Association of anxiety sensitivity-physical concerns and FVC with dyspnea severity in sarcoidosis

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship of an objective functional lung parameter (FVC) and a subjective psychological factor (physical symptom concerns) with dyspnea in sarcoidosis. Dyspnea constitutes one of the most common and burdensome symptoms in sarcoidosis, yet little is known about its mechanisms and, in particular, psychological. Method: A total of 107 hospitalized sarcoidosis patients (Female = 50, M-age= 45.3 years) volunteered to take part in the correlational research study. Participants underwent spirometry and completed the MRC Dyspnea Scale and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI) questionnaire. Linear hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the studied predictors and dyspnea severity. Results: The best fitting model predicted 18% of variance in dyspnea severity. Physical symptom concerns subscale of ASI (beta = 0.24) and FVC (beta =-0.23) were significantly related to dyspnea MRC severity, but only physical concerns remained significantly related to dyspnea when both predictors were in the model. Conclusions: The current results suggest that both psychological and physiological factors should be taken into account when explaining subjective dyspnea severity in sarcoidosis. More specifically, these findings call for including cognitive vulnerability factors related to anxiety (physical symptom concerns) into the diagnostic procedures and management of dyspnea in sarcoidosis.