International Journal of COPD (Dec 2019)
A Cross-Sectional Study in Patients with Severe COPD to Assess the Perception of Symptom Variability (COPVAR) in the Middle East and Africa
Abstract
Nurdan Kokturk,1 Wael Abuharbid,2 Amr S Albanna,3 Hakan Gunen,4 Alev Gurgun,5 Mousa Khadadah,6 Elmas Malvolti,7 Medhat Soliman,8 Richard van Zyl-Smit,9 Noureddine Zidouni,10 Ashraf Alzaabi11 1Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; 2AstraZeneca, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 3King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Clinic of Chest Diseases, Sureyyapasa Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; 5Department of Chest Diseases, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey; 6Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait; 7AstraZeneca, Luton, UK; 8Kasr El Aini Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 9University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Department of Medicine and Division of Pulmonology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; 10Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Issad Hassani, Béni Messous, Alger, Algeria; 11Respiratory Medicine Division, Zayed Military Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAECorrespondence: Nurdan KokturkDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Gazi University School of Medicine, Emniyet Mahallesi, Mevlana Bulvarı, No 29, Yenimahalle, Ankara 06560, TurkeyTel +90 312 202 61 21Email [email protected]: This study was performed to assess symptom variability and its impact on morning activities in stable patients with severe COPD in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) countries.Patients and methods: Non-interventional, cross-sectional study (NCT03425760) in patients with severe COPD (GOLD 2015, C, or D categories). Symptom variability was assessed directly by interviewing the patient and using the Global Chest Symptoms Questionnaire (GCSQ). The impact on morning activities was assessed using the Capacity of Daily Living during the Morning (CDLM) and the Morning Activities and Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ).Results: A total of 3253 patients (mean±SD age: 64.1±9.5 years, 90.3% males) were enrolled. Overall, 81.6% and 83.4% of patients reported weekly and daily symptom variability, respectively. The number of exacerbations in the previous year, smoking cessation, and COPD GOLD D were the most consistent factors associated with symptom variability. The GCSQ score was significantly higher (p<0.001) in GOLD D than in GOLD C patients at each time during the day. In GOLD D, the mean (±SD) GCSQ score was higher at night (1.6±1.2, p<0.001) and in the morning (1.5±1.0, p<0.001) than in the afternoon (1.3±0.9), suggesting daytime variability of breathlessness and chest tightness. Overall, 60.0% of GOLD D patients (versus 13.6% GOLD C, p<0.0001) had difficulty getting out of bed due to COPD. Patients with symptom variability had significantly more difficulty to get out of bed, especially patients with chest tightness variability (p<0.0001) and wheezing variability (p<0.0001). The CDLM global score was significantly lower (p<0.0001) in GOLD D than in GOLD C patients (3.5±1.1 and 4.6 ± 3.5, respectively). Daily variability in chest tightness and wheezing was also significantly associated with CDLM scores (p<0.0001).Conclusion: In MEA countries, patients with severe stable COPD reported significant daily and weekly symptom variability which affects morning activities, particularly in GOLD D patients.Keywords: breathlessness, exacerbation, GOLD C, GOLD D, quality of life
