European Respiratory Society clinical practice guideline on symptom management for adults with serious respiratory illness.

Respiratory symptoms are ubiquitous and impair health-related quality of life in people with respiratory disease. This European Respiratory Society (ERS) task force aimed to provide recommendations for symptomatic treatment in people with serious respiratory illness. The ERS task force comprised 16 members, including representatives of people with serious respiratory illness and informal caregivers. Seven questions were formulated, six in the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) format, which were addressed with full systematic reviews and evidence assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation). One question was addressed narratively. An "evidence-to-decision" framework was used to formulate recommendations. To treat symptoms in people with serious respiratory illness, the task force suggests the use of graded exercise therapy (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence); and suggests the use of a multicomponent services, handheld fan and breathing techniques (conditional recommendations, very low certainty of evidence). The task force suggests not to use opioids (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence); and suggests either administering or not administering supplemental oxygen therapy (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence). The task force suggests that needs assessment tools may be used as part of a comprehensive needs assessment, but do not replace patient-centred care and shared decision making (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence). The low certainty of evidence, modest impact of interventions on patient-centred outcomes, and absence of effective strategies to ameliorate cough highlight the need for new approaches to reduce symptoms and enhance wellbeing for individuals who live with serious respiratory illness.

Illness perceptions, cognitive and behavioural responses to chronic breathlessness in individuals living with advanced respiratory disease: an observational study.

Background: Understanding the complexity and multidimensional nature of chronic breathlessness is key to its successful management. The aim of this study was to explore illness perceptions, cognitive and behavioural responses to chronic breathlessness in individuals living with advanced respiratory disease. Methods: This was a cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from a feasibility randomised control trial (SELF-BREATHE) for individuals living with chronic breathlessness due to advanced disease. All participants completed the following questionnaires: numerical rating scale (NRS) breathlessness severity, NRS distress due to breathlessness, NRS self-efficacy for managing breathlessness, Dyspnea-12 (D-12), Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ) and the Cognitive and Behavioural Responses Questionnaire, short version (CBRQ-S). The associations between the Brief IPQ and CBRQ-S with NRS breathlessness severity, distress and self-efficacy, D-12 and CRQ were examined using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient rs. A Spearman's rs of ≥0.50 was predefined as the threshold to denote important associations between variables. A p-value of <0.008 was considered statistically significant, to account for the number of comparisons performed. Results: The illness perception items consequences, identity, concern and emotional response were associated with increased breathlessness severity, increased distress, reduced breathlessness self-management ability and lower health-related quality of life. Symptom focusing and embarrassment avoidance were identified as important cognitive responses to chronic breathlessness. Conclusion: Interventions that directly target illness perceptions, cognitive and behavioural responses to chronic breathlessness may improve symptom burden, self-efficacy and health-related quality of life.

The clinical utility of the Breathing Pattern Assessment Tool (BPAT) to identify dysfunctional breathing (DB) in individuals living with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

BACKGROUND: Dysfunctional breathing (DB) resulting in inappropriate breathlessness is common in individuals living with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). DB in POTS is complex, multifactorial, and not routinely assessed clinically outside of specialist centres. To date DB in POTS has been identified and diagnosed predominately via cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPEX), hyperventilation provocation testing and/or specialist respiratory physiotherapy assessment. The Breathing Pattern Assessment Tool (BPAT) is a clinically validated diagnostic tool for DB in Asthma. There are, however, no published data regarding the use of the BPAT in POTS. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the potential clinic utility of the BPAT in the diagnosis of DB in individuals with POTS. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study of individuals with POTS referred to respiratory physiotherapy for formal assessment of DB. DB was determined by specialist respiratory physiotherapist assessment which included physical assessment of chest wall movement/breathing pattern. The BPAT and Nijgmegen questionnaire were also completed. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to compare the physiotherapy assessment based diagnosis of DB to the BPAT score. RESULTS: Seventy-seven individuals with POTS [mean (sd) age 32 (11) years, 71 (92 %) female] were assessed by a specialist respiratory physiotherapist, with 65 (84 %) being diagnosed with DB. Using the established BPAT cut off of four or more, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis indicated a sensitivity of 87 % and specificity of 75 % for diagnosing DB in individuals with POTS with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.901 (95 % CI 0.803-0.999), demonstrating excellent discriminatory ability. CONCLUSION: BPAT has high sensitivity and moderate specificity for identifying DB in individuals living with POTS.

