Author/Authors :
Tokuno, Junko Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Chen-Yoshikawa, Toyofumi F Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan , Oga, Toru Department of Respiratory Medicine - Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan , Oto, Takahiro Organ Transplant Center - Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan , Okawa, Tomoyo Organ Transplant Center - Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan , Okada, Yoshinori Department of Thoracic Surgery - Institute of Development Aging and Cancer - Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan , Akiba, Miki Division of Organ Transplantation - Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan , Ikeda, Masaki Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Nakajima, Daisuke Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Hamaji, Masatsugu Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Motoyama, Hideki Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Aoyama, Akihiro Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Isomi, Maki Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Chin, Kazuo Department of Respiratory Care and Sleep Control Medicine - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan , Date, Hiroshi Department of Thoracic Surgery - Graduate School of Medicine - Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Abstract :
Background. Improving health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important goal of lung transplantation, and St. George’s
Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) is frequently used for assessing HRQL in patients waitlisted for lung transplantation. We
hypothesized that chronic respiratory failure (CRF)-specific HRQL measures would be more suitable than the SGRQ, considering
the underlying disease and its severity in these patients. Methods. We prospectively collected physiological and patient-reported
data (HRQL, dyspnea, and psychological status) of 199 patients newly registered in the waiting list of lung transplantation. CRFspecific HRQL measures of the Maugeri Respiratory Failure Questionnaire (MRF) and Severe Respiratory Insufficiency
Questionnaire (SRI) were assessed in addition to the SGRQ. Results. Compared to the MRF-26 and SRI, the score distribution of
the SGRQ was skewed toward the worse ends of the scale. All domains of the MRF-26 and SRI were significantly correlated with
the SGRQ. Multiple regression analyses to investigate factors predicting each HRQL score indicated that dyspnea and psychological status accounted for 12% to 28% of the variance more significantly than physiological measures did. .e MRF-26 Total
and SRI Summary significantly worsened from the baseline to 1 year (p < 0.001 and p = 0.010, respectively) in 103 patients who
underwent a follow-up assessment without lung transplantation, while the SGRQ showed a marginal significant worsening
(p = 0.040). Conclusions. .e MRF-26 and SRI are valid, discriminative, and responsive in patients waitlisted for lung transplantation. In terms of the score distribution and responsiveness, CRF-specific measures may function better in their HRQL
assessment than the currently used measures do.
