REspiratory reHABilitation and PSYchiatric Comorbidities

Patients with respiratory insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, bronchiectasis, and, to a lesser extent, other pathologies that result in respiratory insufficiency and require rehabilitation are admitted to in-hospital Respiratory Rehabilitation. Several studies have assessed the impact of comorbidities in the most frequent respiratory diseases such as COPD, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and cystic fibrosis in terms of worsening mortality, morbidity, and disease progression. However, to our knowledge, there is no reliable quantification in Italy of the percentage of the presence of mental disorders (psychiatric/neurodegenerative) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Diploma in Social Medicine (DSM)-5 classification in respiratory patients as well as the prevalence of mental disorders present among patients requiring in-hospital rehabilitation programs. The study hypothesizes that these disorders are present among patients admitted to rehabilitation centers and that they may impact the final rehabilitation outcome.