Evaluation Of Health-Related Quality Of Life (QOL) Among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients At A Tertiary Care Facility In Hyderabad City

Abstract

The current study aimed to determine the health-related quality of life in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients. The Quality of life (QOL) in 240 COPD patients was assessed by using the CAT (COPD Assessment Test) score know the impact of COPD on daily activities in life. Using SPSS software, the unpaired t test and Chi Square tests were used to compile and analyse the data.The CAT questionnaire showed that the results of therapy werebased on COPD patients' symptoms.According to the results of the total therapeutic outcome measurement using CAT, approximately 70–75% of patients with COPD in the current study had a medium impact on daily life, as measured by the CAT score.Elderly patients aged between 61-70 years were reported to have CAT scores of (10-19) with a medium impact of COPD symptoms. With comorbidities such as Hypertension and diabetes, COPD patients showed a medium impact of COPD score with significant p values (***p = 0.0014 & **p = 0.0662), which showed to seek assistance of a pulmonologist. As smoking is a risk factor for COPD, CAT score wasnoted in smokers and non-smokers. It was identified that in both groups A & B, only 22 smokers were reported to have CAT score < 10 whereas 32 non-smokers possessed with same score with low impact of COPD symptoms and values were proven to be significant (***p <0.001, ***p <0.0217). Out of 120 patients in group B receiving triple therapy, 35 had a lesser impact of COPD as shown by their CAT score, but only 21 patients in group A had the same CAT score.The study demonstrated that triple-drug therapy was effective over the dual-drug therapy in terms of assessment of COPD by means of CAT score.