To study the correlation between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test score (CAT) and prognostic factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and explore the clinical application value of CAT in assessing the prognosis of patients with COPD.

Au 106 patients with diagnosed COPD in the department of resiratory of our hospital from January 2013 to January 2015 were enrolled in the study. The CAT score, 6-min walking distance (6MWD), modified medical British research council (mMRC), BODE index, St George′s respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) and pulmonary function indices were collected before and after treatment. The correlation between the CAT scores and clinical characteristics were analyzed by univariate linear correlation.

With the CAT scores increased, the 6MWD, forced vital capacity (FVC) measured values, FVC observed/predicted value, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) measured values, FEV₁ observed/predicted values, FEV₁/FVC, peak expiratory flow (PEF) measured values, PEF observed/predicted values were significantly lower (P<0.05), while mMRC score, BODE index and SGRQ total score were significantly higher (P<0.05); After the short-term treatment for patients, the CAT scores, BODE index and SGRQ total scores were significantly lower than that before treatment (P<0.05), while 6MWD, FEV₁ measured values, FEV₁ observed/predicted values, FEV₁/FVC were significantly higher than that before treatment (P<0.05); The univariate analysis found that the CAT score in pre-treatment was positive correlated with mMRC scale (r=0.254, P=0.018), BODE index (r=0.426, P=0.009) and SGRQ total scores (r=0.563, P=0.007), which was negative correlated with 6MWD (r=-0.387, P=0.000), FVC measured values (r=-0.181, P=0.023), FVC observed/predicted value (r=-0.192, P=0.021), FEV₁ measured values (r=-0.201, P=0.016), FEV₁ observed/predicted values (r=-0.214, P=0.013) and FEV₁/FVC (r=-0.223, P=0.012); the CAT score in post-treatment was positive correlated with mMRC scale (r=0.304, P=0.011), BODE index (r=0.382, P=0.010) and SGRQ total scores (r=0.621, P=0.004), which was negative correlated with 6MWD (r=-0.407, P=0.000), FEV₁ measured values (r=-0.211, P=0.014), FEV₁ observed/predicted values (r=-0.228, P=0.012) and FEV₁/FVC (r=-0.231, P=0.011).

The CAT score has a good correlation with mMRC scale, BODE index, SGRQ, 6MWD and pulmonary function in COPD patients, suggesting which has a potential to predict the prognosis of COPD.