Racial differences in quality of life in patients with COPD.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although COPD is associated with significant health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) impairment, factors influencing HRQL in patients with COPD are not well understood, particularly in African Americans. We hypothesized that HRQL in COPD differs by race and sought to identify factors associated with those differences.

Methods

We analyzed 224 African American and 1,049 Caucasian subjects with COPD enrolled in the COPDGene (Genetic Epidemiology of COPD) Study whose conditions were classified as GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) stages I to IV. HRQL and symptoms were compared using the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea (MMRC) scale. We constructed a mixed-effects linear regression m

SUBMITTER: Han MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3205846 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature