{"title":"Breathlessness catastrophizing and influencing factors study of elderly COPD patients: A latent profile analysis.","authors":"Chenmeng Wei, Yuye Zhang, Qiufang Li, Xiaokai Wang, Na Song, Tianci Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.rmed.2026.109219","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranks among the leading global causes of death, with elderly patients facing heightened risks due to age-related declines in lung function. Breathlessness catastrophizing (BC), a negative cognitive response to dyspnea including rumination, magnification. Understanding the heterogeneity of BC in elderly COPD patients is essential for developing targeted interventions.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>The objective of this study was to identify subgroups of elderly COPD patients with breathlessness catastrophizing through latent profile analysis (LPA) and to explore the related influencing factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The data of 225 elderly patients with COPD were collected and analyzed. The collected data included the demographic and clinical factors, and the patients were assessed with the Breathlessness Catastrophizing Scale(BCS), the COPD Self-Efficacy Scale(CSES) and the Ruminative Response Scale(RRS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study identified three breathlessness catastrophizing subgroups: Low Breathlessness Catastrophizing Type(44.4%), Moderate Breathlessness Catastrophizing Type(25.8%), and High Breathlessness Catastrophizing Type(29.8%). Three factors were significantly associated with subgroups: number of COPD exacerbations in the past year, COPD self-efficacy, and rumination response (all p < 0.05). Education level and daily steps significantly influenced the low breathlessness catastrophizing type (all p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Elderly COPD patients exhibit heterogeneity in breathlessness catastrophizing patterns. Factors including low education levels, frequent acute exacerbations, physical inactivity, diminished self-efficacy, and excessive rumination significantly increase the risk of severe breathlessness catastrophizing. Intervention strategies should prioritize enhancing self-efficacy, managing rumination, promoting physical activity, and implementing personalized approaches for different subgroups with breathlessness catastrophizing. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for reducing breathlessness catastrophizing and improving health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":21057,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"109219"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Respiratory medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2026.109219","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranks among the leading global causes of death, with elderly patients facing heightened risks due to age-related declines in lung function. Breathlessness catastrophizing (BC), a negative cognitive response to dyspnea including rumination, magnification. Understanding the heterogeneity of BC in elderly COPD patients is essential for developing targeted interventions.
Aims: The objective of this study was to identify subgroups of elderly COPD patients with breathlessness catastrophizing through latent profile analysis (LPA) and to explore the related influencing factors.
Methods: The data of 225 elderly patients with COPD were collected and analyzed. The collected data included the demographic and clinical factors, and the patients were assessed with the Breathlessness Catastrophizing Scale(BCS), the COPD Self-Efficacy Scale(CSES) and the Ruminative Response Scale(RRS).
Results: The study identified three breathlessness catastrophizing subgroups: Low Breathlessness Catastrophizing Type(44.4%), Moderate Breathlessness Catastrophizing Type(25.8%), and High Breathlessness Catastrophizing Type(29.8%). Three factors were significantly associated with subgroups: number of COPD exacerbations in the past year, COPD self-efficacy, and rumination response (all p < 0.05). Education level and daily steps significantly influenced the low breathlessness catastrophizing type (all p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Elderly COPD patients exhibit heterogeneity in breathlessness catastrophizing patterns. Factors including low education levels, frequent acute exacerbations, physical inactivity, diminished self-efficacy, and excessive rumination significantly increase the risk of severe breathlessness catastrophizing. Intervention strategies should prioritize enhancing self-efficacy, managing rumination, promoting physical activity, and implementing personalized approaches for different subgroups with breathlessness catastrophizing. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for reducing breathlessness catastrophizing and improving health outcomes.
期刊介绍：
Respiratory Medicine is an internationally-renowned journal devoted to the rapid publication of clinically-relevant respiratory medicine research. It combines cutting-edge original research with state-of-the-art reviews dealing with all aspects of respiratory diseases and therapeutic interventions. Topics include adult and paediatric medicine, epidemiology, immunology and cell biology, physiology, occupational disorders, and the role of allergens and pollutants.
Respiratory Medicine is increasingly the journal of choice for publication of phased trial work, commenting on effectiveness, dosage and methods of action.
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