Bronchiectasis: correlation of high-resolution CT findings with health-related quality of life

Eshed, I.; Minski, I.; Katz, R.; Jones, P.W.; Priel, I.E.

doi:10.1016/j.crad.2006.08.015

« Previous Next »Clinical Radiology
Volume 62, Issue 2 , Pages 152-159, February 2007

Bronchiectasis: correlation of high-resolution CT findings with health-related quality of life

I. Eshed
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
- Guarantor and correspondent: I. Eshed, POB 48077, Tel-Aviv 61480, Israel. Tel.: +49 177 3908561.
I. Minski
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
R. Katz
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
P.W. Jones
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK
I.E. Priel
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Received 30 May 2006; received in revised form 24 July 2006; accepted 17 August 2006.

Aim

To evaluate the relationship between the severity of bronchiectatic diseases, as evident on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and the patient's quality of life measured using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).

Methods and materials

Forty-six patients (25 women, 21 men, mean age: 63 years) with bronchiectatic disease as evident on recent HRCT examinations were recruited. Each patient completed the SGRQ and underwent respiratory function tests. HRCT findings were blindly and independently scored by two radiologists, using the modified Bhalla scoring system. The relationships between HRCT scores, SGRQ scores and pulmonary function tests were evaluated.

Results

The patients' total CT score did not correlate with the SGRQ scores. However, patients with more advanced disease on HRCT, significantly differed in their SGRQ scores from patients with milder bronchiectatic disease. A significant correlation was found between the CT scores for the middle and distal lung zones and the activity, impacts and total SGRQ scores. No correlation was found between CT scores and respiratory function test indices. However, a significant correlation was found between the SGRQ scores and most of the respiratory function test indices.

Conclusion

A correlation between the severity of bronchiectatic disease as expressed in HRCT and the health-related quality of life exists in patients with a more severe bronchiectatic disease but not in patients with mild disease. Such correlation depends on the location of the bronchiectasis in the pulmonary tree.