The association of comorbid anxiety and depression with asthma-related quality of life and symptom perception in adults.

Background And Objective: There are limited data on the association and interaction between anxiety and depression comorbidity and asthma-related quality of life (AQOL) and symptom perception. This study evaluated these associations in patients subsequent to an emergency department (ED) visit for asthma.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 110 (38 male) adult asthma patients (mean age 42 years), who had visited an ED in the previous 18 months.

Anxiety, panic and adult asthma: a cognitive-behavioral perspective.

A review of previous research suggests increased probability of the prevalence of anxiety disorders, and particularly panic disorder and panic attacks in patients with asthma, as compared to a normal population. Research also indicates significant levels of co-morbidity between asthma and anxiety as measured on dimensional scales of anxiety and panic. Clinical anxiety and panic manifestations affect symptom perception and asthma management through the effects of anxiety symptoms such as hyperventilation, and indirectly through self-management behavior and physician response.