Use of i-BODE index to determine efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is well-proven approach on improving dyspnea, exercise intolerance which are two components of BODE index. But, PR is known to have minimal effect on pulmonary function which is another component of BODE index. There are few studies evaluating PR efficacy by using i-BODE index. Our aim was to evaluate efficacy of PR in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with i-BODE index and to investigate changes in i-BODE index according to GOLD 2011 combined assessment.

A total of 228 stable COPD patients who completed a comprehensive 8 week duration PR program were enrolled into this retrospective study.

The patients were with mean age of 63.3 ± 8.6 years and mean FEV1% was 38.6 ± 16.2%. According to combined assessment of COPD, 23 patients were group A, 30 patients were B, 31 patients were C and 144 patients were D. Baseline i-BODE scores correlated with body compositions, pulmonary function, dyspnea, exercise capacity, psychological status, quality of life, and age. i-BODE index score decreased from 4.7 ± 2.2 to 3.5 ± 1.8 after PR (p<0.001), improved by 26%. Significant improvements were found in dyspnea, quality of life and i-BODE index in more symptomatic patients (group B and D).

This study highlights that changes in i-BODE scores after PR significantly correlated with improvements in dyspnea, exercise capacity and quality of life. i-BODE score could be a better predictor of efficacy of PR than some individual variables such as BMI or FEV1. Significant improvements in dyspnea sensation, quality of life and i-BODE index could be seen symptomatic patients in after PR.