PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Eric Marchand
AU  - Gisele Maury
TI  - Discriminative characteristics of the CAT score in stable COPD patients
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p3568
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p3568.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p3568.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - The CAT score is a new tool to assess health-related quality of life in patients with COPD. Its discriminative charasteristics are yet to be described.We aimed at assessing the discriminative characteristics of the CAT score collected prospectively in consecutive stable ambulatory COPD patients seen by the authors.The CAT score was compared across GOLD stages, MMRC dyspnea scale, and BODE quartiles. Its relationship with relevant variables was assessed by regression analysis. 213 patients were included (GOLD stage I/II/III/IV: n=12/75/55/71). The distribution of the CAT score was gaussian with no ceiling or bottom effect. Mean CAT score was 14.3±2.1, 16.6±0.9, 19.9±1, 23.7±0.8 in GOLD stages I, II, III, IV. Scores were significantly different between all stages except between stages I and II. Mean CAT score across the quartiles 1, 2, 3, 4 of the BODE index were 15.9±0.7, 19.1±1, 24.3±0.9, 25.4±1.2. Scores were significantly different between all quartiles except quartiles 3 and 4. Mean CAT score across MMRC scale 0-1, 2, 3, 4 were 12.7±0.8, 19.9±0.7, 25.5±0.8, 25.2±1.8. Scores were significantly different between all dyspnea scales except grade 3 and 4. The CAT score was significantly correlated with post-BD FEV1 (r2=0.17), RV/TLC (r2=0.17), DLCO (r2=0.13), 6MWD (r2=0.15), MMRC dyspnea scale (r2=0.37), BODE index (r2=0.31), among other parameters. In multivariate analysis, only 42% of the CAT variability could be explained by relevant variables and only dyspnea and RV/TLC were significant predictors of the CAT score.We conclude that the CAT score has discriminative characteristics that are similar to those published for more complex tools assessing health-related quality of life in patients with COPD.