Mood, quality of life and functional exercise capacity in patients with lung cancer and comorbid hypertension

Background: A more profound investigation of the impact of specific comorbidities in patients with lung cancer is needed. We aimed to compare symptoms of anxiety and depression, quality of life, and functional exercise capacity between patients with lung cancer with and without hypertension. Methods: 48 patients with lung cancer (mean age 60 ± 12 years, 21 male, 26 cancer stage Ia or Ib) were cross-sectionally assessed. Hypertension was identified based on self-reports. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed with the Beck inventory, while quality of life was assessed with the medical outcomes short-form 36 (SF-36) and functional exercise capacity with the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Results: 21 patients (44%) reported hypertension. These patients had similar symptoms of anxiety (median (IQR), 6 (3 – 11) vs 7 (3 – 11) points, P=0,91) and depression (mean ± SD, 11 ± 8 vs 11 ± 8 points, P=0,94) compared to those without hypertension, respectively. Similar quality of life was also found between patients with and without hypertension (P>0.05). Patients with hypertension had the shortest distance in the 6MWT (mean ± SD, 464 ± 90 vs 534 ± 102 m, P=0,02). Conclusion: Patients with lung cancer and comorbid hypertension had poorer functional exercise capacity than those without hypertension, despite similar symptoms of anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Hypertension in these patients seems to affect physical performance outcomes more than psychological outcomes.