The progress of BODE(survival) index by 165 patients with severe and very severe COPD (GOLD III-IV) after 3 weeks of inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR)

Background: The BODE index is well known and broadly used as a survival prognostic parameter for COPD patients. Significant improval after 6-week (and longer) PR is documented. The effects of 3 weeks of inpatient PR have so far not been documented. Methods: We prospectively analyzed 165 patients in PR with COPD with GOLD stage III-IV (Ø age: 57.6y, 63% [male], Ø FEV1 37.7% pred). We measured the BODE index at the beginning and end of the PR. The difference was tested via t-test for dependent samples and standardized response mean (SRM) was computed. Results: By 69.1% we documented an improvement (=decrease) of the BODE index, by 24.8% the BODE was unchanged, and by 6.1% came to a deterioration (=increase). On average, the BODE index has improved by 1.09 points (SRM 0.9). Discussion: As far as we know, for the first time a significant improvement of the BODE (survival) index could be documented after 3 weeks of inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation at a larger group of COPD III-IV patients. (Table Presented).