MRC Questionnaire (MRCQ) on Respiratory Symptoms
1
Occupational Medicine 2007;57:388 doi:10.1093/occmed/kqm051 MRC questionnaire (MRCQ) on respiratory symptoms A brief history The Medical Research Council Questionnaire (MRCQ) was developed by researchers at the Medical Research Council, UK, as a tool to study respiratory epidemiology in communities and occupational groups [1]. It reliably relates symptoms and lung function and has been in use for almost 50 years. The 1976 version is reproduced in a current publication [2]. Instructions on its use can be obtained from the authors. A subsequent version includes questions that are directed to identifying asthma [3]. Items In its usual form, the MRCQ comprises 17 questions on respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, breathlessness, wheeze and chest illnesses, now and during the past 2 years), detailed questions on smoking history and a check-list on past illnesses. Validity Wording of questions, follow-up questions, definitions and interpretation of responses are standardized and al- ternative questions have been prepared for special cir- cumstances, for example, shift working. The intensity of symptoms is not covered but can be scored separately [4]. The MRCQ provides a system for scoring respiratory symptoms [5] and identifying underlying factors includ- ing smoking, previous chest illnesses and occupational dusts and vapours. Reproducibility is achieved by having the questions asked by an observer who had previously used the training manual and cassette. However, a version for self-administration is also available. The questions on breathlessness are widely used for grading this symptom, but there is more than one scoring system, so the grades should be defined. In subjects with chronic respiratory disorders, the grades of breathless- ness are weakly correlated with forced expiratory volume (FEV 1 ). However, the correlation is higher with ventila- tion during sub-maximal exercise [6] and with quality of life as assessed by a quality of life questionnaire [7]. These two features appear to be co-linear and this possi- bility should be explored further. Key research The MRCQ is recommended for use in epidemiological and occupational respiratory surveys and as part of a con- sultation for respiratory symptoms or assessment of lung function. Where appropriate, the screening can be ex- panded with additional questions on ischaemic heart disease [8], asthma [9] or exposure to occupational re- spiratory hazards such as coal or cotton dust, asbestos fibres or fumes from welding [10]. J. E.Cotes 1 and D. J. Chinn 2 References 1. Medical Research Council on the Aetiology of Chronic Bronchitis. Standardised questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Br Med J 1960;2:1665. 2. Cotes JE, Chinn DJ, Miller MR. Lung Function: Physiology Measurement and Application in Medicine: 6th ed. Oxford Blackwell Publishing 2006;87–91. 3. Cotes JE. Medical Research Council Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Correspondence. Lancet 1987;2: 1028. 4. Field GB. The application of a quantitative estimate of cough frequency to epidemiological surveys. Int J Epidemiol 1974;3:135–143. 5. Medical Research Council. Definition and classification of chronic bronchitis for clinical and epidemiological purpo- ses. Lancet 1965;1:775–779. 6. Cotes JE, Zejda J, King B. Lung function impairment as a guide to exercise limitation in work-related lung disor- ders. Am Rev Respir Dis 1988;137:1089–1093. 7. Jones PW. Quality of life measurement for patients with diseases of the airways. Thorax 1991;46:676. 8. Rose G, McCartney P, Reid DD. Self-administration of a questionnaire on chest pain: intermittent claudication. Brit J Prev Soc Med 1977;31:42–48. 9. Burney P, Chinn S. Developing a new questionnaire for measuring the prevalence and distribution of asthma. Chest 1987;91(Suppl.):79S–83S. 10. Chinn DJ, Cotes JE, El-Gamal FM et al. Respiratory health of young shipyard welders and other tradesmen studied cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Occup Environ Med 1995;55:33–42. 1 School of Health Science, University of Durham, Durham, UK. 2 Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Correspondence to: e-mail: [email protected] Ó The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected] by guest on April 22, 2014 http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from
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Transcript of MRC Questionnaire (MRCQ) on Respiratory Symptoms
Occupational Medicine 2007;57:388doi:10.1093/occmed/kqm051
MRC questionnaire (MRCQ) on respiratory
symptoms
A brief history
The Medical Research Council Questionnaire (MRCQ)
was developed by researchers at the Medical Research
Council, UK, as a tool to study respiratory epidemiology
in communities and occupational groups [1]. It reliably
relates symptoms and lung function and has been in use
for almost 50 years. The 1976 version is reproduced in
a current publication [2]. Instructions on its use can be
obtained from the authors. A subsequent version includes
questions that are directed to identifying asthma [3].
