[Assessment of relation among emotional status, pulmonary function test, exercise performance, and quality of life in...

Impaired pulmonary function tests, reduced exercise capacity and impaired quality of life are common problems in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Furthermore chronic respiratory disease is associated with increased risk for anxiety and depression. In the light of these data further studies investigating the effects of emotional status on quality of life and exercise performance in patients with COPD are needed in order to improve treatment modalities. This study was peformed to reveal emotional status on pulmonary function, quality of life, and exercise performance in patients with COPD. 52 (F/M = 13/39, mean age= 67 +/- 12 years) irreversible for bronchodilator test COPD patients (FEV(1)= 1.5 +/- 0.6 L) included to our study. Short form- 36, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), pulmonary function tests and 6-minute walking test (6-MWT) were performed to all patients. There was no significant difference between 17 patients with severe to very severe airway obstruction according to GOLD classification (mean FEV(1)= 0.95 +/- 0.2 L) and 35 patients with moderate airway obstruction (mean FEV(1)= 1.75 +/- 0.56 L) in terms of emotional status, exercise performance, and quality of life. Significant corelation was found between BDI and; FEV(1)(p= 0.02, r= -0.323), general health perception (p= 0.001, r= -0.451), vitality (p= 0.000, r= -0.619), general mental health (p= 0.000, r= -0.643), and physical function (p= 0.002, r= -0.426). No correlation was found between 6 MWT and emotional status, and quality of life. In this study it was demonstrated that airway obstruction has an important role for exercise limitation and emotional status related to impaired PFT and quality of life in patients with COPD. We conclude that respiratory intervention together with psychocologic interventions should be performed on patients with COPD by clinicians to achieve improved quality of life.