Emotions and respiratory function in asthma: a comparison of findings in everyday life and laboratory

Abstract

Objectives: The present study examined the influence of emotions on the respiratory function in asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals in everyday life and the relationship to emotion-induced respiratory changes in the laboratory.

Methods: Affective states were induced in 10 asthmatic and 10 non-asthmatic participants by viewing affective picture series of either a pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant valence, while airway resistance (Raw) was measured with whole body plethysmography. Following this, individuals measured their mood, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), physical activity, and medication use for 21 days with an electronic diary, which included a respiratory self-measurement device. Strong pleasant and unpleasant mood episodes were extracted from the diaries and compared with neutral affective states.

Results: Asthmatic patients showed increases of Raw after unpleasant and pleasant emotional stimulation in the laboratory, which was only found after a pleasant stimulation in non-asthmatic participants. In everyday life, no group differences were obtained. Episodes of strong unpleasant mood states were associated with decreases in PEF, whereas in contrast to the laboratory assessment, pleasant mood was associated with increases in PEF. Results for FEV1 were comparable, but non-significant. Physical activity and medication use did not vary systematically between affective episodes. PEF showed no significant relationship with Raw.

Conclusions: Unpleasant mood is associated with decreased respiratory function in asthmatic patients in everyday life and in laboratory assessments, whereas effects of pleasant mood states are inconsistent. Pulmonary responses to laboratory-induced emotional conditions are not predictive of airways reactivity during daily life.