Does quality of life really important in patients with COPD?

Abstract

In this study,we aimed to investigate the in which group quality of life is important to predict the mortality in patients with COPD followed 10 years.

306 COPD patients assessed for eligibilityc at February 2003.35 patients were excluded due to not meeting inclusion criteria and declining to participate to stdy and 20 patients were also excluded after that because they could not complete the questionnaire.251 patients were assessed at the beginning.St. George Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ) and pulmonary function test assessment was done beginning and first year.Mortality will be obtained from hospital records and direct family interviews.Patients were followed 10 years.Patients were firstly classified according to GOLD stage and after each GOLD stage were classified according to SGRQ scores into 3 groups.

In this prospective study,218 patients(86.85%)were male and mean age was 65,55(43-82 years).When the begining parameters of dead patients and survived patients were compared,there was a difference according to body mass index,smoking,PFT,and SGRQ scores(p<0.05).There were 100 patients in stage 2,131 patient in stage 3,and 20 patients in stage 4.Moratlity rates in stage 2,stage 3,and stage 4 were 9%,42.7%,and 55% respectively.Quality of life did not have advantage when compared to the pulmonary function test to detect the mortality in stage 2 and stage 4 patients(p=0.247 and p=0.45).In stage 3,quality of life was more effective than pulmonary function test to predict the mortality(p=0.00).

Quality of life is important parameter to predict the mortality but it does not have superiority to pulmonary function tests in mild and very severe group of COPD patients.