is not well established. Research Question Among obese adults with COPD, is GLP-1 RA use associated with reduced risk of COPD exacerbations, acute respiratory failure, and all-cause mortality compared with those not receiving GLP-1 therapy? Methods We conducted a retrospective, propensity-matched cohort study using the TriNetX U.S. Collaborative Network. Adults aged ≥40 years with COPD (ICD-10 J44) and BMI ≥30 kg/m² were included. The exposed cohort comprised patients prescribed GLP-1 RAs (lixisenatide, albiglutide, dulaglutide, liraglutide, semaglutide, or exenatide), while comparators had no exposure. The index event was the first date meeting inclusion criteria. Outcomes were analyzed beginning 180 days after index to minimize reverse causation, excluding those with prior events. Propensity score matching (1:1) balanced demographics, comorbidities, laboratory data, and medication use, yielding 2,795 patients per group. Primary outcomes included the risk (≥1 event within window) of COPD exacerbation, acute respiratory hypoxic and/or hypercapnic failure leading to hospitalization, and all-cause mortality. Risk difference (RD), risk ratio (RR), and odds ratio (OR) were calculated; Kaplan-Meier and log-rank testing assessed time-to-event. Results After matching, baseline characteristics were well balanced. GLP-1 RA use was associated with significantly lower risk across all outcomes:COPD Exacerbation (J44.1): 18.2% (No GLP-1) vs 11.2% (GLP-1); RD 7.0%, RR 1.63 (95% CI 1.36-1.94); p = 0.042.Acute Hypoxic and/or Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure (J96.x): 19.2% vs 11.5%; RD 7.7%, RR 1.67 (1.42-1.96).All-Cause Mortality: 14.6% vs 7.6%; RD 7.0%, RR 1.92 (1.64-2.25); p = 0.010. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significantly improved survival in the GLP-1 group for mortality and COPD exacerbation outcomes. Conclusions In obese adults with COPD, GLP-1 RA therapy was associated with clinically and statistically significant reductions in COPD exacerbations, acute respiratory failure, and all-cause mortality. These findings suggest that GLP-1 RAs may offer dual metabolic and pulmonary benefits and warrant evaluation as adjunctive therapy in future prospective trials. This abstract is funded by: None

Abstract Rationale Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, primarily caused by homozygous SERPINA1 Z mutation, increases the risk of COPD. Individuals carrying one Z and one normal M allele (MZ) have higher COPD risk than MM individuals, although many never develop disease. COPD is a polygenic condition influenced by numerous genetic factors across the genome and by environmental exposures such as smoking. We aimed to examine how polygenic factors and smoking modify risk of airflow obstruction in MZ compared with MM. Methods We included participants with the MZ and MM genotypes from the Framingham Heart Study. We first tested the association between AAT genotype (MZ coded as 1 and MM as 0) and FEV1/FVC, stratified by ever-smoking status, and further evaluated interactions between AAT genotype and smoking pack-years. Next, for each participant we calculated a polygenic risk score (PRS) for FEV1/FVC, which was derived from external genome-wide association studies in the UK Biobank and SpiroMeta Consortium. To reflect risk for airflow limitation, higher PRSs correspond to lower FEV1/FVC. We then tested the interaction between the PRS and AAT genotype, stratified by ever-smoking. Models were adjusted for age, sex, height, current smoking, pack-years (among ever-smokers), familial relatedness, and in PRS models, principal components of genetic ancestry. Results Among 4,220 participants (mean age 53.7 years, 54.2% female, 50.2% ever-smokers, mean FEV1/FVC 74.6%), 133 (3.2%) had MZ genotype. In never-smokers, MZ individuals had 1.72% higher FEV1/FVC compared with MM (P = 0.032), whereas no difference was observed among ever-smokers (β= -0.39%; P = 0.65). Cumulative smoking modified the effect of MZ genotype on FEV1/FVC (interaction β= -0.13% per pack-year; P = 0.003); this interaction persisted among ever-smokers (β= -0.11% per pack-year; P = 0.044). A one-standard-deviation increase in the FEV1/FVC PRS was associated with lower FEV1/FVC in both never- (β= -2.37%; P < 0.0001) and ever-smokers (β= -2.46%; P < 0.0001). A higher PRS was disproportionately associated with reduced FEV1/FVC in MZ compared to MM (interaction β= -1.87% per standard-deviation PRS increase, P = 0.027) among ever-smokers, but not in never-smokers (P = 0.15). Conclusions In this community-based cohort, the AAT MZ genotype was associated with higher FEV1/FVC among non-smokers compared to MM. The interaction between MZ genotype and pack-years suggested a dose-dependent modifying effect of smoking on the MZ-related COPD risk. Among ever-smokers, higher polygenic risk further amplified susceptibility to airflow obstruction in MZ compared with MM. These findings highlight the roles of both polygenic and environmental risk factors in COPD susceptibility in MZ. Replication of the results is needed. This abstract is funded by: This work is supported by an Alpha-1 Foundation Grant and a Boston University Department of Medicine Career Investment Award

