Background
Methods
Patients
Definition of severe and chronic breathlessness
Pulmonologist questionnaire (Additional file 1: Table S1)
Statistical analysis
Ethics approval
Results
Patients
Patients’ characteristics | Whole cohort (N = 120) | Patients with severe breathlessness (mMRC ≥3) (N = 64) | Patients with Chronic breathlessness (N = 41) |
---|---|---|---|
Age (years) mean +/−SD | 66 +/− 6 | 64 +/−4 | 64 +/− 4 |
Sex | |||
Male N (%) | 69 (57%) | 40 (62%) | 26 (63%) |
BMI (kg.m2) mean +/− SD | 29 +/− 4 | 24 +/−2 | 25 +/−2 |
BMI > 30 kg.m2 N (%) | 52 (43%) | 27 (42%) | 14 (34%) |
Smoking status | |||
Non smoker N (%) | 2(2%) | 2 (3%) | 2 (5%) |
Former smoker N (%) | 95 (79%) | 47 (73%) | 30 (73%) |
Current smoker N (%) | 23 (19%) | 15 (24%) | 9 (22%) |
Smoking (Pack/year) mean +/−SD | 40 +/− 12 | 38+/−8 | 40+/− 11 |
FEV1 (% pred) mean +/− SD | 47 +/− 13 | 29 +/− 15* | 26 +/− 9* |
GOLD spirometric grade | |||
1 N (%) | 3 (3%) | 1 (1%) | 1(2%) |
2 N (%) | 47 (39%) | 16 (25%)* | 5(12%)* |
3 N (%) | 18 (15%) | 5 (8%) | 2 (5%) |
4 N (%) | 52 (43%) | 42 (66%)* | 33(81%)* |
Breathlessness: mMRC scale | |||
0 N (%) | 3 (2%) | 0 | 0 |
1 N (%) | 16 (13%) | 0 | 0 |
2 N (%) | 37 (31%) | 0 | 0 |
3 N (%) | 39 (32%) | 39 (61%)* | 18 (44%)* |
4 N (%) | 25 (21%) | 25 (39%)* | 23 (56%)* |
Frequent exacerbations (≥2/year) N (%) | 49 (41%) | 30 (47%) | 20 (49%) |
Pulmonologists
Outpatient N (%) | Hospitalized patients N (%) | Palliative care N (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Medications | |||
Systemic morphine | 11 (24%) | 22 (48%) | 42 (91%) |
Nebulised morphine | - | 2 (4%) | 9 (20%) |
Benzodiazepines | 6 (13%) | 21 (46%) | 32 (70%) |
Oxygen | 8 (17%) | 14 (30%) | 24 (52%) |
Nebulised furosemide | - | 2 (4%) | - |
None | 27 (59%) | - | - |
Non-pharmacologic interventions | |||
Pulmonary rehabilitation | 44 (96%) | ||
Sport | 27 (59%) | ||
Relaxation | 10 (22%) |