Can CAPTURE be used to identify undiagnosed patients with mild-to-moderate COPD likely to benefit from treatment?

The CAPTURE Questionnaire employs five questions to support the identification of individuals experiencing COPD symptoms who can benefit from further diagnostic testing and health care support. CAPTURE questions focus on environmental exposure; quality of breathing in relation to external factors; breathing during everyday activities; fatigue; and loss of productivity related to respiratory problems. This research examined whether the CAPTURE tool could help to identify symptomatic individuals with mild-to-moderate COPD.

The authors state that while CAPTURE is most helpful at identifying people with severe airflow obstruction, it can be useful in identifying those with milder disease. Administration of CAPTURE can be followed by peak flow testing; for those with peak flow results of 450/350 or 350/250 (mild-to-moderate levels), spirometry may then be indicated. The researchers also suggest that, given the overlap between higher COPD Assessment Tool (CAT) scores and elevated CAPTURE scores, the CAT may also be useful as a case finding tool. Limitations to the study are discussed and the authors call for additional research to confirm and expand upon these findings.