Quality of life associated with breathlessness in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study: a cross-sectional analysis
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction
Evidence of an association between breathlessness and quality of life from population-based studies is limited. We aimed to investigate the association of both physical and mental quality of life with breathlessness across several low-, middle- and high-income countries.
Methods
We analysed data from 19 714 adults (31 sites, 25 countries) from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. We measured both mental and physical quality of life components using the SF-12 questionnaire, and defined breathlessness as grade ≥2 on the modified Medical Research Council scale. We used multivariable linear regression to assess the association of each quality-of-life component with breathlessness. We pooled site-specific estimates using random-effects meta-analysis.
Results
Both physical and mental component scores were lower in participants with breathlessness compared to those without. This association was stronger for the physical component (coefficient = −7.59; 95%CI −8.60, −6.58; I2 = 78.5%) than for the mental component (coefficient = −3.50; 95%CI −4.36, −2.63; I2 = 71.4%). The association between physical component and breathlessness was stronger in high-income countries (coefficient = −8.82; 95%CI −10.15, −7.50). Heterogeneity across sites was partly explained by sex and tobacco smoking.
Conclusion
Quality of life is worse in people with breathlessness, but this association varies widely across the world.
Evidence of an association between breathlessness and quality of life from population-based studies is limited. We aimed to investigate the association of both physical and mental quality of life with breathlessness across several low-, middle- and high-income countries.
Methods
We analysed data from 19 714 adults (31 sites, 25 countries) from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. We measured both mental and physical quality of life components using the SF-12 questionnaire, and defined breathlessness as grade ≥2 on the modified Medical Research Council scale. We used multivariable linear regression to assess the association of each quality-of-life component with breathlessness. We pooled site-specific estimates using random-effects meta-analysis.
Results
Both physical and mental component scores were lower in participants with breathlessness compared to those without. This association was stronger for the physical component (coefficient = −7.59; 95%CI −8.60, −6.58; I2 = 78.5%) than for the mental component (coefficient = −3.50; 95%CI −4.36, −2.63; I2 = 71.4%). The association between physical component and breathlessness was stronger in high-income countries (coefficient = −8.82; 95%CI −10.15, −7.50). Heterogeneity across sites was partly explained by sex and tobacco smoking.
Conclusion
Quality of life is worse in people with breathlessness, but this association varies widely across the world.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-02-06
Citation
Pulmonology, 2025, 31 (1)
ISSN
2531-0429
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Journal / Book Title
Pulmonology
Volume
31
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
License URL
Identifier
10.1080/25310429.2025.2470566
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
2470566
Date Publish Online
2025-04-02