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Abstract
Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major and increasing global health problem with enormous amount of expenditure of direct/indirect health-care costs [Citation1]. Quality of life (QOL) is an important domain for measuring the impact of chronic disease. The importance of measurement of quality of life (QOL) in COPD subjects is because no single measurement of lung function can satisfactorily identify the various disturbances that may cause breathlessness and impaired physical functional in patients with COPD [Citation2]. The purpose was to measure physical functional and study quality of life in patients with COPD compared with healthy elderly.
Materials and methods: Forty men with moderate COPD (FEV1 53.2 ± 6.1%), age 65.1 ± 8.6; were compared with forty healthy men age 61.8 ± 6.3. Lower limb strength was assessed by 30-second chair stand tests (30sSTST), and Health related quality of life (HRQL) perception was measured by 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. All participants gave their informed consent.
Results: Mean total profiles for domains of general instrument SF-36 were significantly lower (p < 0.001) for COPD, with exception of pain domain, physical function (64.7 ± 16.5; 46.3 ± 18.1), physical role (66.2 ± 12.3; 57.9 ± 10.1) and vitality (46.6 ± 16.2; 29.8 ± 16.2). Simultaneously, COPD men had significant lower (p < 0.0001) number of repetitions at 30-second chair stand tests (14.5 ± 1.9 COPD vs 18.2 ± 3.9 healthy).
Discussion and conclusions: COPD patients have lower physical functional ability than healthy subjects, with lower limb and trunk strength measured by 30sSTST which reflects lower exercise tolerance with impact on daily life activities [Citation3], affecting negatively health-related quality of life, when compared with healthy subjects.