Abstract
Introduction:
The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) gauges the impact of COPD on patients’ daily lives and now forms a key part of GOLD management recommendations. Longitudinal cohort studies are needed to better understand the utility of CAT in a primary care-based population.
Aims and objectives:
Using a primary care cohort, we will explore whether aspects of lung health and health care use are associated with CAT.
Methods:
Patients from primary care COPD registers were recruited into a three-year cohort study. An interim dataset was used to assess associations between CAT scores, lung health and health care use at baseline.
Results:
600 patients have been recruited so far, of which 13% had FEV1/FVC>70% and 73.4% fulfilled the LLN criteria for COPD. Patients with confirmed COPD had a mean CAT score of 20.4 (SD 9.0). Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) % predicted was negatively associated with CAT (p<0.001), while dyspnoea severity, number of exacerbations and co-morbidities were positively associated at p<0.001. Accident & Emergency attendances (p<0.001) and hospital admissions (p<0.01) were also associated with higher CAT scores. Updated analyses will be presented at the conference.
Conclusions:
CAT scores are strongly associated with lung health, health service use and co-morbidities. Pending longitudinal analysis, the data suggest CAT is useful in early identification of patients at risk of hospitalisation.
- © 2013 ERS