title: Activity-related dyspnea is not modified by psychological status in people with COPD, interstitial lung disease or obesity.
abstract: Sensory (physiological) and affective (psychological) dimensions of dyspnea have been described but the usefulness of measuring psychological status in addition to ventilatory capacity (spirometry, lung volumes) in the assessment of exertional dyspnea remains controversial. We hypothesized that activity-related dyspnea would not be modified by psychological status. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the number of parameters (psychological or functional) to fewer independent dimensions in 328 patients with altered ventilatory capacity: severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35, n = 122), COPD (n = 128) or interstitial lung disease (n = 78). PCA demonstrated that psychological status (Hospital Anxiety-Depression, Fatigue Impact scales) and dyspnea (Medical Research Council [MRC] scale) were independent dimensions. Ventilatory capacity was described by three main dimensions by PCA related to airways, volumes, and their combination (specific airway resistance, FEV(1)/FVC), which were weakly correlated with dyspnea. In conclusion, in patients with COPD, interstitial lung disease or severe obesity, psychological status does not modify activity-related dyspnea rating as evaluated by the MRC scale.
authors.affiliation: AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Service de Pneumologie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caumont-Prim
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gillet-Juvin
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Callens
authors.forename: Semia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Graba
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Essalhi
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chevalier-Bidaud
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Israël-Biet
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mahut
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delclaux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000403:Airway Resistance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry