Accelerating DHT Research and Drug Development with Open-Source Big Data from Population Studies

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by a high, often unpredictable symptom burden that periodic clinic visits and patient-reported outcomes do not fully capture. A growing body of research has examined whether continuous, sensor-enabled digital measures can complement these traditional assessments, with the most evidence to date concentrated in three areas: wearable-derived physical activity, cough monitoring, and exacerbation detection. 

Physical activity is the most extensively studied digitally derived measure (DDM) in COPD to date. This session reviews the evidence base built by initiatives such as the IMI-funded PROactive consortium and its C-PPAC instrument, the COPD Foundation, and the Digital Medicine Society's (DiMe) work on physical activity and mobility measures, and what this body of work has established about measuring meaningful function in COPD.

The discussion then turns to two areas of active investigation: continuous, passive and objective cough detection using advanced algorithms and the use of physiological signals captured via DHT to identify COPD exacerbations. Following these presentations, a multi-disciplinary panel discussion will explore how these DHT-enabled approaches can complement or replace conventional assessment across the full spectrum of COPD burden.

Key Takeaways for Attendees:

• The evidence base for wearable-derived physical activity as a digital endpoint in COPD

• How continuous cough monitoring adds to real-world respiratory symptom assessment

• Emerging approaches to digital detection of COPD exacerbations

Speakers