The role of anxiety sensitivity in exercise tolerance and anxiety and depressive symptoms among individuals seeking treatment in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation

ABSTRACT

The aim of the current cross-sectional study was to examine the effects of specific anxiety sensitivity (AS) dimensions (AS -Physical, -Cognitive, and -Social concerns) on exercise tolerance (i.e. 6-minute walk test) and factors that interfere with cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (CPR) and exercise adherence (i.e. depression and anxiety symptoms) among individuals seeking treatment in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (CPR). Participants were 69 individuals (65.2% male, M_age = 63.60, SD = 12.55, Range = 27–85 years) with various cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions meeting criteria for CPR entry, who presented for an intake appointment at an outpatient phase 2 CPR clinic. Higher levels of AS-Physical and-Social concerns were significantly associated with poorer exercise tolerance and greater generalized anxiety symptoms, respectively. Though none of the AS dimensions were significant individual predictors, they were collectively associated with greater depressive symptoms. Future work should assess whether it may be useful to target AS in some patients prior to or throughout CPR.

KEYWORDS:

• anxiety sensitivity
• cardiopulmonary
• anxiety
• depression
• exercise tolerance

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Notes

1. Separate models were constructed to assess the predicative ability of the AS-Total score on exercise tolerance and depressive and anxiety symptoms. AS-Total was a significant predictor of anxiety and depressive symptoms above and beyond covariates, but not exercise tolerance. Results are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Additional information

Funding

Kristen Kraemer was supported by the NIH under Grant T32AT000051.