Skip to main content

Table 4 Patient feedback on the draft pulmonary hypertension functional classification-self-report

From: Development of the Pulmonary Hypertension Functional Classification Self-Report: a patient version adapted from the World Health Organization Functional Classification measure

Topic

Round 1 Quotations

Round 2 Quotations

General comments

It fits a lot of my symptoms and it also describes some of the things that I go through.

Male, 46 years, Class II

Well, I think it’s pretty clear and concise.”

Female, 59 years, Class III

“Well I like how its worded and it sounds a bit more personal than the other WHO categories.”

Female, 40 years, Class III

Instructions

so do you think these instructions are clear and easy to understand?

Yes

And is it clear what they are asking you to do?

Yes.”

Female, 41 years, Class III

“Did you find those instructions helpful or useful?”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything that we could kind of do to make them more easy to understand?”

“No, not that I can think of off the top of my head.”

Male, 42 years, Class II

Description I

I think the question people are going to go is, what is ordinary physical activity but when you give them choices like that, they’re like 'oh okay, they are talking about this, this and this.' So, I think that’s fairly clear and I can’t think of anything to add.

Female, 38 years, Class I*

“This means to me like normal people. I mean, they can do whatever they want to do, they can go to work, they can go to school, you know, you’re not getting out of breath, you’re not having any chest pains. To me, this is what a normal person’s life would be like.”

Female, 63 years, Class III

Description II

“…it’s easy to understand.

Female, 35 years, Class III

I would say that they have a very light effect of PAH symptoms but not significant enough to really slow them down with anything that they do, but just a slight sensation of shortness of breath or just occasional feeling like they’re faint.

Female, 59 years, Class III

Description III

So it’s a noticeable limitation with my physical activity and what I like about this is that it not only says less than ordinary physical activity but it goes into what less than ordinary is. So showering and dressing, when somebody in a Class II they might not have any limitations but someone in a Class III might be symptomatic when they are taking a shower or dressing. So you know it gives you examples of what’s considered less than ordinary.”

Female, 38 years, Class III

Unlike the Class II where you just have an ever so slight impact, that only you personally feel, where the noticeably limited means not just the way you feel, but other people can see that you’re laboring as well.”

Female, 59 years, Class III

Description IV

It means that I am pretty much symptomatic with all physical activity and that may even include at rest.

Female, 38 years, Class III

You are having lots of symptoms; you are having a lot of heart issues and the swollen ankles and bloated stomach. Sleeping is almost impossible, and you are constantly short of breath and exercise will be, well any kind of physical activity will be severely limited.

Male, 42 years, Class II

  1. PAH = pulmonary arterial hypertension; WHO = World Health Organization