The Sisyphean breath: role of anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance in dyspnea among adults with asthma and COPD

• Published in: The Journal of asthma 2025-01, Vol.62 (1), p.64-9
• Main Authors: Bakshi, Shreya, Puar, Sonia, Bose, P P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety - psychology; Asthma - complications; Asthma - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dyspnea - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - complications; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - psychology; Severity of Illness Index; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology
• ISSN: 0277-0903; 1532-4303; 1532-4303
• DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2024.2387739

Asthma and COPD are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, impacting over 260 million people and causing over 3 million deaths globally (Momtaz-Manesh, S. et al., 2023). Pulmonary symptoms can impair tolerance and increase the negative attribution of anxiety sensations. Reciprocally, anxiety associated with dyspnea can induce hyperventilation. This perpetuates a cycle of symptom exacerbation and poor treatment adherence. Managing labored breathing is challenging due to its subjective nature. Dyspnea is a sufferer's endless pursuit to breathe, rendering its experience as truly, "Sisyphean." This study explored the role of anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance in dyspnea among adults with asthma and COPD (  = 107). A single-group cross-sectional research design was used. Data from pulmonologist-diagnosed adults with asthma and COPD were collected across various clinics in Delhi-NCR. It was found that anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance and dyspnea were strongly correlated. Also, an increase in anxiety sensitivity was strongly predictive of dyspnea severity. Further, distress tolerance acted as a partial mediator between anxiety sensitivity and dyspnea. Improving distress tolerance can act as an adjuvant in effective dyspnea management.