A randomised, controlled, feasibility trial of an online, self-guided breathlessness supportive intervention (SELF-BREATHE) for individuals with chronic breathlessness due to advanced disease.

Introduction: SELF-BREATHE is a complex, transdiagnostic, supportive, digital breathlessness intervention co-developed with patients. SELF-BREATHE seeks to build capacity and resilience within health services by improving the lives of people with chronic breathlessness using nonpharmacological, self-management approaches. This study aimed to determine whether SELF-BREATHE is feasible to deliver and acceptable to patients living with chronic breathlessness. Methods: A parallel, two-arm, single-blind, single-centre, randomised controlled, mixed-methods feasibility trial with participants allocated to 1) intervention group (SELF-BREATHE) or 2) control group (usual National Health Service (NHS) care). The setting was a large multisite NHS foundation trust in south-east London, UK. The participants were patients living with chronic breathlessness due to advanced malignant or nonmalignant disease(s). Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to an online, self-guided, breathlessness supportive intervention (SELF-BREATHE) and usual care or usual care alone, over 6 weeks. The a priori progression criteria were ≥30% of eligible patients given an information sheet consented to participate; ≥60% of participants logged on and accessed SELF-BREATHE within 2 weeks; and ≥70% of patients reported the methodology and intervention as acceptable. Results: Between January 2021 and January 2022, 52 (47%) out of 110 eligible patients consented and were randomised. Of those randomised to SELF-BREATHE, 19 (73%) out of 26 logged on and used SELF-BREATHE for a mean±sd (range) 9±8 (1-33) times over 6 weeks. 36 (70%) of the 52 randomised participants completed and returned the end-of-study postal questionnaires. SELF-BREATHE users reported it to be acceptable. Post-intervention qualitative interviews demonstrated that SELF-BREATHE was acceptable and valued by users, improving breathlessness during daily life and at points of breathlessness crisis. Conclusion: These data support the feasibility of moving to a fully powered, randomised controlled efficacy trial with minor modifications to minimise missing data (i.e. multiple methods of data collection: face-to-face, telephone, video assessment and by post).

Optimising breathlessness triggered services for older people with advanced diseases: a multicentre economic study (OPTBreathe).

BACKGROUND: In advanced disease, breathlessness becomes severe, increasing health services use. Breathlessness triggered services demonstrate effectiveness in trials and meta-analyses but lack health economic assessment. METHODS: Our economic study included a discrete choice experiment (DCE), followed by a cost-effectiveness analysis modelling. The DCE comprised face-to-face interviews with older patients with chronic breathlessness and their carers across nine UK centres. Conditional logistic regression analysis of DCE data determined the preferences (or not, indicated by negative ß coefficients) for service attributes. Economic modelling estimated the costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over 5 years. FINDINGS: The DCE recruited 190 patients and 68 carers. Offering breathlessness services in person from general practitioner (GP) surgeries was not preferred (ß=-0.30, 95% CI -0.40 to -0.21); hospital outpatient clinics (0.16, 0.06 to 0.25) or via home visits (0.15, 0.06 to 0.24) were preferred. Inperson services with comprehensive treatment review (0.15, 0.07 to 0.21) and holistic support (0.19, 0.07 to 0.31) were preferred to those without. Cost-effectiveness analysis found the most and the least preferred models of breathlessness services were cost-effective compared with usual care. The most preferred service had £5719 lower costs (95% CI -6043 to 5395), with 0.004 (95% CI -0.003 to 0.011) QALY benefits per patient. Uptake was higher when attributes were tailored to individual preferences (86% vs 40%). CONCLUSION: Breathlessness services are cost-effective compared with usual care for health and social care, giving cost savings and better quality of life. Uptake of breathlessness services is higher when service attributes are individually tailored.

