Kronik Obstrüktif Akciğer Hastalığında Dispne, Sağlık Durumu ve Yaşam Kalitesi İlişkisi

Abstract

This descriptive study was aimed to examine health status, dyspnea severity and quality of life; to determine the association between these conditions in COPD. This study was conducted with 112 COPD patients in the Department of Internal Medicine Clinics and the Department of Chest Diseases of Hacettepe University Hospital between 1 September 2018 and 17 May 2019. Data were collected with “Patient Information Form”, “COPD Assessment Test-CAT”, “Dyspnea-12 Scale” and “St.George Respiratory Questionnaire-SGRQ”. In the study, patients under 65 years old with COPD were included, the mean CAT score of was 29.0, the mean score of Dyspnea-12 was 26.0 and the mean score of SGRQ was 69.5, and the health status was poor, dyspnea severity was high and quality of life was low. CAT and Dyspnea-12 Scale scores of women were higher (p<0.05) than men, women’s health status was worse and dyspnea severity was higher. No significant difference was found in quality of life scores in terms of gender (p>0.05). As the age increased in patients with COPD, CAT and Dyspnea-12 Scale physical item scores increased significantly (p<0.05) and older people’s health status was worse, dyspnea severity was higher. There was no significant relation between age and SGRQ scores (p>0.05). Decrease of FEV1 values, aggravation of disease stage and having co-morbid diseases were associated with worse health status, more severe dyspnea and lower quality of life in COPD patients. Moreover, positive and significant correlation was determined between total item scores of Dyspnea-12 Scale; CAT (r=0.77) and SGRQ total item scores (r=0.80), SGRQ item and CAT scores (r=0.80) (p<0.01). Increase in severity of dyspnea aggravated health status and quality of life, additionally disruption in the health status influenced quality of life negatively. It has been recommended that patients with COPD should be evaluated considering factors affecting their health status, severity of dyspnea and quality of life, these parameters should be reflected in treatment and care.