Abstract Background Muscle loss in COPD results from both disuse atrophy and systemic inflammation. We sought to identify inflammatory biomarkers associated with loss of pectoralis muscle area in COPD using serial CT scans and peripheral blood proteomics. Design We analyzed five-year longitudinal data from COPDGene, an ongoing observational cohort of current and former tobacco smokers with or without airflow obstruction. We quantified pectoralis major muscle (PMM) area on chest CT scans using a 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on CT volumes and annotations provided by the TotalSegmentator project. We compared participants with CT PMM data and plasma proteins by SOMAScan (1K platform) from Phase 2 and 3 (paired n = 1,191). The correlation coefficient (r) between longitudinal changes in protein and in PMM area was plotted against the false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted p-values. Proteins significantly associated with muscle loss (blue) or gain (red) were visualized using volcano plots. We then analyzed a subset (paired n = 500) of individuals with BMI>25 in Phase 2 whose BMI declined in Phase 3. Proteomic models were adjusted for age and clinical center. Pathway analysis utilized G:Profiler. Results Of the participants with paired proteomic and PMM data, mean PMM area was 21.7 ± 17.3 cm² at Phase 2 and 21.3 ± 17.9 cm² at Phase 3, with an annual change in PMM area of -0.31 + 0.99 cm². Multiple proteins were associated with muscle loss from Phase 2 to 3 (including leptin, FABP, and growth hormone receptor) and muscle gain (including F172A, GMEB2, and RNF41) (Fig 1a). Significant pathways were related to cancer, growth factor receptor dysregulation, and PI3K/AKT signaling. When restricting to those with BMI>25 who experienced BMI decline at Phase 3, muscle loss was associated with increased leptin and PACAP, versus association of gain with increased GDF118, EF1β, and FJF6 (Fig 1b). In the entire group, leptin declined between Phase 2 to Phase 3 in n = 571 participants and increased or was unchanged in n = 620. Compared with leptin decline, unchanged or increased leptin was associated with significantly greater interval PMM loss (−2.25 ± 9.75 cm² vs + 0.98 ± 9.43 cm²; p < 0.001) (Fig 1c). Conclusion Loss of PMM over five years was associated with several plasma proteins, including FABP and growth hormone receptor. The top biomarker, leptin, is a pleiotropic adipokine that regulates energy balance and inflammation. Integrating imaging and proteomics may identify future therapeutic targets to mitigate skeletal muscle loss in COPD. This abstract is funded by: This work was supported by NHLBI grants U01 HL089897 and U01 HL089856 and by NIH contract 75N92023D00011

Abstract Rationale Sleep is an important dimension of COPD symptomology. Poor self-reported sleep quality has been independently associated with increased exacerbation risk and worse quality of life. There is limited evidence around the longitudinal sleep quality of patients with smoking-related lung disease. Methods Using the SPIROMICS longitudinal cohort of heavy smokers, we used group-based trajectory modeling to understand sleep quality over time as measured by serial retests of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We considered all participants of Black or Non-Hispanic White race who completed the PSQI in Visits 1-4, a span of 3 years. We considered race, gender, and social environmental exposures as time-stable risk factors for trajectory group membership. We adjusted for age, lung function, mood symptoms and self-reported COPD symptom severity were considered as time-varying factors. We selected the number of trajectory groups by minimizing Bayesian Information Criteria and polynomial order by maximizing the significance of exponential terms. For quality assurance we calculated average posterior probability of correct group assignment. Calculations were performed by complete case analysis and multiple imputation with chained equations. Results We analyzed 2,838 participants yielding 76,153 usable observations. Overall, 39.2% of participants had complete observations for all variables of interest at every measured visit, and 60.8% had at least one relevant observation missing. The largest single source of missingness in our dataset was the comorbidity count, for which 44% of participants had a missing observation. We identified two major trajectory groups. In one group, the PSQI was persistently high with little variation over time, containing 77.7% of the overall study population. The second group had low PSQI at baseline but experienced wide fluctuation over time. Risk factors for persistently poor sleep included female gender, Black race, and more adverse social conditions at either the neighborhood or individual level (Table). The average posterior probability of correct group assignment was 94.6% among the Low Variable group and 89.5% among the Persistent High group. Results were similar by complete case and imputed analysis, save that BMI did not independently predict group membership in the latter. Conclusion Historically underserved groups are at long term risk for poor sleep outcomes in smoking-related lung disease, even among those who are highly motivated and participate in clinical research. More work is needed to ensure equitable access to sleep medicine in order to improve the quality of care in COPD. This abstract is funded by: Nina Ireland Program for Lung Health

