Table 4.
Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for having moderate-to-severe dyspnea, according to cardiorespiratory and non-cardiorespiratory impairments
| Impairment a | Moderate-to-severe dyspnea b | |
|---|---|---|
| Unadjusted OR (95% CI) c |
Adjusted OR (95% CI) d |
|
| Cardiorespiratory | ||
| Restrictive-pattern | 2.65 (2.21, 3.17) | See footnote e |
| Airflow-obstruction | 2.94 (2.23, 3.87) | |
| FEV1<LLN | 3.51 (2.97, 4.15) | 2.88 (2.37, 3.49) |
| Respiratory muscle weakness (MIP<LLN) | 2.39 (1.86, 3.07) | 1.60 (1.20, 2.14) |
| LVEF 45-54% | 1.97 (1.46, 2.67) | 1.71 (1.22, 2.40) |
| LVEF<45% | 2.83 (2.02, 3.97) | 2.12 (1.43, 3.16) |
| Diastolic dysfunction | 1.79 (1.51, 2.12) | 1.32 (1.08, 1.61) |
| Peripheral artery disease | 1.79 (1.45, 2.21) | 1.19, (0.93, 1.53) |
| Orthostasis | 1.31 (1.08, 1.59) | 1.18 (0.95, 1.47) |
| Hypertension | 1.49 (1.27, 1.74) | 0.91 (0.74, 1.11) |
| Non-cardiorespiratory | ||
| Low SMI | 1.07 (0.85, 1.35) | 0.95 (0.73, 1.25) |
| Grip weakness | 1.99 (1.67, 2.36) | 1.31 (1.06, 1.61) |
| Single chair stand | 3.42 (2.74, 4.27) | 2.10 (1.61, 2.73) |
| Depressive symptoms | 3.89 (2.63, 5.74) | 2.02 (1.26, 3.23) |
| Anxiety symptoms | 1.97 (1.63, 2.39) | 1.54 (1.22, 1.93) |
| Cognitive impairment | 1.83 (1.35, 2.49) | 1.00 (0.69, 1.45) |
| Cardiovascular medication | 2.11 (1.80, 2.47) | 1.65 (1.35, 2.01) |
| Psychoactive medication | 2.11 (1.73, 2.58) | 1.71 (1.35, 2.15) |
| Anemia | 1.35 (1.06, 1.72) | 1.03 (0.78, 1.38) |
| Kidney disease | 1.75 (1.31, 2.34) | 1.18 (0.82, 1.68) |
| Obesity | 2.23 (1.86, 2.67) | 2.07 (1.67, 2.55) |
| Unintentional weight loss | 2.20 (1.63, 2.97) | 1.31 (0.91, 1.87) |
Abbreviations: ATS (American Thoracic Society), CI (confidence interval), FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1-second), LLN (lower limit of normal), LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction), OR (odds ratios), SMI (skeletal muscle index).
See footnotes to Tables 2 and 3, regarding diagnostic criteria for establishing the presence vs. absence of an impairment.
Grade ≥2 on ATS Adult Questionnaire.
From logistic regression models that evaluated separately each impairment.
From a multivariable logistic regression model that included all impairments and was additionally adjusted for age, sex, race, education, and smoking status.
Restrictive-pattern and airflow-obstruction were highly correlated with FEV1<LLN; the magnitude of the correlation was 0.66 and 0.68, respectively. Accordingly, because exertional dyspnea was the outcome of interest and because FEV1 is associated with the maximal attainable ventilation during exercise,12,14 FEV1<LLN was entered into the adjusted multivariable analysis, but not restrictive-pattern and airflow-obstruction.