RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Health-related quality of life and functional status in end-stage COPD: a longitudinal study
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 280
OP 288
DO 10.1183/09031936.00149309
VO 37
IS 2
A1 J.M. Habraken
A1 W.M. van der Wal
A1 G. ter Riet
A1 E.J.M. Weersink
A1 F. Toben
A1 P.J.E. Bindels
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/37/2/280.abstract
AB Since there is still a dearth of information about the end stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the main aim of this study was to examine the development of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional status over time in COPD patients in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage IV. 82 Dutch COPD patients completed the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) for HRQoL and the Groningen Activities for Daily Living Restriction Scale (GARS) for functional status every 3 months during the year following enrolment. Survival was followed up to 5 yrs after enrolment. Data were analysed by stratifying the study population into severity subgroups according to the lowest, intermediate and highest tertile of SGRQ and GARS at baseline. Outcome measures were change in SGRQ and GARS scores over time and survival time. In the majority of patients, scores on the SGRQ and GARS declined gradually over time. In the subgroup of 32 patients that died within 2 yrs of enrolment, these scores also declined gradually, without steep deteriorations. In patients with end-stage COPD, HRQoL and functional status deteriorated gradually over time, indicating that clinicians did not gain much additional support for differentiating the end stage of COPD by considering HRQoL and functional status using the SGRQ and GARS.