"The whole of humanity has lungs, doesn't it? We are not all the same sort of people": patient preferences and choices for an online, self-guided chronic breathlessness supportive intervention: SELF-BREATHE.

Introduction: The burden of chronic breathlessness on individuals, family, society and health systems is significant and set to increase exponentially with an ageing population with complex multimorbidity, yet there is a lack of services. This has been further amplified by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Online breathlessness interventions have been proposed to fill this gap, but need development and evaluation based on patient preferences and choices. This study aimed to explore the preferences and choices of patients regarding the content of an online self-guided chronic breathlessness supportive intervention (SELF-BREATHE). Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with adults living with advanced malignant and nonmalignant disease and chronic breathlessness (July to November 2020). Interviews were analysed using conventional and summative content analysis. Results: 25 patients with advanced disease and chronic breathlessness (COPD n=13, lung cancer n=8, interstitial lung disease n=3, bronchiectasis n=1; 17 male; median (range) age 70 (47-86) years; median (range) Medical Research Council dyspnoea score 3 (2-5)) were interviewed. Individuals highlighted strong preferences for focused education, methods to increase self-motivation and engagement, interventions targeting breathing and physical function, software capability to personalise the content of SELF-BREATHE to make it more meaningful to the user, and aesthetically designed content using various communication methods including written, video and audio content. Furthermore, they identified the need to address motivation as a key potential determinant of the success of SELF-BREATHE. Conclusion: Our findings provide an essential foundation for future digital intervention development (SELF-BREATHE) and scaled research.

"You can do it yourself and you can do it at your convenience": internet accessibility and willingness of people with chronic breathlessness to use an internet-based breathlessness self-management intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The burden of chronic breathlessness on individuals, family, society and health systems is significant, and set to increase exponentially with population ageing, complex multimorbidity and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related disability. Breathlessness support services are effective; however, reach and access are limited. Delivering online breathlessness interventions may build capacity and resilience within health systems to tackle chronic breathlessness through supported self-management. The aim of this study was to explore accessibility and willingness of patients with chronic breathlessness to use an internet-based breathlessness self-management intervention (SELF-BREATHE). METHODS: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with adults living with advanced malignant and non-malignant disease and chronic breathlessness (July to November 2020). Interviews were analysed using conventional and summative content analysis. RESULTS: 25 patients (COPD: n=13; lung cancer: n=8; interstitial lung disease (ILD): n=3; bronchiectasis: n=1) were interviewed: 17 male, median (range) age 70 (47-86) years and Medical Research Council dyspnoea score 3 (2-5). 21 patients had internet access. Participants described greater use, acceptance and normalisation of the internet since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. They described multifaceted internet use: functional, self-investment (improving health and wellbeing) and social. The concept of SELF-BREATHE was highly valued, and most participants with internet access were willing to use it. In addition to technical limitations, personal choice and perceived value of the internet were important factors that underpinned readiness to use online resources. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that patients living with chronic breathlessness that have access to the internet would have the potential to benefit from the online SELF-BREATHE intervention, if given the opportunity.

Impact of fan therapy during exercise on breathlessness and recovery time in patients with COPD: a pilot randomised controlled crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with COPD reduce physical activity to avoid the onset of breathlessness. Fan therapy can reduce breathlessness at rest, but the efficacy of fan therapy during exercise remains unknown in this population. The aim of the present study was to investigate 1) the effect of fan therapy on exercise-induced breathlessness and post-exercise recovery time in patients with COPD and 2) the acceptability of fan therapy during exercise; and 3) to assess the reproducibility of any observed improvements in outcome measures. METHODS: A pilot single-centre, randomised, controlled, crossover open (nonmasked) trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT03137524) of fan therapy versus no fan therapy during 6-min walk test (6MWT) in patients with COPD and a modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnoea score ≥2. Breathlessness intensity was quantified before and on termination of the 6MWT, using the numerical rating scale (NRS) (0-10). Post-exertional recovery time was measured, defined as the time taken to return to baseline NRS breathlessness score. Oxygen saturation and heart rate were measure pre- and post-6MWT. RESULTS: 14 patients with COPD completed the trial per protocol (four male, 10 female; median (interquartile range (IQR)) age 66.50 (60.75 to 73.50) years); mMRC dyspnoea 3 (2 to 3)). Fan therapy resulted in lower exercise-induced breathlessness (ΔNRS; Δ modified Borg scale) (within-individual differences in medians (WIDiM) -1.00, IQR -2.00 to -0.50; p<0.01; WIDiM -0.25, IQR -2.00 to 0.00; p=0.02), greater distance walked (metres) during the 6MWT (WIDiM 21.25, IQR 12.75 to 31.88; p<0.01), and improved post-exertional breathlessness (NRS) recovery time (WIDiM -10.00, IQR -78.75 to 50.00; p<0.01). Fan therapy was deemed to be acceptable by 92% of participants. CONCLUSION: Fan therapy was acceptable and provided symptomatic relief to patients with COPD during exercise. These data will inform larger pilot studies and efficacy studies of fan therapy during exercise.

A demand-capacity mismatch between rehabilitation need and service provision as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Early clinical observations from a large teaching hospital in London.

In this short report the authors characterise inpatient bed occupancy and predicted rehabilitation need of patients cared for in two acute hospitals of a large London NHS Trust during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, including 394 people with confirmed COVID-19. Data were captured on a single day (17th April 2020) from the two Trust hospitals to inform discharge planning in line with national COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service policy guidance. Our data suggests that the proportion of COVID-19 patients predicted to require rehabilitation upon hospital discharge may be greater than the estimates described in the national COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service policy guidance; posing the question is there a demand-capacity mismatch between rehabilitation need and service provision as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Breathlessness and dysfunctional breathing in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): The impact of a physiotherapy intervention.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic, multifactorial syndrome with complex symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. Breathlessness is a prevalent symptom, however little is known about the aetiology. Anecdotal evidence suggests that breathless POTS patients commonly demonstrate dysfunctional breathing/hyperventilation syndrome (DB/HVS). There are, however, no published data regarding DB/HVS in POTS, and whether physiotherapy/breathing retraining may improve patients' breathing pattern and symptoms. The aim of this study was to explore the potential impact of a physiotherapy intervention involving education and breathing control on DB/HVS in POTS. A retrospective observational cohort study of all patients with POTS referred to respiratory physiotherapy for treatment of DB/HVS over a 20-month period was undertaken. 100 patients (99 female, mean (standard deviation) age 31 (12) years) with a clinical diagnosis of DB/HV were referred, of which data was available for 66 patients pre - post intervention. Significant improvements in Nijmegen score, respiratory rate and breath hold time (seconds) were observed following treatment. These data provide a testable hypothesis that breathing retraining may provide breathless POTS patients with some symptomatic relief, thus improving their health-related quality of life. The intervention can be easily protocolised to ensure treatment fidelity. Our preliminary findings provide a platform for a subsequent randomised controlled trial of breathing retraining in POTS.

A home-based lower limb-specific resistance training programme for patients with COPD: an explorative feasibility study.

It is feasible and acceptable to deliver a home-based lower limb-specific resistance training (LLSRT) programme to patients with COPD. Individual patient improvements in walking distance and breathlessness severity were observed post-LLSRT intervention. http://bit.ly/30xYpWI.

