COPD exacerbations significantly impact quality of life as measured by SGRQ-C total score: results from the FLAME study

Introduction: Exacerbations are a major driver of impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with COPD.¹ Indacaterol/glycopyrronium significantly reduced annualised rate of all and moderate/severe exacerbations versus salmeterol/fluticasone in the 52-week FLAME study.² We assessed the impact of occurrence of COPD exacerbation on HRQoL in COPD patients from the FLAME study. Methods: Adjusted SGRQ-C total scores were compared in patients with 0 and ≥1 exacerbations since the last visit, on Days 29, 85, 183, 267 and 365, from the FLAME study. Improvement in SGRQ-C total score was also evaluated for percentage of COPD exacerbation-free days since the last visit. Results: There was a significant difference in adjusted SGRQ-C total score in patients without an exacerbation and those with ≥1 exacerbations since the last visit (Table), with a greater negative impact on HRQoL related to moderate/severe exacerbations. Significantly greater improvement (P < 0.001) in SGRQ-C score was observed with higher percentage of COPD exacerbation-free days since the last visit. Conclusion: The occurrence of COPD exacerbation is significantly associated with impairment in health-related quality of life. A greater impact was noted for moderate/severe exacerbations. References 1. Wedzicha JA, et al. BMC Med 2013;11:181 2. Wedzicha JA, et al. N Engl J Med 2016;374(23):2222–2234