Clinical characteristics according to CAT score level in COPD patients: cross-sectional study = Clinical characteristics according to CAT score level in COPD patients: cross-sectional study

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessment test (CAT) is widely used to measure quality of life in COPD. This tool is also one of determinants of COPD severity to guide COPD management. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of COPD patients according to CAT score level measured at baseline. Method: COPD patients with CAT score measured at baseline were retrospectively identified from COPD registry of Samsung Medical Center between February 2016 and April 2019. COPD was defined as post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/ forced vital capacity (FVC) < 0.7 and age ≥ 40 years. Patients were grouped into quintiles of CAT score level. Baseline clinical characteristics and lung function parameters were compared according to CAT score quintiles. Result: A total of 725 patients were included and median (interquartile range [IQR]) CAT score was 17 (11 - 24). Median (IQR) of each CAT score quintile were 6 (4 - 8), 13 (11 - 14), 18 (17 - 19), 23 (22 - 25), and 30 (28 - 34). Age, sex, smoking history and Charlson comorbidity index score did not differ according to CAT score quintiles. Dyspnea of modified medical research council (mMRC) grade ≥ 2 and the previous history of any exacerbation significantly increased across CAT score quintiles, while post bronchodilator FEV1 and diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (DLco) significantly decreased across CAT score quintiles. Conclusion: Among the clinical characteristics of COPD patients, dyspnea, previous history of any exacerbation, post bronchodilator FEV1 and DLco were significantly associated with CAT score level.