Relationship between the COPD assessment test (CAT) and respiratory function characteristics of North African stable COPD patients

Introduction: The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is a simple method for assessing the impact of COPD on the patient`s health which is not validated with North African COPD patients. Objective: To determine the relationship between the CAT score and the SGRQ, anthropometric, dyspnea, severity of airflow obstruction and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages in stable COPD patients. Material and Methods: It is a cross-sectional observational study. It consists of a convenience sample of COPD and Smokers subjects aged more than 30 years. Dyspnea was evaluated according to the modified British medical research council (mMRC) 4). Arabic versions of the SGRQ and CAT questionnaires were used. Spirometry was performed in accordance with international standards. Obstructive ventilator defect (OVD) grades and GOLD grades were identified. Results: A total sample of 150 (121 COPD) was collected. A negative correlation was found between CAT score and anthropometric and all functional parameters in the total sample. Correlations between CAT score and mMRC score, pulmonary age and SGRQ score were found in COPD group (p<0.01). CAT score correlated with OVD and GOLD grades, severe COPD (GOLD 3 and 4) had higher CAT scores. Conclusion: There is a strong relationship between CAT score and clinical and functional COPD components. Impact of this research on clinical medicine and basic science: COPD is a complex disease with multiple consequences which can impede the quality of life of patients. The latter can be evaluated by specific questionnaires. The most used questionnaire is St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). However, this health status measure is long and not practical for clinical routine use. Therefore, recently a new simple system evaluating health status was developed. It is the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), which was approved, in its French, English and Arabic version. It is a simple method for assessing the impact of COPD on the patient`s health. CAT is composed of only eight questions and a key is not needed to calculate a score. To our own knowledge, there are no studies about CAT scoring in and its relation with clinical and respiratory function characteristics in North Africa. Keywords: COPD- CAT score- SGRQ-FEV1- Spirometry