title: Determinants of health related quality of life in a sample of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Nigeria using the St. George's respiratory questionnaire.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a multi-systemic and progressive disease. However the determinants of its impact on health related quality of life are not well-studied or understood in Nigeria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the determinants of health related quality of life in COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with stable COPD were recruited consecutively from the outpatient clinics of a university hospital. Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) was assessed using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) were measured by a vitalograph spirometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients were recruited for this study (male = 60%). The mean (SD) age was 69 (9) years. The overall mean (SD) SGRQ scores was 45.9 (26.5), 50.6 (29.2), 29.7 (19.9), 38.8 (22.0) for the symptom, activity, impact and total scores respectively. After adjusting for age, sex and smoking, self-reported breathlessness independently predicted on average 25.2, 36.8, 13.65 and 22.9 points increase in SGRQ symptom, activity, impact and total scores respectively. Self-reported weight loss predicted 12.2 points increase in the impact subscale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reported breathlessness and weight loss are independent predictors of low HRQL score in COPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Obaseki
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Erhabor
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Awopeju
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Obaseki
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Adewole
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Health related quality of life; Nigeria; St George's Respiratory Questionnaire