Journal of International Psychiatry

[Abstract] Objective To explore the effect of group breathing rehabilitation exercises on the anxiety, depression and lung function of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) combined with pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods Seventy-six patients who had obvious anxiety or depression with RA combined with IPF in our hospital from March 2019 to March 2021 were the subjects of this study. They were randomly divided into two groups, and both groups were treated with conventional drugs. The control group carried out resistance breathing exercise training, and the observation group used group breathing rehabilitation exercises. Comparison of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC and St. George’s Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) before and after the intervention. Results After the intervention, the SAS score, SDS score, and SGRQ score of the two groups were significantly reduced, and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). After the intervention, the FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC of the two groups of patients increased significantly, and the pulmonary function indexes of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion Group breathing rehabilitation exercises can not only improve the lung function and quality of life of patients with RA combined with IPF, but also reduce the patients negative emotions such as anxiety and depression.

Key words Group Breathing Rehabilitation Exercises; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Pulmonary Interstitial Fibrosis; Anxiety; Depression; Lung Function