Psychosomatic Medicine 34:405-423 (1972)
© 1972 American Psychosomatic Society

Dyspnea: Psychophysiologic Relationships

¹ Psychiatrische Klinik Schlössli, Oetwil am See-Zürich, Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Bern, and Pneumonologische Abteilung der Medizinischen Universitätsklinik Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Address for reprint requests: PD Dr. E. Heim, Chefarzt, Psychiatrische Klinik Schlossli, 8618 Oetvvil am See-Zurich, Switzerland.

In 63 subjects (one-third each: asthmatics, patients with psychogenic respiratory disturbances and normal controls) dyspnea was elicited by a bronchoconstrictive stimulus. Before and after stimulation, the airway resistance (by whole-body plethysmograph), the first-second value and vital capacity (by spirometer) and the breath-holding time were determined. In addition, self-ratings of breathlessness were compared with the results of respiratory function tests for relative deviation. Three hypotheses were confirmed. a) A psychologic prediction (DP) of the capacity of a subject to rate his dyspnea (SDS) proved correct (r = 0.68; P < 0.001). b) The three study groups could be significantly discriminated in respect to respiratory functioning, psychologic evaluation and self-rating of breathlessness. c) A significant relationship between self-evaluation and respiratory functioning proved the measurement of airway resistance to be the most reliable test, followed by first-second value and vital capacity by spirometer and breath-holding time; the two latter were strongly dependent on subjective influence. The results confirmed the importance of psychologic factors in eliciting, self-rating and reaction to dyspnea.

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