title: Depression, body mass index, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - a holistic approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several clinical studies suggest common underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of COPD and depressive/anxiety disorders. We aim to evaluate psychopathological and physical effects of aerobic exercise, proposed in the context of pulmonary rehabilitation, in a sample of COPD patients, through the correlation of some psychopathological variables and physical/pneumological parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two consecutive subjects were enrolled. At baseline, the sample was divided into two subgroups consisting of 38 depression-positive and 14 depression-negative subjects according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). After the rehabilitation treatment, we compared psychometric and physical examinations between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences after the rehabilitation program in all assessed parameters demonstrated a significant improvement in psychiatric and pneumological conditions. The reduction of BMI was significantly correlated with fat mass but only in the depression-positive patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that pulmonary rehabilitation improves depressive and anxiety symptoms in COPD. This improvement is significantly related to the reduction of fat mass and BMI only in depressed COPD patients, in whom these parameters were related at baseline. These findings suggest that depressed COPD patients could benefit from a rehabilitation program in the context of a multidisciplinary approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catalfo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crea
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lo Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magnano San Lio
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minutolo
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, Sciacca, Italy.
authors.forename: Gherardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siscaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Noemi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vaccino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Nunzio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Policlinico "G. Rodolico" University Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguglia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011599:Psychopathology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: BMI; COPD; aerobic exercise; depression