Effect of dyspnea on frailty stages and related factors in Taiwanese men with COPD

Abstract

Purpose

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) impacts health-related quality of life in men more than in women. In patients with dyspnea, frailty is more likely to develop and aggravate disability. Despite this, few studies have addressed frailty in men with COPD. The present study investigated the effects of dyspnea and its related factors on frailty in men with COPD.

Patients and methods

This cross-sectional observational study selected 125 participants by voluntary sampling at the thoracic outpatient clinics of two medical centers in Taiwan. The modified Medical Research Council questionnaire was used as the basis to classify dyspnea. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 24.0 (IBM Corporation., Armonk, NY, USA).

Results

There were 85.90% and 26.70% patients with COPD assessed in the unfit stage among the dyspnea and non-dyspnea groups, respectively. Additionally, the number of medication use and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores were correlated with the period from fitness to unfitness among the dyspnea group and non-dyspnea group.

Conclusion

COPD with dyspnea was more common in the unfit stages. The total number of medication use and CAT scores were significantly related to frailty.

Keywords:

• chronic obstructive
• dyspnea
• frail elderly
• men
• pulmonary disease

Acknowledgments

The present study was supported by the Department of Nursing and the Department of Chest Medicine of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, as well as by the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital. The work was carried out in co-operation with the National Defense Medical Center.

Author contributions

All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.