Does the BODE index correlate with quality of life in patients with COPD?

To determine whether the Body mass index, airway Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise capacity (BODE) index correlates with health-related quality of life in patients with COPD.

We evaluated 42 patients with COPD, quantifying the following: lung function parameters; anthropometric variables; exercise capacity, with the six-minute walk test; dyspnea, with the modified Medical Research Council (MRC) scale; the BODE index; and quality of life, with the modified Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (mSGRQ). Patients were divided into two groups by disease severity: FEV1 >or= 50% and FEV1 < 50%.

The mean BODE index was 2.58 ± 1.17 and 4.15 ± 1.81, respectively, for the FEV1 >or= 50% and FEV1 < 50% groups. There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio. There were moderate to significant correlations between the BODE index scores and all of the mSGRQ domains in the group of patients with FEV1 <50%.

The BODE index score correlated with the scores of all of the mSGRQ domains in COPD patients with FEV1 < 50%. Therefore, COPD patients with FEV1 < 50% die sooner and have a poorer quality of life.