Anxiety and depression in bronchiectasis: Response to pulmonary rehabilitation and minimal clinically important difference of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

The aims of the study were to evaluate the responsiveness of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A) subscale and HADS-Depression (HADS-D) subscale to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with bronchiectasis compared to a matched group of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and provide estimates of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of HADS-A and HADS-D in bronchiectasis. Patients with bronchiectasis and at least mild anxiety or depression (HADS-A ≥ 8 or/and HADS-D ≥ 8), as well as a propensity score-matched control group of patients with COPD, underwent an 8-week outpatient PR programme (two supervised sessions per week). Within- and between-group changes were calculated in response to PR. Anchor- and distribution-based methods were used to estimate the MCID. HADS-A and HADS-D improved in response to PR in both patients with bronchiectasis and those with COPD (median (25th, 75th centile)/mean (95% confidence interval) change: HADS-A change: bronchiectasis -2 (-5, 0), COPD -2 (-4, 0); p = 0.43 and HADS-D change: bronchiectasis -2 (-2 to -1), COPD -2 (-3 to -2); p = 0.16). Using 26 estimates, the MCID for HADS-A and HADS-D was -2 points. HADS-A and HADS-D are responsive to PR in patients with bronchiectasis and symptoms of mood disorder, with an MCID estimate of -2 points.

Pulmonary rehabilitation in bronchiectasis: a propensity-matched study.

International guidelines recommend pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with bronchiectasis, supported by small trials and data extrapolated from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is unknown whether real-life data on completion rates and response to pulmonary rehabilitation are similar between patients with bronchiectasis and COPD.Using propensity score matching, 213 consecutive patients with bronchiectasis referred for a supervised pulmonary rehabilitation programme were matched 1:1 with a control group of 213 patients with COPD. Completion rates, change in incremental shuttle walk (ISW) distance and change in Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) score with pulmonary rehabilitation were compared between groups.Completion rate was the same in both groups (74%). Improvements in ISW distance and most domains of the CRQ with pulmonary rehabilitation were similar between the bronchiectasis and COPD groups (ISW distance: 70 versus 63 m; CRQ-Dyspnoea: 4.8 versus 5.3; CRQ-Emotional Function: 3.5 versus 4.6; CRQ-Mastery: 2.3 versus 2.9; all p>0.20). However, improvements in CRQ-Fatigue with pulmonary rehabilitation were greater in the COPD group (bronchiectasis 2.1 versus COPD 3.3; p=0.02).In a real-life, propensity-matched control study, patients with bronchiectasis show similar completion rates and improvements in exercise and health status outcomes as patients with COPD. This supports the routine clinical provision of pulmonary rehabilitation to patients with bronchiectasis.