Predicting Quality of Life in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Living in the Rural Area of Chiang Mai Province, Thailand

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) becomes burdensome and reduces the quality of life in COPD patients and their families. Understanding the factors affecting the quality of life could improve the process of care and treatment of these patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors that influence and can predict the quality of life in COPD patients.

A total of 281 COPD patients were included and analyzed by spirometry measurement, BODE index and its components (body mass index; BMI, forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted; FEV₁%predicted, dyspnea score of the modified Medical Research Council; mMRC, and distance in the six-minute walking test; 6MWT).Quality of life was assessed by the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).

The total SGRQ score was 42.1±17.4. The mMRC dyspnea score, ABCD group classification of COPD and BODE index moderately correlated with the total SGRQ score. Weak correlations were found between BMI, FEV₁%predicted and 6MWT. Multiple regression analysis showed that the mMRC dyspnea score, BODE index, age, and COPD group D were important predictors of quality of life in COPD patients with R² of 0.467.

The mMRC dyspnea score, BODE index, age, and COPD group D could predict the quality of life in the COPD patients in this study.