Items
In its usual form, the MRCQ comprises 17 questions on
respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, breathlessness,
wheeze and chest illnesses, now and during the past 2
years), detailed questions on smoking history and
a check-list on past illnesses.
Validity
Wording of questions, follow-up questions, definitions
and interpretation of responses are standardized and al-
ternative questions have been prepared for special cir-
cumstances, for example, shift working. The intensity of
symptoms is not covered but can be scored separately [4].
The MRCQ provides a system for scoring respiratory
symptoms [5] and identifying underlying factors includ-
ing smoking, previous chest illnesses and occupational
dusts and vapours. Reproducibility is achieved by having
the questions asked by an observer who had previously
used the trainingmanual and cassette. However, a version
for self-administration is also available.
The questions on breathlessness are widely used for
grading this symptom, but there is more than one scoring
system, so the grades should be defined. In subjects with
chronic respiratory disorders, the grades of breathless-
ness are weakly correlated with forced expiratory volume
(FEV1). However, the correlation is higher with ventila-
tion during sub-maximal exercise [6] and with quality of
life as assessed by a quality of life questionnaire [7].
These two features appear to be co-linear and this possi-
bility should be explored further.
Key research
The MRCQ is recommended for use in epidemiological
and occupational respiratory surveys and as part of a con-
sultation for respiratory symptoms or assessment of lung
function. Where appropriate, the screening can be ex-
panded with additional questions on ischaemic heart
disease [8], asthma [9] or exposure to occupational re-
spiratory hazards such as coal or cotton dust, asbestos
fibres or fumes from welding [10].
J. E.Cotes1 and D. J. Chinn2
References
1. Medical Research Council on the Aetiology of Chronic
Bronchitis. Standardised questionnaire on respiratory
symptoms. Br Med J 1960;2:1665.
2. Cotes JE, Chinn DJ, Miller MR. Lung Function: Physiology
Measurement and Application in Medicine: 6th ed. Oxford
Blackwell Publishing 2006;87–91.
3. Cotes JE. Medical Research Council Questionnaire on
respiratory symptoms. Correspondence. Lancet 1987;2:
1028.
4. Field GB. The application of a quantitative estimate of
cough frequency to epidemiological surveys. Int J Epidemiol
1974;3:135–143.
5. Medical Research Council. Definition and classification of
chronic bronchitis for clinical and epidemiological purpo-
ses. Lancet 1965;1:775–779.
6. Cotes JE, Zejda J, King B. Lung function impairment as
a guide to exercise limitation in work-related lung disor-
ders. Am Rev Respir Dis 1988;137:1089–1093.
7. Jones PW. Quality of life measurement for patients with
diseases of the airways. Thorax 1991;46:676.
8. Rose G, McCartney P, Reid DD. Self-administration of
a questionnaire on chest pain: intermittent claudication.
Brit J Prev Soc Med 1977;31:42–48.
9. Burney P, Chinn S. Developing a new questionnaire for
measuring the prevalence and distribution of asthma. Chest
1987;91(Suppl.):79S–83S.
10. Chinn DJ, Cotes JE, El-Gamal FM et al. Respiratory health
of young shipyard welders and other tradesmen studied
cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Occup Environ Med
1995;55:33–42.
1School of Health Science, University of Durham, Durham, UK.
2Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK.
Correspondence to: e-mail: [email protected]
� The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine.All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected]
by guest on April 22, 2014
http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/
Dow
nloaded from
