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P122 The relationship between breathlessness and loneliness in individuals with chronic respiratory disease

thoraxjnl · 2025-11-02 · canonical JSON source

11 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Background Breathlessness is one of the most common and disabling symptoms of chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, asthma, and interstitial lung disease. It impacts physical activity, mental health and quality of life. Loneliness is also related to poor health outcomes, including increased healthcare use, morbidity and mortality. Qualitative research suggests breathlessness causes loneliness through reducing the quantity and quality of social activities, however quantitative research is lacking. We hypothesised that breathlessness would be associated with loneliness in people with chronic respiratory diseases.Methods Using data from the Asthma + Lung UK ‘Life with Lung Condition’ survey 2025 we analysed the relationship between breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale) as a continuous variable and a binary variable (≥1 indicating breathlessness), with loneliness (3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale, continuous with 3 not lonely to 9 very lonely, and dichotomised with lonely ≥6). Associations were examined using linear and logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, income, and comorbidities.Results A total of 9,350 participants (aged ≥18, with chronic respiratory disease) were included in the descriptive analysis (mean age: 65 years; 28.4% male; 91.6% White) and 6,034 in regression analyses. Higher levels of breathlessness were associated with loneliness: (coef: 0.439, 95% CI= 0.39 to 0.48, p <0.001). In subgroup analyses, relationships were materially consistent in analyses of single conditions including COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and ILD (coef: 0.334, 95% CI= 0.26 to 0.39, 0.447, 95% CI= 0.39 to 0.50, 0.358, 95% CI= 0.25 to 0.46, 0. 388 95% CI= 0.23 to 0.54, p <0.001) These associations remained significant even after adjusting for potential demographic and clinical confounders.Abstract P122 Table 1Regression analyses of the association of breathlessness and lonelinessConclusion In adults with chronic respiratory disease, increased breathlessness was associated with higher levels of loneliness, suggesting that breathlessness may negatively impact aspects of social wellbeing such as loneliness. These findings highlight the need for holistic management and policy.