The BODE index, for Body-mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise, is a multidimensional scoring system and capacity index used to test patients who have been diagnosed with

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory s ...

(COPD) and to predict long-term outcomes for them. The index uses the four factors to predict risk of death from the disease. The BODE index will result in a score of zero to ten dependent upon FEV₁ or "forced expiratory volume in one second" (the greatest volume of air that can be breathed out in the first second of a breath), body-mass index, the distance walked in six minutes, and the modified MRC dyspnea scale. Significant weight loss is a bad sign. Results of

spirometry Spirometry (meaning ''the measuring of breath'') is the most common of the pulmonary function tests (PFTs). It measures lung function, specifically the amount (volume) and/or speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled. Spirometry is h ...

are also good predictors of the future progress of the disease, but they are not as good as the test results of the BODE index.

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Further reading