title: Effectiveness of controlled breathing techniques on anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients with COPD: a randomized clinical Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anxiety and depression are prevalent comorbidities in patients with COPD. Breathing techniques can improve anxiety and depression in patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a randomized clinical study with 46 male subjects, 67-86 years old, hospitalized with acute COPD exacerbation. Subjects were randomly and equally divided into a control group and a controlled breathing intervention group. We measured baseline and post-intervention dyspnea, anxiety and depression, quality of life (with the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and the European Quality of Life questionnaire), maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressure, hand-grip strength, and sleep quality. The cohort had high dyspnea and low overall quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Controlled breathing techniques significantly improved dyspnea, anxiety, and mobility. All the measured variables improved in the intervention group. The control group had poorer values in all the variables after the hospitalization period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Controlled breathing exercises improve anxiety and depression in patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01826682).
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department.
authors.forename: Marie Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Valenza
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valenza-Peña
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Torres-Sánchez
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González-Jiménez
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conde-Valero
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valenza-Demet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001945:Breathing Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: anxiety; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; controlled breathing; depression; hospitalization