Reliability of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the fatigue severity scale and its correlation with pulmonary function, dyspnea, and functional capacity in patients with COPD.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the fatigue severity scale (FSS) in patients with COPD and to identify the presence of its association with parameters of pulmonary function, dyspnea, and functional capacity.


METHODS
This was an observational cross-sectional study involving 50 patients with COPD, who completed the FSS in interviews with two researchers in two visits. The FSS scores were correlated with those of the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, as well as with FEV1, FVC, and six-minute walk distance (6MWD).


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 69.4 ± 8.23 years, whereas the mean FEV1 was 46.5 ± 20.4% of the predicted value. The scale was reliable, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.81-0.94; p < 0.01). The FSS scores showed significant correlations with those of MRC scale (r = 0.70; p < 0.01), as well as with 6MWD (r = -0.77; p < 0.01), FEV1 (r = -0.38; p < 0.01), FVC (r = -0.35; p < 0.01), and stage of the disease in accordance with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria (r = 0.37; p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The Brazilian Portuguese version of the FSS proved reliable for use in COPD patients in Brazil and showed significant correlations with sensation of dyspnea, functional capacity, pulmonary function, and stage of the disease.
Faculdade Dom Bosco.
Silvia
S
Valderramas
Aquiles Assunção
AA
Camelier
Sinara Alves da
SA
Silva
Renata
R
Mallmann
Hanna Karine
HK
de Paulo
Fernanda Warken
FW
Rosa
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires