Use of BODE Index to Assess Prognosis of Patients with COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease characterized by airflow limitation which is irreversible or partially reversible. COPD is associated with morbidity and increased mortality. The risk of death in patients with COPD is traditionally graded with the use of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), but it correlates better with recently developed the BODE index- (B) Body mass index; (O) airflow obstruction measured by the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁); (D) dyspnoea measured by the modified Medical Research Council (MRC) scale; and (E) exercise capacity measured by the 6 minute walk distance (6MWD).