Abstract Background Daily physical activity (PA) is the strongest predictor of survival and is associated with the risk of hospitalization, poor quality of life 1-3 in people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD.2 However, symptoms of breathlessness, functional limitations, and poor exercise tolerance may make it difficult to meet the conventional physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate intensity. There is a knowledge gap in the granular amount and intensity of daily PA that may provide a survival benefit for people living with COPD: specifically in light PA (1.5-3METs) and moderate (3-6 METs) PA, which are the intensities most achievable in moderate-severe disease. We aimed to determine whether different intensities of daily physical activity, accurately measured by a gold-standard activity monitor, were associated with a survival benefit in a large cohort of people living with moderate to severe COPD followed for six years. Methods Participants wore the Actigraph® GT3X-BT, a tri-axial wrist accelerometer, for 7 days. Survival at 72 months was assessed through the National Death Index Inquiry by Accurint® and confirmed by records. Analysis Participants in this cohort were randomly assigned to a training data set (70%) and 30% to a validation set. Classification and regression tree (CART) models were generated using the training data set. Bootstrapping with 3,000 iterations was conducted. 872 patients were part of this study: mean age 69+ 8, 54% female, mMRC score, (scale 0-4) was 2.6 + 0.8 and FEV1% was 46% +19. The mean follow-up was 42+ 21 months with a range of 1-72 months. At the end of the follow up 67.3% were alive, 32.7% were deceased. The bootstrapped CART analysis modeled cut points associated with survival as follows: 296 minutes for light PA, 17 minutes for moderate PA; and 3243 steps after adjusting for age, sex, FEV1% and mMRC score. Consistent with the 17 minutes of moderate PA providing 58% survival benefits, we also found that two 10-minute Freedson bouts of activity per day (2x10 min of PA in moderate intensity) the same provided the same survival benefit1. Cox models are presented in Table 1 Conclusion This report is the first to document the survival benefit of light physical activity in patients with COPD. In the context of most patients with moderate-severe COPD not able to achieve PA guidelines, our results represent a breath of fresh air, suggesting that simple and meaningful (to the patient) light activities may provide a survival benefit. This abstract is funded by: NIH

Abstract Rationale Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disorder characterized by recurrent upper airway collapse during sleep, leading to intermittent hypoxemia, sleep fragmentation, and substantial cardiovascular and neurocognitive morbidity. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy remains the gold standard for management, yet adherence is suboptimal due to discomfort, noise, and device intolerance. This has generated growing interest in pharmacologic alternatives that target upper airway physiology. The combination of atomoxetine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, and oxybutynin, an antimuscarinic agent, has emerged as a promising non-device therapeutic option by enhancing pharyngeal muscle tone and stabilizing ventilatory control. This meta-analysis systematically evaluates the efficacy and safety of atomoxetine plus oxybutynin in adults with OSA who are intolerant to CPAP. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central from inception through June 2025. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing atomoxetine plus oxybutynin with placebo or control therapy in adults diagnosed with OSA. Data were extracted and pooled using Stata version 18.0. Mean differences and relative risks (RR) were calculated for continuous and dichotomous outcomes, respectively. Methodologic quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Results Eleven RCTs encompassing 196 adults (141 males, 55 females) were included, with a mean treatment duration of 1.38 days. Compared with control, atomoxetine plus oxybutynin significantly reduced the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (mean difference −10.16 events/hour; 95% CI − 20.32 to − 0.01; p = 0.05). Improvements were also observed in oxygen desaturation index (ODI), arousal index, and loop gain, though these did not achieve statistical significance. The treatment group experienced fewer adverse events (RR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.37-0.90; p = 0.01) and no increase in sleep disturbances (RR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.83-1.31). Conclusions Combination therapy with atomoxetine and oxybutynin significantly improves AHI and demonstrates a favorable safety and tolerability profile in adults with OSA who are unable to tolerate CPAP. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting upper airway muscle tone pharmacologically. Larger, long-term RCTs are warranted to confirm sustained efficacy, determine optimal dosing strategies, and clarify the role of this regimen within the evolving landscape of OSA management. This abstract is funded by: None

