Exertional multidimensional dyspnoea predicts exacerbation in stable outpatients with COPD

Abstract

Dyspnoea is a risk factor for mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [1]. Awareness of the magnitude of respiratory drive to the respiratory muscles contributes to dyspnoea [2]. In line with this mechanism, elevated respiratory neural drive during hospitalisation and at hospital discharge, predicts readmission and mortality in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD [3, 4]. Furthermore, patients with COPD who experienced frequent exacerbations had heightened dyspnoea due to hypercapnia, compared with those with infrequent exacerbations [5]. Therefore, changes in the afferent and efferent loops involved in dyspnoea contribute to COPD exacerbations.