Sex differences and determinants of anxiety symptoms in patients with COPD initiating pulmonary rehabilitation

Abstract

Background

Anxiety is common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there is little evidence available regarding gender differences, and severity of dyspnea in relation to anxiety in patients with COPD.

Aims

We examined gender differences and the association of dyspnea with anxiety in a cohort of patients with COPD prior to entering a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program.

Method

We analyzed data from a prospective cohort of COPD patients who attended PR from 2013 to 2019 in Lytham, Lancashire, UK. Patients were aged 40 years or older with a post-bronchodilation forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) less than 80% of the predicted normal value and FEV₁/FVC (forced vital capacity) ratio less than 0.7. We assessed quality of life (QoL) using the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), anxiety using the Anxiety Inventory for Respiratory disease (AIR), dyspnea using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, and exercise capacity using the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT)

Results

Nine hundred ninety-three patients with COPD (mean age=71 years, FEV₁/FVC = 58% predicted, 51% male) entered the PR program. Of these, 348 (35%) had anxiety symptoms (AIR > 8); of these 165 (47%) were male and 183 (53%) female, (χ² = 3.33, p=0.06). On logistic multivariate analysis, the following variables were independently associated with elevated anxiety: younger age (p <0.001), female sex (p= 0.03), higher SGRQ-total score (p <0.001) and high FEV₁/FVC (p < 0.002). Dyspnea was associated with anxiety r=0.25, p < 0.001.

Conclusion

Over a third of COPD patients had clinically relevant anxiety symptoms with a higher prevalence in women than men. Anxiety was associated with younger age, female gender, and impaired QoL. Early recognition and treatment of anxiety in patients with COPD is worthy of consideration for those attending PR, especially women.