title: Depression, anxiety and panic disorders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: correlations with tobacco use, disease severity and quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study is to assess anxiety, depression and panic disorders among patients diagnosed with COPD and to investigate their correlation with disease severity, quality of life as well as tobacco use.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was performed between January and September 2014 among 60 patients diagnosed with COPD. COPD staging according to GOLD criteria, while anxiety and depression were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and panic attacks were evaluated based on ICD 10 criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 40% of the sample were smokers, the medium packs-years was 34.3 and the medium Fagerstrom score was 7.5. Overall, mean Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) was 2.86, mean COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score was 21.75 and study participants had 1.93 COPD exacerbations/year. Mean distribution of anxiety and depression symptoms scores among COPD subjects was 10.65 ± 3.5 and 9.93 ± 3.8, respectively. Smokers and ex-smokers had similar scores with regard to anxiety, depression or the presence of panic attacks. The results of the bivariate correlations indicated associations between anxiety, depression, panic attacks and disease severity, as well as poor quality of life of patients with COPD, regardless of their current tobacco use status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that anxiety, depression and panic attacks were constant characteristics among COPD patients- regardless of their current tobacco use.
authors.affiliation: "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, No 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Oana Irinel
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Pascal
authors.affiliation: "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, No 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Antigona Carmen
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Trofor
authors.affiliation: "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, No 8 Victor Babeş Street, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Lucia Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lotrean
authors.affiliation: "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University Iasi, No 67 Profesor Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Dumitru
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Filipeanu
authors.affiliation: "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, No 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Letitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trofor
keywords: Anxiety; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Depression; Panic disorders; Tobacco use