Comparative Evaluation of Pulmonary Function, Symptom Burden, and Quality of Life in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Central India

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common obstructive airway diseases with overlapping clinical features. Despite similar symptomatology, they differ in pathophysiology, reversibility of airflow obstruction, and systemic involvement. Differentiating these entities and quantifying disease burden is crucial for appropriate management. Objectives: To compare pulmonary function, symptom burden, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life between asthma and COPD patients using spirometry, COPD Assessment Test (CAT), dyspnea grading, functional indices, and quality-of-life measures. Methods: A case–control study was conducted in 180 participants including COPD patients and asthma subjects. Spirometry (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC), CAT score, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, six-minute walk distance (6MWD), Body Mass Index (BMI), BODE index, and St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were evaluated. Group comparisons were performed and significance was assessed using p-values. Results: Mean FVC and FEV1 were lower in COPD than asthma, though not statistically significant (p=0.136 and p=0.073, respectively). However, the FEV1/FVC ratio was significantly lower in COPD compared with asthma (62.04 ± 20.01 vs 72.59 ± 11.30; p=0.011), confirming more severe and irreversible airflow limitation. COPD patients exhibited higher CAT, mMRC, BODE, and SGRQ scores and reduced exercise capacity, indicating greater symptom burden and poorer quality of life. Conclusion: Although asthma and COPD share clinical manifestations, COPD is associated with significantly greater airflow limitation, functional impairment, and quality-of-life deterioration. Integration of spirometry with symptom-based and multidimensional tools such as CAT, BODE index, and SGRQ enhances differentiation and comprehensive disease assessment.