Type A Behavior Pattern, Impulsiveness, Risk Propensity, and Empathy as Predictors of Dyspnea and Number of Infections in Men with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

BackgroundStress and psychological factors can induce dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to assess selected elements of the clinical presentation of COPD in the context of the severity of type A pattern of behavior, impulsiveness, and tendency for empathy.Material/MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. The study group consisted of 179 men with COPD and the control group consisted of 31 healthy male smokers. In all patients, the number of infectious exacerbations over the past year, the result on the dyspnea scale (MRC), and the FEV1-to-predicted FEV1 ratio was assessed. The A pattern of behavior was measured using the Type A scale. To measure impulsivity, risk propensity, and empathy, the IVE impulsivity questionnaire was used.ResultsAn increase in the number of infectious exacerbations was associated with an increased score on the Type A scale, an increase in risk propensity, and a decrease in impulsivity score. Increased severity of dyspnea was associated with an increase in Type A behavior pattern score and an increase in the risk propensity score.ConclusionsType A behavior pattern and risk propensity are independent predictors of the number of infections in the last year and of the subjective severity of dyspnea among men with COPD and healthy male smokers.

Biobehavioral approach to distinguishing panic symptoms from medical illness

“…Neuroimaging studies indicate that habituation to dyspnea is influenced by an individual’s level of anxiety in that individuals with low anxiety are more likely to habituate ( 111 ). Personality traits such as neuroticism correlate positively with dyspnea intensity ( 112 , 113 ).…”

Differences between experienced and recalled breathlessness: a review

“…Recalled breathlessness was shown to be associated with physical factors, such as lung volumes [40,45], overweight [OR 2.05 (1.22-3.43)] [35,[38][39][40]42], smoking [35], frailty [43] ], and behavior [41]. Recalled breathlessness was also associated with having different conditions, such as diabetes [35], angina pectoris [35] and with elevated NT-proBNP [42], a marker for heart failure, and also with social factors, such as marital and occupational status [38] (Table 1).…”