Regular Article
The influence of co-morbidity on health-related quality of life in asthma and COPD patients

https://doi.org/10.1053/rmed.2002.1463Get rights and content
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Abstract

This study examines the association between somatic co-morbidity and both general and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A cross-sectional analysis was done among 161 COPD patients and 395 asthma patients, aged 40–75 years, recruited from general practice. In the total study population, 47% had no, 32% had one, and 21% had two or more somatic co-morbid conditions, with no significant differences between asthma and COPD patients. Co-morbidity appeared to be associated with poor disease-specific HRQoL in asthma [odds ratio (OR) = 2.08 (1.37–3.18)] and with poor general HRQoL in asthma [OR = 2.96 (1.93–4.53)] and COPD [1.81 (0.91–3.60)] patients. Poorest HRQoL was found in patients with more than one co-morbid condition. Cardiac disease and hypertension were associated with poor disease-specific HRQoL in asthma. Of all co-morbid conditions, musculoskeletal disorders were most strongly associated with poor general HRQoL. Cardiac disease was found to be associated with general and disease-specific HRQoL in asthma but not in COPD. In studies on patients with asthma or COPD aged 40–75 years, co-morbidity should be treated as a determinant of HRQoL.

Keywords

asthma
COPD
lung diseases, obstructive
comorbidity
quality of life.

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Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr H Wijnhoven, EMGO Institute, Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Fax: +31-20-4448361