Baseline characteristics
| CBT group | Leaflet group | Total patients | |
| Subjects n | 139 | 140 | 279 |
| Mean±sd age years | 66±10.2 | 67±9.6 | 66.5±9.9 |
| Males/females | 61 (44)/78 (56) | 67 (48)/73 (52) | 128 (46)/151 (54) |
| Ethnic group, Caucasian | 139 (100) | 140 (100) | 279 (100) |
| Mean±sd HADS-Anxiety Subscale | 12.3±3.19 | 12.0±2.94 | 12.2±3.06 |
| HADS-Anxiety Subscale 8–10 | 51 (37) | 49 (35) | 100 (36) |
| HADS-Anxiety Subscale 11–14 | 52 (37) | 63 (45) | 115 (41) |
| HADS-Anxiety Subscale 15–21 | 36 (26) | 28 (20) | 64 (23) |
| Mean±sd HADS-Depression Subscale | 9.2±4.0 | 8.8±3.7 | 9.0±3.85 |
| Severity of airflow obstruction based on GOLD criteria | |||
| Mild | 16 (11) | 13 (9) | 29 (10) |
| Moderate | 44 (32) | 47 (34) | 91 (33) |
| Severe | 50 (36) | 49 (35) | 99 (35) |
| Very Severe | 29 (21) | 31 (22) | 60 (22) |
| MRC Breathlessness score | |||
| 0–2 | 8 (6) | 12 (9) | 20 (7) |
| 3 | 25 (18) | 19 (14) | 44 (16) |
| 4 | 39 (28) | 44 (31) | 83 (30) |
| 5 | 67 (48) | 65 (46) | 132 (47) |
| Current smoker | 39 (28) | 40 (29) | 79 (28) |
| Mean±sd BMI kg·m−2 | 26±6.4 | 27±6.0 | 26.5±6.22 |
| No educational qualifications | 100 (72) | 103 (74) | 203 (73) |
Data are presented as n (%), unless otherwise stated. CBT: cognitive behavioural therapy; HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; GOLD: Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; MRC: Medical Research Council; BMI: body mass index.