Abstract Rationale The United States has the highest per capita incarceration rate of any developed democracy. As the incarcerated population ages, medically complex and frail patients are increasingly hospitalized in the community, often arriving without decisional capacity and with limited family involvement. This is the first analysis of state laws and policies governing decision-making for incapacitated incarcerated patients. Methods Two team members independently conducted Westlaw and Internet searches for statutes, regulations and department of corrections (DOC) policies from 50 states and the District of Columbia, identifying language about medical decision-making for incapacitated incarcerated patients. These parallel searches were merged into a single database and reviewed by the analytic team, who created a codebook of inductively and deductively derived themes, guided by principles of grounded theory. The codebook was then systematically applied to the database by 2 independent coders; all data were double-coded. Disputes were resolved by consensus with the entire analytic team, in consultation with a legal scholar. Results Thirty-four of 51 jurisdictions have language addressing decision-making for incapacitated incarcerated patients. Data collected include the definition and determination of incapacity, language affirming incarcerated persons’ right to autonomy in medical decision-making, approaches to decision-making for patients with and without surrogate decision-makers, and whether treatment over patient/surrogate objection is authorized. Assertions about the importance of advance care planning (n = 25) are often undercut by procedural hurdles (n = 20), such as complex witnessing requirements for advance directive completion. Many jurisdictions (n = 26) allow family or friends to serve as legally recognized decision-makers. Thirteen jurisdictions exclude an incarcerated person from serving as decision-maker for another incarcerated person. Fourteen jurisdictions have provisions allowing for treatment over the objection of a patient or their surrogate. While approaches to unrepresented patients differ widely (Figure), 5 jurisdictions grant narrow decisional authority to treating physicians and 4 jurisdictions authorize correctional employees to make medical decisions. Conclusion A heterogeneous assortment of laws, policies and regulations govern the care of incapacitated incarcerated patients, with wide variation observed from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. One-third of jurisdictions lack policies or language regarding decision-making processes for incapacitated incarcerated patients. Even more troubling, 14 jurisdictions allow treatment over a patient or surrogate’s objection and 4 jurisdictions delegate authority over decisions for unrepresented patients to correctional employees, such as the prison medical director or the warden. These findings raise serious concerns about autonomy, beneficence and justice. National reform is needed to align correctional policies with established ethical standards for surrogate decision-making. This abstract is funded by: National Institute on Aging

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic exposed underrecognized structural deficiencies in pandemic preparedness across the US, particularly impacting marginalized and medically vulnerable populations. State leaders who were developing policies to allocate critical care resources, often called crisis standards of care (CSC), confronted challenges such as whether and how to incorporate age and chronic conditions into triage protocols, how to contend with imperfect illness acuity scores such as the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and whether essential worker status or area deprivation index (ADI) ought to confer an advantage during triage. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis to highlight CSC writers’ approach to ethical challenges, including from states whose policies provoked corrective action from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). This study explores how state leaders navigated ethical controversies underlying states’ CSC policies, including whether those controversies were satisfactorily resolved. Methods Between February-September 2022 we conducted semi-structured interviews of public health leaders tasked with developing their states’ (CSC) policies. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and a codebook was developed iteratively, using inductively and deductively derived themes based on principles of grounded theory. The codebook was systematically applied to transcripts; disputes were resolved by consensus discussion among analytic team members. Results Leaders from 34 states were interviewed. Participants described how their states’ CSC policy writing committees considered the role of age in triage, some proposing age as a tiebreaker, or considering age only if coupled with measures of frailty or chronic illness, with others proposing age as an “exclusion criterion.” Many leaders acknowledged a controversial approach to disability in early versions of their policies, some describing how they responded to civil rights complaints. Participants described debates over whether pandemic triage decisions should advantage patients from underserved populations or affirmatively consider essential worker status or pregnancy. While most leaders regretted that early iterations of their policies stood to exacerbate health disparities, others described a less conciliatory response to civil rights complaints. In particular, triage exclusion criteria, whereby certain patients would be excluded outright from certain resources, provoked intense debate. Conclusion We describe ethical controversies that stymied CSC policy writing committees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders described spirited debate around how age, disability, and justice ought to factor into triage; few described satisfactory resolution to those debates. Improved community engagement and adherence to civil rights protections in CSC are imperative to protect marginalized populations as we prepare for future calamites, whether global or local. This abstract is funded by: R03 AG73987; K76 AG88403

