title: Patient's perception of symptoms related to morning activity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the SYMBOL Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience more problematic respiratory symptoms and have more trouble performing daily activities in the morning. The aim of this study was to assess the perception of COPD symptoms related to morning activities in patients with severe airflow limitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 133 patients with severe airflow limitation were analyzed in a prospective, non-interventional study. A clinical symptom questionnaire was completed by patients at baseline. In patients having morning symptoms, defined by at least one or more prominent or aggravating symptom during morning activities, a morning activity questionnaire was also completed at baseline and following 2 months of COPD treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequently reported COPD symptom was breathlessness (90.8%). Morning symptoms were reported in 76 (57%) patients; these had more frequent and severe clinical COPD symptoms. The most frequently reported morning activity was getting out of bed (82.9%). The long acting muscarinic antagonist (odds ratio [OR], 6.971; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.317 to 11.905) and chest tightness (OR, 0.075; 95% CI, 0.011 to 0.518) were identified as significantly related to absence of morning symptoms. There was no significant correlation between the degree of forced expiratory volume in 1 second improvement and severity score differences of all items of morning activity after 2-month treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fifty-seven percent of COPD patients with severe airflow limitation have morning symptoms that limit their morning activities. These patients also have more prevalent and severe COPD symptoms. The results of this study therefore provide valuable information for the development of patient-reported outcomes in COPD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung Ki
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chi Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Young June
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Dae Sung
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: Kyung Chan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Ken
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hye Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Won Hyuk
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kwan Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires