Abstract
Purpose: We aimed to identify baseline and longitudinal determinants of change in disease-specific health status (HS) in patients with advanced COPD.
Methods: Demographic and clinical characteristics and disease-specific HS (Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ) were assessed in 105 outpatients with advanced COPD at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 months. Baseline patient characteristics and 12-months changes were compared between patients with a clinical significant deterioration in SGRQ total score (Δ ≥ +4 points), a clinical significant improvement in SGRQ total score (Δ ≤ -4 points) or no clinical significant change in SGRQ total score. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine predictors of change in SGRQ total score.
Results: 85 patients (81.0%) had complete SGRQ data at baseline and 12 months and were included for analyses. After one-year follow-up, 41.2% of the patients reported an improved disease-specific HS, 43.5% of the patients reported a declined disease-specific HS and disease-specific HS of 15.3% patients remained stable. Regression analysis showed that lower SGRQ total score, higher depression scores and more time needed to complete the Timed ‘Up and Go’ (TUG) test at baseline, as well as an increase in time needed to complete the TUG test and an increase in dyspnoea during one-year follow-up were predictors of deterioration in disease-specific HS.
Conclusion: The current study reinforces the stimulation of physical mobility and targeting dyspnoea as important components for treatment programs to optimize disease-specific HS in patients with advanced COPD.
This study was financially supported by Lung Foundation Netherlands (3.4.10.015 & 3.4.06.082).
- © 2013 ERS