A new five item questionnaire was able to identify whether a person was at risk for COPD or had moderate to severe COPD, according to research.
Researchers in the United States aimed to create a tool in order to speed up diagnosis times for COPD, and reveal COPD before serious exacerbations and further loss of function occurs. They believe that COPD is under diagnosed, partly due to subpar screening tools that rely on smoking history and patient reported cough and sputum. The researchers used the tool on 186 people with clinically significant COPD and 160 people with mild or no COPD. All of the patients completed questionnaires and had their lung function measured using peak flow and spirometry.
The set of five “yes or no” questions were able to identify whether a person had moderate or severe COPD, or if people were at risk for COPD exacerbations. The questions asked about breathing, how easily a person got tired, and acute respiratory illness.
“The results of our study indicate that a five item questionnaire of carefully selected questions can help identify people before they have serious complications of COPD,” presenting author Professor David Mannino explained in a press release. “This is also the first time a questionnaire has included assessment of exacerbation risk.”
That article was a waste of my precious time. Would love to see the list but guess that would be too much research for the author.???
Agreed!