Psychological distress at hospital admission is related to symptoms severity and health status in malignant pleural effusion patients

• Published in: European journal of cancer care Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. e13212 - n/a
• Main Authors: Rodríguez Torres, Janet, Cabrera Martos, Irene, López López, Laura, Torres Sánchez, Irene, Granados Santiago, María, Valenza, Marie Carmen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Hindawi Limited 01-03-2020
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Breast Neoplasms - complications; Cough; Cough - physiopathology; Cough - psychology; Dyspnea; Dyspnea - physiopathology; Dyspnea - psychology; Female; Functional Status; Health risk assessment; Health Status; Hospitalization; Humans; Length of Stay; Longitudinal Studies; Lung Neoplasms - complications; Lymphoma - complications; Male; malignant pleural effusion; Middle Aged; Nursing; Pain; Pain - physiopathology; Pain - psychology; Pleural effusion; Pleural Effusion, Malignant - etiology; Pleural Effusion, Malignant - physiopathology; Pleural Effusion, Malignant - psychology; Prospective Studies; Psychological Distress; Respiration; Severity of Illness Index; Spain; symptom severity; Spain; health status; malignant pleural effusion; symptom severity; psychological distress
• ISSN: 0961-5423; 1365-2354
• DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13212

Objective
The incidence and associated healthcare costs of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) are expected to rise, but there is limited evidence about which factors affect patients' prognosis. So, the aim of this study was to determine whether psychological distress at hospital admission is associated with symptom severity and health status in patients with MPE.
Methods
A longitudinal observational prospective cohort study was carried out in the Pulmonology Service of the Granada University Hospital Complex in Granada, Spain. Patients diagnosed with MPE were included and evaluated at hospital admission, at discharge and at one month after discharge. Outcome measures included symptom severity (i.e. dyspnoea, pain and cough) and health status (functionality and self‐perceived health status).
Results
Significant differences were found in symptoms and the health status, with worse results in the group with psychological distress at discharge. One month after discharge, MPE patients with psychological distress exhibited greater symptoms, including more cough and dyspnoea (p < .05). Moreover, these patients showed worse functionality (p < .05) and self‐perceived health status (p < .05).
Conclusion
Psychological distress is an important factor to take into account in patients with MPE. The presence of psychological distress appears to increase the symptoms and is associated with worse health status after hospitalisation.