BODE Index Calculator

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), together with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, are one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity in the developed world. Its main symptoms include shortness of breath and coughing, and, as COPD is a progressive disease, the symptoms usually worsen over time.

The most common cause of COPD is smoking, with a smaller number of cases caused by air pollution or genetics. In 2004, Celli and colleagues developed the BODE Index, a grading system used to assess the respiratory and systemic expressions of COPD.

Patients with COPD are at a substantial risk of a serious co-morbidity. Early recognition and modification of factors associated with mortality may improve their survival.
BODE Index is a tool that includes 4 easily measured variables:

• BB – The Body Mass Index (BMI) — our BMI calculator is here to help you calculate it;
• OO – Obstruction of the airflow, measured by FEV1FEV1 (%% of predicted);
• DD – Dyspnea, measured by the Modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea scale; and
• EE – Exercise capacity, measured by the 6-minute walk distance test.

The four variables described above were chosen by Celli et al. because:

• BMI values below 21 were associated with an increased risk of death;

• Forced expiratory volume in one second FEV1FEV1 is a physiological variable that is often used to grade the severity of COPD;

• MMRC dyspnea scale predicts the likelihood of survival among patients with COPD and correlates well with other scales and health status scores; and

• 6-minute walk distance test, similar to the Duke Treadmill Score, is a standardized exercise test. It is used to assess aerobic capacity and endurance, but it also predicts the risk of death in patients with COPD.

🙋 If you want to learn more about aerobic capacity tests, our Duke treadmill score calculator will come in handy!

The BODE score ranges from 00 to 1010 points. Each variable is scored as follows:

A group of researchers validated the BODE Index and estimated the 4-year survival chance for COPD patients.

BODE Index interpretation as a 4-year survival is presented below:

• A BODE score of 00 to 22 points is associated with 80%80% survival;

• A score of 33 to 44 points - 67%67% survival;

• A score of 55 to 66 points - 57%57% survival; and

• A score of 77 to 1010 points - 18%18% survival.

We will use an example to show how the BODE Index calculator works.

Let's calculate BODE score for the patient with the following results:

• FEV1FEV1 – 66%66%;
• 6-minute walk distance test – 360360 meters (394394 yards);
• BMI – 25 m2/kg25 m2/kg; and
• MMRC dyspnea scale - 22 points.

This patient will score 00 points for FEV1, the 6-minute walk distance test, and BMI but will get 11 point for scoring 22 points on MMRC dyspnea scale. Therefore:

• The BODE score for this patient equals 11 point; and

• The BODE Index interpretation: estimated 4-year survival for this patient equals 80%80%.