Multidimensional breathlessness response to exercise: Impact of COPD and healthy ageing

Hayley Lewthwaite; Pei Zhi Li; Denis E O'Donnell; Dennis Jensen

doi:10.1016/j.resp.2021.103619

Multidimensional breathlessness response to exercise: Impact of COPD and healthy ageing

Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2021 May:287:103619. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2021.103619. Epub 2021 Jan 23.

Authors

Hayley Lewthwaite¹, Pei Zhi Li², Denis E O'Donnell³, Dennis Jensen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Exercise and Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; UniSA: Allied Health and Human Performance, Innovation, Implementation And Clinical Translation in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: Hayley.Lewthwaite@mcgill.ca.
² Montreal Chest Institute, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
³ Laboratory of Clinical Exercise Physiology, Kingston Health Science Centre & Queen's University, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Clinical Exercise and Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Montreal Chest Institute, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases Program, Montréal, Canada; Research Centre for Physical Activity and Health, Faculty of Education, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.

PMID: 33497795
DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2021.103619

Abstract

This study compared the multidimensional breathlessness response to incremental cardiopulmonary cycle exercise testing (CPET) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; n = 14, aged 69 ± 9 years, forced expiratory volume in 1-sec = 54 ± 16 % predicted) and healthy older (OA) (n = 35, aged 68 ± 5 years) and younger (YA) (n = 19, aged 28 ± 8 years) adults. Participants performed CPET and successively rated overall breathlessness intensity, unsatisfied inspiration, breathing too shallow, work/effort of breathing, and breathlessness-related unpleasantness, fear, and anxiety using the 0-10 Borg scale. At any given percent predicted peak minute ventilation, people with COPD rated all breathlessness sensations higher than OA and YAs, who were similar. Most between group differences disappeared when examined in relation to inspiratory reserve volume, except people with COPD reported higher levels of unsatisfied inspiration and breathing too shallow (vs YA), and breathlessness-related fear and anxiety (vs OA and YAs). Multidimensional ratings of breathlessness sensations during CPET provides further insight into differences in exertional symptom perceptions among people with COPD and without COPD.

Keywords: CPET; Cardiopulmonary exercise testing; Dyspnea; Exercise testing; Symptoms.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aging / physiology*
Dyspnea / physiopathology*
Exercise / physiology*
Exercise Test
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / physiopathology*
Young Adult