Functional impairment in bronchiectasis: Spirometry parameters versus St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores:...

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
• Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessments are not routinely integrated into bronchiectasis management.
• Understanding the relationship between lung function and patient-reported outcomes is crucial for comprehensive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical profile and spirometric functional impairment in patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis.
• To investigate the correlation between objective measures of lung function and subjective HRQoL scores using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 102 patients with bronchiectasis.
• Assessment included clinical profiling, spirometry (measuring FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC ratio), and SGRQ scoring.
• Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0 and MS-Excel to determine correlations.

Main Results:

• Spirometry revealed airflow obstruction in 62.7% of patients, with significant bronchodilator reversibility in 30.4%.
• All spirometry parameters demonstrated a statistically significant negative correlation with SGRQ scores (P < 0.001).
• Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) showed the strongest correlation (r = -0.809 to -0.873) with SGRQ components.

Conclusions:

• St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) scores exhibit a strong correlation with objective measures of functional impairment in bronchiectasis.
• The SGRQ can serve as a reliable tool for evaluating the health status of bronchiectasis patients, particularly in resource-constrained environments.