[Usefulness of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with severe airflow limitation]

Background and objective: To evaluate the relationship between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test (CAT questionnaire) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity assessed by the multidimensional BODE index in patients with severe airflow obstruction (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] post-bronchodilator<50%) in a stable state.

Material and method: Prospective observational study (2012). We classified the severity of COPD according to the BODE index in 3 subgroups: mild to moderate COPD (BODE<5 points), severe COPD (BODE 5-6 points) and very severe COPD (BODE ≥ 7 points).

Results: We included 97 patients with a mean age of 67 (8) years, 96% were men. The mean FEV1 was 34.3% (9.8%) and mean BODE index was 4.8 (1.4). The mean CAT score was 20 (7.7). We found no significant differences in CAT score (total or by items) between the 3 groups of BODE assessed.

Conclusions: In patients with COPD and severe airflow obstruction, the CAT score reflects a moderate to severe impact of illness and does not allow to predict COPD severity assessed by the BODE index.