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CAT score

Measuring the impact of COPD

The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) measures the impact of COPD on perceived health status. Its eight items complement the clinical assessment and make it easier to follow how the patient experiences the disease. The CAT does not diagnose COPD and does not replace spirometry.

Number of questions
8 questions
Approximate duration
About 2 minutes
Population
Adults with COPD
Modality
Self-administered questionnaire

QuestionnaireCAT

SELF-QUESTIONNAIRE

Each item is scored from 0 to 5 between two opposite statements. Together they cover several effects of the disease on daily life, beyond breathlessness alone.

Are you patient?

You can complete the CAT yourself to describe the impact of your disease. The result can be discussed at your follow-up visit, but it should never delay seeking help if your breathing gets worse.

Question 1 / 8

1

Cough

Terms of contract

Keeping all eight answers shows which areas weigh on the total and helps guide the consultation. To compare two measurements, note in particular whether the patient was stable or having an exacerbation.

Score interpretationCAT

Each item is scored from 0 to 5. The total ranges from 0 to 40; a higher value reflects a greater impact.

Total score

First reading

  • 0 to 9

    Low impact of COPD according to the CAT. For reference, a score of 5 is the upper limit observed in healthy non-smokers.

  • 10 to 20

    Medium impact of COPD according to the CAT.

  • 21 to 30

    High impact of COPD according to the CAT.

  • 31 to 40

    Very high impact of COPD according to the CAT.

For follow-up, the user guide mentions a two-point change as a benchmark; it is not an automatic treatment rule.

The impact categories are not grades of airflow obstruction. The result should be interpreted in light of the clinical picture and the context in which it was completed, particularly exacerbations. The CAT does not directly measure FEV1 and does not diagnose an exacerbation.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and references

Paul W. Jones and collaborators

Initial validation: European Respiratory Journal, 2009. Interpretation guidance: CAT Healthcare Professional User Guide, 2022.

Questionnaires and associated scores

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