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Farida F Berkhof,1 Leola Metzemaekers,1 Steven M Uil,1 Huib AM Kerstjens,2 Jan WK van den Berg11Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, 2Department of Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, the NetherlandsBackground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) are both common diseases that coexist frequently. Patients with both diseases have worse stable state health status when compared with patients with one of these diseases. In many outpatient clinics, health status is monitored routinely in COPD patients using the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and in HF patients with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF-Q). This study validated and compared which questionnaire, ie, the CCQ or the MLHF-Q, is suited best for patients with coexistent COPD and HF.Methods: Patients with both COPD and HF and aged ≥40 years were included. Construct validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and agreement were determined. The Short-Form 36 was used as the external criterion. All questionnaires were completed at baseline. The CCQ and MLHF-Q were repeated after 2 weeks, together with a global rating of change.Results: Fifty-eight patients were included, of whom 50 completed the study. Construct validity was acceptable. Internal consistency was adequate for CCQ and MLHF-Q total and domain scores, with a Cronbach's alpha ≥0.70. Reliability was adequate for MLHF-Q and CCQ total and domain scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.70–0.90, except for the CCQ symptom score (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.42). The standard error of measurement on the group level was smaller than the minimal clinical important difference for both questionnaires. However, the standard error of measurement on the individual level was larger than the minimal clinical imp

Jan Willem H Kocks,1,2 Jan Willem K van den Berg,3 Huib AM Kerstjens,2,4 Steven M Uil,3 Judith M Vonk,2,5 Ynze P de Jong,3 Ioanna G Tsiligianni,1,2 Thys van der Molen1,2 1Department of General Practice, 2Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 3Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, 4Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, 5Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Background: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are a major burden to patients and to society. Little is known about the possible role of day-to-day patient-reported outcomes during an exacerbation. This study aims to describe the day-to-day course of patient-reported health status during exacerbations of COPD and to assess its value in predicting clinical outcomes. Methods: Data from two randomized controlled COPD exacerbation trials (n = 210 and n = 45 patients) were used to describe both the feasibility of daily collection of and the day-to-day course of patient-reported outcomes during outpatient treatment or admission to hospital. In addition to clinical parameters, the BORG dyspnea score, the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire were used in Cox regression models to predict treatment failure, time to next exacerbation, and mortality in the hospital study. Results: All patient-reported outcomes showed a distinct pattern of improvement. In the multivariate models, absence of improvement in CCQ symptom score and impaired lung function were independent predictors of treatment failure. Health status and gender predicted time to next exacerbation. Five-year mortality was predicted by age, forced expiratory flow in one second % predicted, smoking status, and CCQ score. In outpatient management of exacerbations, health status was found to be les