The following is a summary of “Coping styles with stress and its relations to psychiatric and clinical symptoms in patients with sarcoidosis: A latent profile analysis,” published in the March 2023 issue of Pulmonology by Holas, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to evaluate coping strategies and their relation to emotional distress and clinical symptoms in sarcoidosis patients, as stress and coping styles can significantly impact one’s health and the course and management of chronic diseases.

Two consecutive studies were conducted to investigate coping styles in sarcoidosis patients compared to healthy control subjects and to determine the association of identified coping profiles with an objective measurement of disease (Forced Vital Capacity) and symptoms such as dyspnoea, pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The studies included 36 and 93 patients with sarcoidosis, respectively.

The results from both studies indicated that sarcoidosis patients used emotion-focused and avoidant coping significantly less often than healthy individuals. The coping profile with the dominant problem (task)-focused style was found to be the most beneficial in terms of mental health for both groups. Additionally, the profile of sarcoidosis patients characterized by the lowest intensity of all coping strategies was superior regarding physical health status, including dyspnoea, pain, and FVC level.

The study findings suggested that successful management of sarcoidosis should include an assessment of coping styles and highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and treatment of sarcoidosis patients.

Reference: resmedjournal.com/article/S0954-6111(23)00059-8/fulltext