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BODE Index Calculator (COPD)

Calculate the BODE index for COPD — Body mass index, airflow Obstruction (FEV₁ % predicted), Dyspnoea (mMRC) and Exercise capacity (6-minute walk) — score 0–10 with quartile and approximate 4-year survival.

FEV₁ (% of predicted, post-bronchodilator)

6-minute walk distance

mMRC dyspnoea grade

Body mass index

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How it works

FEV₁ % predicted: ≥ 65 → 0, 50–64 → 1, 36–49 → 2, ≤ 35 → 3. 6-minute walk: ≥ 350 m → 0, 250–349 → 1, 150–249 → 2, ≤ 149 → 3. mMRC: 0–1 → 0, 2 → 1, 3 → 2, 4 → 3. BMI: > 21 → 0, ≤ 21 → 1. BODE = sum (0–10).

The BODE index (Celli et al., New England Journal of Medicine 2004) combines four independent predictors of death in COPD and predicts mortality better than FEV₁ alone. In the derivation cohort, approximate 4-year survival was about 80% in quartile 1 (0–2 points), 67% in quartile 2 (3–4), 57% in quartile 3 (5–6) and 18% in quartile 4 (7–10). It is used for prognosis and in lung-transplant referral (BODE 5–6 or more).

Worked example

FEV₁ 45% predicted (2 points), 6-minute walk 300 m (1 point), mMRC grade 2 (1 point) and BMI 23 (0 points) give a BODE index of 4 / 10 — quartile 2, with approximate 4-year survival of 67% in the original cohort.

Sources: Celli BR et al. — The BODE index in COPD (NEJM 2004)

Frequently asked questions

What does a high BODE index mean?

Higher scores mean a higher risk of death. Each one-point increase was associated with about a 34% higher risk of death from any cause in the original study; quartile 4 (7–10) had roughly 18% survival at four years.

Which FEV₁ value should I use?

The post-bronchodilator FEV₁ as a percentage of the predicted value for age, sex, height and ethnicity from your spirometry report.

Can BODE change with treatment?

Yes. Pulmonary rehabilitation can improve walk distance and breathlessness and so lower the score; the index is useful for tracking a patient over time.

When is BODE used for lung transplant referral?

International guidelines suggest referral for transplant evaluation when BODE is 5–6 or more with progressive disease, and listing at 7–10 with additional risk features.

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Calculate your Body Mass Index from height and weight, see your WHO category, healthy weight range, BMI Prime and ponderal index, with CDC percentiles for children and teens.

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Compare your 6-minute walk test distance with the predicted normal value for your age, sex, height and weight (Enright & Sherrill equations), with percent of predicted and the lower limit of normal.

Clinical decision tool for education and for use by trained clinicians alongside clinical judgement — not a diagnosis and not a substitute for medical assessment. Formulas and cut-offs come from the cited sources; local protocols may differ.