TY - JOUR
T1 - A pulmonary rehabilitation program reduces levels of anxiety and depression in COPD patients
AU - Tselebis, Athanasios
AU - Bratis, Dionisios
AU - Pachi, Argiro
AU - Moussas, Georgios
AU - Ilias, Ioannis
AU - Harikiopoulou, Maria
AU - Theodorakopoulou, Elpida
AU - Dumitru, Silvia
AU - Kosmas, Epaminondas
AU - Vgontzas, Alexandros
AU - Siafakas, Nikolaos
AU - Tzanakis, Nikolaos
PY - 2013/6/22
Y1 - 2013/6/22
N2 - Background: The presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in COPD patients has been acknowledged for many years. The preponderance of recent studies supports the utility of pulmonary rehabilitation programs to reduce the levels of depression and anxiety in these patients. The aim of this study is to investigate possible changes in levels of anxiety and depression among patients enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, along with the role of disease severity in these changes. Methods: In 101 COPD patients, who attended a pulmonary rehabilitation program, levels of trait anxiety (STAI) and depressive symptoms (BDI) were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the program. Age, sex, level of education in years and stage of disease severity were recorded. Results: Our study included 80 male and 21 female patients. Mean age and mean education level were 64.1 ± 8.1 and 11.3 ± 4.1 years, respectively. Regarding COPD staging, 11 patients suffered from mild, 16 from moderate, 47 from severe and 27 from very severe COPD. Significant decreases in anxiety (from 39.7 to 34.0, p < 0.001) and depression rates (from 10.7 to 6.3, p < 0.001) were observed. A statistically significant reduction in anxiety and depression was revealed (p < 0.05)at all stages of COPD. Conclusion: Pulmonary rehabilitation programs should be offered to all COPD patients irrespective of disease severity, since they all lead to improvement in anxiety and depressive symptoms.
AB - Background: The presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in COPD patients has been acknowledged for many years. The preponderance of recent studies supports the utility of pulmonary rehabilitation programs to reduce the levels of depression and anxiety in these patients. The aim of this study is to investigate possible changes in levels of anxiety and depression among patients enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, along with the role of disease severity in these changes. Methods: In 101 COPD patients, who attended a pulmonary rehabilitation program, levels of trait anxiety (STAI) and depressive symptoms (BDI) were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the program. Age, sex, level of education in years and stage of disease severity were recorded. Results: Our study included 80 male and 21 female patients. Mean age and mean education level were 64.1 ± 8.1 and 11.3 ± 4.1 years, respectively. Regarding COPD staging, 11 patients suffered from mild, 16 from moderate, 47 from severe and 27 from very severe COPD. Significant decreases in anxiety (from 39.7 to 34.0, p < 0.001) and depression rates (from 10.7 to 6.3, p < 0.001) were observed. A statistically significant reduction in anxiety and depression was revealed (p < 0.05)at all stages of COPD. Conclusion: Pulmonary rehabilitation programs should be offered to all COPD patients irrespective of disease severity, since they all lead to improvement in anxiety and depressive symptoms.
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U2 - 10.1186/2049-6958-8-41
DO - 10.1186/2049-6958-8-41
M3 - Article
C2 - 23931626
AN - SCOPUS:84879893093
VL - 8
JO - Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine
JF - Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine
SN - 1828-695X
IS - 5
M1 - 41
ER -