HYPERVENTILATION SYNDROME AND BRONCHIAL ASTHMA: ROLE OF VERBAL DYSPNEA CHARACTERISTICS IN DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

Abstract

Aim. To investigate verbal dyspnea characteristics in patients with bronchial asthma (BA) and hyperventilation syndrome (HVS). Material and methods. The trial covered 52 patients with BA, 10 patients with BA combination with HVS and 18 patients with HVS. Verbal dyspnea characteristics were studied with P.M. Simon questionnaire. The examination of the patients was made using scale HADS, Naimigen questionnaire, bodyplethysmography, bronchodilation test, capnography with spontaneous hyperventilation test, analysis of arterial blood gas composition. Results. Most commonly BA patients characterized dyspnea with such words as " I am breathless" (n=8, 33.3%), "I breathe with effort" (n=6, 25%) and "I feel suffocation" (n = 6, 25%). HVS patients characterized their dyspnea most often as "air shortage" (n = 14, 77.8%), "I can’t take a deep breath" (n = 10, 55.6%), "breathing needs concentration" (n = 6, 33.3%) and "I have to grasp air with mouth" (n = 5, 17.9%). The latter description correlated with capnometric markers of HVS and responses to Naimigen questionnaire. The description "I feel suffocation" directly correlated with BA stage by GINA and bronchial obstruction severity. Conclusion. Verbal dyspnea characteristics differ in BA and HVS patients and this can be used in differential diagnosis of these conditions.

Keywords

• hyperventilation syndrome
• dyspnea
• verbal dyspnea characteristics
• bronchial asthma
• capnometry
• hypocapnia