Abstract
Study objective: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of COPD and both the degree of severity and inflammation.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Large, tertiary care, Alexandria university teaching hospital.
Patients: Thirty patients with COPD (mean age, 60.7 years; mean FEV1, 70.8% of predicted; mean FEV1/FVC 59.1% of predicted;PaO2, 70.7 mm Hg).
Methods: Patients underwent pulmonary function testing to assess physiologic function and the degree of respiratory impairment. A baseline dyspnea index (BDI) was used to determine levels of dyspnea, and a 6-min walk test was performed to evaluate physical and exercise capacity. The St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to assess quality of life. Inflammatory mediators including: tumour necrosis factor, interlukin-6, and c-reactive proteins were measured.
Results: The score on the SGRQ mean was57.5. Inflammatory mediators mean: tumour necrosis factor was 4.5, interlukin-6 was 5.9, and c-reactive proteins was 11.8. Mild COPD patients were 33.3%, Moderate were 23.3%, severe 26.7%, and very severe were 16.7%. Mean 6-min walk test was 55.2 m. Mean BMI was 25.1.Patients showed a trend toward worse scores on most dimensions of the SGRQ as the severity of COPD increase (P<0.001). Differences between groups severity and HRQL and inflammatory mediators were only We found statistically significant relations for level of severity of COPD and: SGRQ (P=0.03), six minute walking test (P=0.04), and TNF (P=0.001).
Conclusions: The HRQL of patients with COPD was markedly impaired, with more pronounced impairment of functions. The severity of COPD was a significant predictor of increased TNF.
- © 2011 ERS
