coefficient was used instead (Table 2).
Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed
to identify those variables that could best predict
the dyspnea assessed by the BDI score. The FEV1
(L) and IC/predicted TLC, the airflow limitation and
static hyperinflation characteristics with the strongest
simple correlations with dyspnea in Table 2, as well as
six other independent variables from Table 1 were
included. We found out that the airflow limitation
(FEV1) and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide
(DLco) significantly accounted for 26.2% and 14.4% of
the variance, respectively (Table 3).