Validating the Distress Thermometer for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital have validated the Distress Thermometer (DT) as a reliable screening tool for detecting psychological distress in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study, published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine, aimed to determine the optimal cut-off score for the DT and identify factors influencing psychological distress in COPD patients. The research involved 386 stable COPD patients who completed sociodemographic questionnaires, the DT, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). The results showed that the DT score correlated highly with the total HADS score, and an optimal cut-off score of 5 was identified, yielding a Youden index of 0.815 and high sensitivity and specificity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Distress Thermometer (DT) is a valid screening tool for identifying psychological distress among COPD patients.
  • The optimal cut-off score for the DT in COPD patients is 5.
  • The DT showed high correlation with the total Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) score.
  • Risk factors for psychological distress among COPD patients include gender, number of children, educational level, frequency of exercise, GOLD degree, and number of acute exacerbations.
  • The study highlights the importance of integrating routine psychological assessments and care into the routine management of COPD to improve patient outcomes.
  • The Distress Thermometer (DT) has high sensitivity and specificity, making it a reliable measure for clinical use.
  • The study involved 386 stable COPD patients and was conducted by researchers from Chongqing University Cancer Hospital.
  • The study protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) platform, and the data can be retrieved from the DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/C3N79.

Statistics:

  • Mean DT score reported by patients is 3.77.
  • Mean total HADS score is 29.68.
  • The DT score showed a high correlation with the total HADS score (r = 0.640).
  • An optimal DT cut-off score of 5 was identified, yielding a Youden index of 0.815, sensitivity of 97.40%, and specificity of 84.14%.
  • The incidence of significant psychological distress among COPD patients is 32.1%.
  • The number of acute exacerbations among COPD patients is a significant risk factor for psychological distress.

Sources:

  • "Validation of the Distress Thermometer for detecting psychological distress in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: optimal cut-off score and influencing factors." BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 2025;25(1):377.
  • Bmc, Campus, 4 Crinan St, London N1 9XW, England (Publisher's contact information for the journal BMC Pulmonary Medicine).
  • Xiaoling Liu, Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China (Contact information for the lead author).
  • BioMed Central (www.biomedcentral.com/).
  • BMC Pulmonary Medicine (www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpulmmed/).