The Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality on Symptoms in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Summary

This prospective, monocenter pilot study will investigate the relationship between indoor environmental quality (including air quality, lighting, noise, and thermal conditions), wearable-derived health insights, and patient-reported symptoms in patients recovering at home after hospitalization for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Participants will undergo continuous monitoring of indoor environmental conditions and health parameters using a Garmin Venu 4 smartwatch, together with validated questionnaires assessing COPD symptoms, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness during one month. The study will assess the feasibility and potential added value of high-resolution home monitoring and explore whether environmental and wearable-derived measures are associated with symptom burden and early signs of clinical deterioration following hospital discharge.

The investigators hypothesize that continuous in-home monitoring of indoor environmental quality is feasible and provides clinically relevant insights into symptom burden in recently hospitalized COPD patients. The primary objective is to determine the correlation between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) variables and symptom burden in COPD patients following hospitalization for AECOPD.

Conditions

• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Acute Exacerbation of COPD

Interventions

DEVICE

Wearable mobile device

Patients admitted due to an acute COPD exacerbation will be asked to wear the wearable mobile device for a period of one month after hospital discharge. An app linked to the device will be installed on their phone, and used to send health insights to the investigators.

DEVICE

Indoor environmental quality sensor

When the participants are discharged home, an indoor environmental quality sensor will be installed in the patient's home. One sensor will be installed in the bedroom, one in the living room or kitchen (wherever the patient spends the most time). Data from these sensors will be sent to the hub (placed central between the sensors) and thereafter, to the investigators. The sensors measure particulate matter concentrations, CO2 concentrations, VOC concentrations, temperature, relative humidity, ambient light, and ambient noise.

OTHER

CAT Questionnaire

A COPD Assessment Test questionnaire will be taken during the hospitalization (start of the study), and weekly after discharge.

OTHER

PSQI Questionnaire

A Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire will be taken 4 weeks after hospital discharge (end of the study).

OTHER

KSS Questionnaire

A Karolinska Sleepiness Scale questionnaire will be taken daily after discharge.

OTHER

SQS Questionnaire

A sleep quality scale questionnaire will be taken daily after discharge.

OTHER

PROMs Questionnaire

A PROMs questionnaire will be taken daily after discharge.

OTHER

eHLQ Questionnaire

An eHealth literacy questionnaire will be taken during the hospitalization (start of the study), and 4 weeks after hospital discharge (end of the study).

OTHER

Housing Questionnaire

A housing questionnaire will be taken during the hospitalization (start of the study).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Maastricht University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Liege

  collaborator OTHER

• Hasselt University

  collaborator OTHER

• KU Leuven

  collaborator OTHER

• Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• David Ruttens, MD, PhD · Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-10-01

Primary Completion

2027-10-31

Completion

2027-10-31

Countries

• Belgium

Study Locations