Sensations of dyspnea in patients with acute lobar atelectasis

Abstract

Dyspnea is a subjective symptom, a symptom which is presumably experienced differently depending upon the underlying pathology. Most previous research on dyspnea symptom perception has been done in patients with chronic lung diseases. The present study investigated symptom perception in a group of 24 subjects with acute respiratory disease, acute lobar atelectasis. Patients were surveyed within 48 hours of deve.lopment of atelectasis. Visual analogue scales for dyspnea and distress \\1th breathing were used to identify symptom intensity. Subjects also identified terms which best described their breathing. Results demonstrated patients with atelectasis do perceive dyspnea and distress with breathing, although at a lesser intensity than levels published for subjects with chronic disease. The terms used to describe dyspnea were subjected to factor analysis. Seven symptom clusters were identified. The clusters identified were different than those previously identified in the literature for asthm~ interstitial disease, and others.