Subgroup analysis of symptoms and their effect on functioning, exercise capacity, and physical activity in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Pubmed ID: 24054947

Pubmed Central ID: PMC4031650

Journal: Heart & lung : the journal of critical care

Publication Date: Nov. 1, 2013

Affiliation: School of Nursing, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sookyung.park7@gmail.com.

MeSH Terms: Humans, Male, Female, Aged, Age Factors, Middle Aged, Socioeconomic Factors, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Fatigue, Activities of Daily Living, Dyspnea, Exercise Tolerance, Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants: T32 NR007073

Authors: Park SK, Larson JL, Meldrum CA

Cite As: Park SK, Meldrum CA, Larson JL. Subgroup analysis of symptoms and their effect on functioning, exercise capacity, and physical activity in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Heart Lung 2013 Nov-Dec;42(6):465-72. Epub 2013 Sep 20.

Studies:

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Little is known about symptom clusters and their effect on outcomes in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). PURPOSES: To determine whether subgroups of patients with COPD could be identified by symptom ratings, whether they differed on selected demographic and clinical characteristics, and whether they differed on functioning, exercise capacity, and physical activity. METHOD: Subjects with severe COPD (n = 596) were drawn from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial dataset. Data were drawn from questionnaires and clinical measures. RESULTS: Two subgroup clusters emerged from four symptoms. Mean age and the proportion of participants with higher education, higher income levels, and using oxygen at rest were significantly different between subgroups. Participants with high levels of symptoms had lower functioning and decreased exercise capacity. Symptom cluster subgroups were significantly associated with social functioning. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that screening for high levels of symptoms may be important in patients with severe COPD.