Changes in quality of life, sleep quality, and anxiety following tracheobronchial stenting in patients with central airway obstruction: A retrospective observational study

Central airway obstruction (CAO) severely impairs respiratory function and psychosocial well-being. This study evaluated the impact of tracheobronchial stenting on quality of life, sleep quality, and anxiety levels in patients with CAO. This retrospective observational study included 106 patients (63.2% male) who underwent tracheobronchial stenting between January and September 2024. Patients were assessed 1 day before and 1 month after the procedure using the Short Form-36, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Significant improvements were observed in all Short Form-36 subscales ( P < .001), except for mental health ( P = .094). The largest improvement was observed in physical functioning, with median scores increasing from 22.5 to 80.0. Median BAI scores decreased from 38 to 22, and PSQI scores improved from 15 to 10 ( P < .001 for both). Effect size analysis demonstrated large improvements (Cohen dz = 1.110 for BAI and 1.555 for PSQI). Improvements were similar across malignant and benign (post-intubation tracheal stenosis) etiologies. Female patients demonstrated greater reductions in anxiety ( P = .005). Multivariate analysis identified age and educational level as independent predictors of anxiety change ( R 2 = 0.289, P < .001). Tracheobronchial stenting is associated with significant improvements in quality of life, sleep quality, and anxiety. These findings demonstrate that the clinical benefit of airway stenting extends beyond airway patency to include improvements in patient-centered outcomes, highlighting the importance of integrating psychosocial assessment into interventional pulmonology practice.