Effect of exacerbations on quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a 2 year follow up study.
BACKGROUND
A study was undertaken to evaluate exacerbations and their impact on the health related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
A 2 year follow up study was performed in 336 patients with COPD of mean (SD) age 66 (8.2) years and mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) 33 (8)% predicted. Spirometric tests, questions regarding exacerbations of COPD, and HRQL measurements (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and SF-12 Health Survey) were conducted at 6 month intervals.


RESULTS
A total of 1015 exacerbations were recorded, and 103 (30.7%) patients required at least one hospital admission during the study. After adjustment for baseline characteristics and season of assessment, frequent exacerbations had a negative effect on HRQL in patients with moderate COPD (FEV(1) 35-50% predicted); the change in SGRQ total score of moderate patients with > or =3 exacerbations was almost two points per year greater (worse) than those with <3 exacerbations during the follow up (p = 0.042). For patients with severe COPD (FEV(1) <35% predicted) exacerbations had no effect on HRQL. The change in SGRQ total score of patients admitted to hospital was almost 2 points per year greater (worse) than patients not admitted, but this effect failed to show statistical significance in any severity group. There was a significant and independent seasonal effect on HRQL since SGRQ total scores were, on average, 3 points better in measurements performed in spring/summer than in those measured in the winter (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Frequent exacerbations significantly impair HRQL of patients with moderate COPD. A significant and independent effect of seasonality was also observed.
Miravitlles
M
M
Servei de Pneumologia, Institut Clínic de Pneumologia i Cirurgia Toràcica (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain. marcm@clinic.ub.es
Ferrer
M
M
Pont
A
A
Zalacain
R
R
Alvarez-Sala
J L
JL
Masa
F
F
Verea
H
H
Murio
C
C
Ros
F
F
Vidal
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology