A recent systematic review and meta-analysis identified an increase in the prevalence of cognitive impairment in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) population, with a variety of confounding factors influencing development.1
Cognitive impairment is measured over a series of degrees in one or more cognitive domains, including orientation, memory, calculations, language, executive function, reasoning, attention, and visuospatial function. Experts have divided it into mild cognitive impairment and dementia, based on its severity. Additionally, subjective cognitive decline, which refers to individuals experiencing memory loss or other cognitive functions while scoring normally on objective cognitive tests, is seen as a preliminary stage before mild cognitive impairment.2
“To our knowledge, only one study has…