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to analyze mortality trends among patients with pneumonia and chronic kidney disease in the United States from 1999 to 2020. By examining patterns across urbanization levels, racial and ethnic groups, geographic regions, and sex, the study sought to identify significant changes over time and potential disparities in mortality outcomes. Methods Mortality data were extracted from the CDC WONDER database for patients diagnosed with pneumonia (ICD-10: J09-J18) and chronic kidney disease (ICD-10: N18). Trends were analyzed using Annual Percent Change (APC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Joinpoint regression was utilized to identify significant shifts in mortality trends over time. The analysis was stratified by urbanization level (Large Central Metro, Large Fringe Metro, Medium Metro, Small Metro, Micropolitan), ethnicity (American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, White), census region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West), Hispanic origin (Hispanic or Latino, Not Hispanic or Latino), and sex (Female, Male). Results From 2018 to 2020, significant increases in mortality were observed across all demographic and geographic categories. Urban areas, particularly Large Central Metro (APC = 39.4026%, p = 0.0008) and Small Metro (APC = 37.0284%, p = 0.0004), experienced the most pronounced rises. Ethnic disparities were evident, with Black or African American (APC = 49.9199%, p < 0.000001) and Hispanic or Latino (APC = 61.5742%, p < 0.000001) populations showing the highest mortality increases. By census region, the Midwest (APC = 35.7843%, p = 0.0004) and South (APC = 34.7972%, p = 0.0016) had the most significant spikes. Both females (APC = 36.0664%, p = 0.0004) and males (APC = 35.1504%, p < 0.000001) experienced substantial mortality increases, with females showing slightly higher rates. Conclusion The findings reveal significant increases in mortality from 2018 to 2020 across all analyzed categories, with notable disparities among racial, ethnic, and geographic groups. These trends highlight the need for further investigation into underlying causes and targeted interventions to address inequities. Clinical implications The results underscore the importance of addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, particularly for Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino populations. Clinicians should focus on early diagnosis, effective management of comorbidities, and equitable resource distribution to mitigate mortality risks in high-risk groups. This abstract is funded by: None

Abstract Introduction Hydralazine is a common arterial vasodilator used in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. Rarely, hydralazine can cause an overlapping syndrome of drug-induced lupus and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). The clinical spectrum of this disease process includes features of systemic lupus erythematous and AAV Case Presentation A 62-year-old male previous smoker with 50 pack-year history and hypertension presented with an eight-month history of exertional dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain. Prior to his presentation, he was treated for pneumonia with antibiotics without improvement. His subsequent chest imaging showed a right sided pleural effusion, evaluated by thoracentesis which was exudative and lymphocytic with negative cultures. He then developed progressive ground glass opacities, anemia, lymphopenia, splenomegaly, and acute kidney injury. With concern for underlying malignancy, he underwent a PET/CT and bone marrow biopsy which were not suggestive of malignancy. Serology revealed strongly a myeloperoxidase (MP) antibody (>8 U) with low titer proteinase-3 (PR3) antibody (1.2 U) and p-ANCA by immunofluorescence. Additional serology were notable for positive anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA), positive ANA by hep2A, normal C3/C4, and creatinine peaking at 1.78 mg/dL, subnephrotic range proteinuria, and hematuria without RBC casts. Bronchoscopy noted progressively bloody return and 99% hemosiderin laden macrophages consistent with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Hydralazine was promptly discontinued with a clinical presentation consistent hydralazine-associated AAV and overlapping drug-induced lupus. They received remission induction therapy with IV methylprednisolone followed by tapering course of prednisone, rituximab, and avacopan. He was managed and monitored closely in the outpatient setting. With gradually improvement in renal function, a renal biopsy was deferred. Discussion Drug-induced lupus and drug-associated AAV can overlap in patients exposed to hydralazine, which can present up to several years after drug initiation. Renal and pulmonary involvement in hydralazine-induced lupus is uncommon and should prompt concern for drug-associated AAV. Compared with primary AAV, features suggestive of hydralazine-associated AAV include an adequate history of drug exposure and frequently a unique ANCA profile, hypocomplementemia, cytopenias, and additional seropositivity-including anti-histone and anti-dsDNA antibodies. Conclusion The cornerstone of management in hydralazine-induced lupus and hydralazine-associated AAV is early recognition and discontinuation of the offending medication. Induction of remission with standard immunosuppression is generally warranted, with specific therapies dictated by organ manifestations at diagnosis, similar to patients with primary AAV. Long-term outcomes in hydralazine-associated AAV appear comparable to those in primary AAV. The need for and duration of maintenance immunosuppression should be individualized based on patient presentation. This abstract is funded by: None