Cited by 64Asthma and respiratory diseasesPsychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsPain Management and Placebo Effect

Can subjective asthma symptoms be learned?

De Peuter, Steven, Van Diest, Ilse, Lemaigre, Valentine, Li, Wan, Verleden, Geert, Demedts, Maurits, Van den Bergh, Omer·2005·Psychosomatic Medicine

Abstract

Objective: We investigated whether perception of subjective asthma symptoms can be brought under control of biomedically irrelevant cues in the environment, i.e., whether subjective asthma symptoms can be learned in response to harmless stimuli. Methods: Twenty patients with asthma and 20 healthy participants were presented with two placebo-inhalers presented as new chemicals for diagnosing asthma. One inhaler was coupled three times with rebreathing 5% CO2 in oxygen, the other inhaler was coupled three times with rebreathing oxygen. In the subsequent test phase, both inhalers were coupled once with oxygen. We assessed airway resistance and subjective symptoms throughout the study. Results: Both groups expected and reported more symptoms with the inhaler that was previously associated with the CO2 trials compared with trials with the inhaler that was used on trials without CO2 without concomitant effects on respiratory resistance. The learning effects were most pronounced in a subgroup of patients reporting symptoms of hyperventilation during asthma exacerbations in daily life. Conclusions: Subjective respiratory symptoms can be learned in response to harmless stimuli and a substantial proportion of patients with asthma might be especially vulnerable to this phenomenon. Because asthma patients rely mainly on perceived symptoms for their medication use, it is likely that they will take reliever medication based on expected symptoms instead of real exacerbations of respiratory dysfunction. ASC = Asthma Symptom Checklist; ANX = ASC anxiety subscale; DYS = ASC dyspnea subscale; FAT = ASC fatigue subscale; FOT = forced oscillation technique; HYP = ASC hyperventilation subscale; IRR = ASC irritability subscale; NA = negative affectivity; OBS = ASC obstruction subscale; VAS = visual analog scale.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1097/01.psy.0000160470.43167.e2

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Authors
De Peuter, S., Van Diest, I., Lemaigre, V., Li, W., Verleden, G., Demedts, M., & Van den Bergh, O.
Affiliations
KU Leuven (BE)
Venue
Psychosomatic Medicine
Published
2005-05
Volume
67
Issue
3
Pages
454-461
ISSN
0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2083704758
Cited by
64
References
50
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 3
FWCI
3.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
Keywords
asthma, subjective symptoms, rebreathing, hyperventilation, airway resistance, asthma exacerbations, medication use, psychosomatic factors
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Airway Obstruction, Anxiety, Association Learning, Asthma, Carbon Dioxide, Dyspnea, Fatigue, Female, Gases, Humans, Hyperventilation, Male, Nebulizers and Vaporizers, Perception, Respiratory Function Tests, Anti-Asthmatic Agents

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