A letter from the respirtory nurse landed on my doormat this morning. Oxygen sats on the low side, and RR just above normal, but what isn't explained is MRC4. I have no idea what it is or how it's assessed.
Can anyone help this confused woman .... lol it doesn't take much to confuse me these days!
Cass xx
All I can find at the moment it's to do with " functional status ". Of what I have no idea though !
LOL thanks puff, I was having the same problem. "Functional status" I haven't been out for days it's too cold, so I would say dysfunctional, I loathe being stuck indoors. I have to make jokes about it, otherwise I'd cry!
Cass xx
Well, I've learn't something new today ! 
I work part-time which is an out door job so I have to go out. It keeps me healthy though..
It seems to be something to do with dyspnoea scale devised by the Medical Research Council ( MRC ). That's what I could find anyway. If they asked you about your dyspnoea ( shortness of breath ) then maybe it's right. Maybe someone with the knowledge may confirm this,
" MRC DYSPNOEA SCALE
Patients were asked about their perceived breathlessness and were then classified into MRC dyspnoea grades 3, 4, or 5 according to how they perceived their disability. The MRC dyspnoea scale is a questionnaire that consists of five statements about perceived breathlessness: grade 1, “I only get breathless with strenuous exercise”; grade 2, “I get short of breath when hurrying on the level or up a slight hill”; grade 3, “I walk slower than people of the same age on the level because of breathlessness or have to stop for breath when walking at my own pace on the level”; grade 4, “I stop for breath after walking 100 yards or after a few minutes on the level”; grade 5, “ I am too breathless to leave the house”. Patients selected the grade that applied to them. Those who graded themselves in MRC grades 3, 4, or 5 were entered into the study as these levels would correspond to moderate to severely disabling COPD. Patients with grades 1 and 2 dyspnoea were excluded from the study. "
thorax.bmj.com/content/54/7...
So mrc 5 is worse than mrc 4 ?
Hi Bootsie13 . This is a very old thread and the member you have replied to is no longer with us. You will find more up to date posts here:
WOW thank you so much. She did ask me a couple of questions, but actually saw me stop for breath when walking to her office. She didn't actually mention this score to me until I received the letter. I have some reading to do.
Again, thank you.
Cass xx
I think you have all the answers you need but the way I have seen it is that the MRC scale is very much a subjective assessment, it is not a clinical grade but how the individual feels their breathing feels.
Like each of us is at different stages, we all feel less or more breathless than each other, even if on the same scale
it does help the professionals decide what help is needed because symptom relief is not just based on clinical results but on how the individual feels their breathing is
kat
xxx
My respiratory nurse actually phoned me this afternoon to discuss the letter! Go figure
As I was rushed into ITU as an emergency with Type II respiratory failure and heart failure and how my breathing is on exertion is why she assessed me at MRC 4, although she did say she thought it was between 4 and 5.
I did say I can get out of the house, but did give SOB on getting dressed and undressed. So an ongoing situation as I'm still recovering from the above, I'm told it can take up to 6 months.
LOL it certainly would have been a good one. Yes, Puffthemagicdragon was absolutely fantastic
Take care
Cass xx
Week 4 1st day
How did that happen? Severe asthma/COPD? age 48, no symptoms, FEV1 31.38% MRC scale 2-3
CT Scan 4
Week 4 shingles 
Frankie (copd stage 4 )