Interdisciplinary management of chronic breathlessness.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Breathlessness is a common yet complex symptom of advanced disease. Effective management will most likely draw upon the skills of multiple disciplines and professions. This review considers recent advances in the management of chronic breathlessness with regards to interdisciplinary working. RECENT FINDINGS: There are growing data on interventions for chronic breathlessness that incorporate psychosocial mechanisms of action, for example, active mind-body treatments; and holistic breathlessness services that exemplify interprofessional working with professionals sharing skills and practice for user benefit. Patients value the personalized, empathetic and understanding tenor of care provided by breathlessness services, above the profession that delivers any intervention. Workforce training, decision support tools and self-management interventions may provide methods to scale-up these services and improve reach, though testing around the clinical effects of these approaches is required. SUMMARY: Chronic breathlessness provides an ideal context within which to realize the benefits of interdisciplinary working. Holistic breathlessness services can commit to a comprehensive approach to initial assessment, as they can subsequently deliver a wide range of interventions suited to needs as they are identified.

Predicting outcomes following holistic breathlessness services: A pooled analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: Holistic breathlessness services have been developed for people with advanced disease and chronic breathlessness, leading to improved psychological aspects of breathlessness and health. The extent to which patient characteristics influence outcomes is unclear. AIM: To identify patient characteristics predicting outcomes of mastery and distress due to breathlessness following holistic breathlessness services. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of pooled individual patient data from three clinical trials. Our primary analysis assessed predictors of clinically important improvements in Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire mastery scores (+0.5 point), and our secondary analysis predictors of improvements in Numerical Rating Scale distress due to breathlessness (-1 point). Variables significantly related to improvement in univariate models were considered in separate backwards stepwise logistic regression models. PARTICIPANTS: The dataset comprised 259 participants (118 female; mean (standard deviation) age 69.2 (10.6) years) with primary diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (49.8%), cancer (34.7%) and interstitial lung disease (10.4%). RESULTS: Controlling for age, sex and trial, baseline mastery remained the only significant independent predictor of improvement in mastery (odds ratio 0.57, 95% confidence intervals 0.43-0.74; p < 0.001), and baseline distress remained the only significant predictor of improvement in distress (odds ratio 1.64; 95% confidence intervals 1.35-2.03; p < 0.001). Baseline lung function, breathlessness severity, health status, mild anxiety and depression, and diagnosis did not predict outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes of mastery and distress following holistic breathlessness services are influenced by baseline scores for these variables, and not by diagnosis, lung function or health status. Stratifying patients by levels of mastery and/or distress due to breathlessness appears appropriate for clinical trials and services.

Recommendations for services for people living with chronic breathlessness in advanced disease: Results of a transparent expert consultation.

Chronic breathlessness is highly distressing for people with advanced disease and their informal carers, yet health services for this group remain highly heterogeneous. We aimed to generate evidence-based stakeholder-endorsed recommendations for practice, policy and research concerning services for people with advanced disease and chronic breathlessness. We used transparent expert consultation, comprising modified nominal group technique during a stakeholder workshop, and an online consensus survey. Stakeholders, representing multiple specialities and professions, and patient/carers were invited to participate. Thirty-seven participants attended the stakeholder workshop and generated 34 separate recommendations, rated by 74 online survey respondents. Seven recommendations had strong agreement and high levels of consensus. Stakeholders agreed services should be person-centred and flexible, should cut across multiple disciplines and providers and should prioritize breathlessness management in its own right. They advocated for wide geographical coverage and access to expert care, supported through skills-sharing among professionals. They also recommended recognition of informal carers and their role by clinicians and policymakers. Overall, stakeholders' recommendations reflect the need for improved access to person-centred, multi-professional care and support for carers to provide or access breathlessness management interventions. Future research should test the optimal models of care and educational strategies to meet these recommendations.

Muscle activation and sound during voluntary single coughs and cough peals in healthy volunteers: Insights into cough intensity.

Very few studies have addressed how coughing varies in intensity. We assessed the influence of cough effort and operating volume on the mechanics of coughing using respiratory muscle surface electromyography (EMG), oesophageal/gastric pressures and cough sounds recorded from 15 healthy subjects [8 female, median age 30 (IQR 30-50)years] performing 120 voluntary coughs from controlled operating volume/effort and three cough peals. For single coughs, low operating volumes and high efforts were associated with the highest EMG activity (p < 0.001); the resultant pressures increased with effort but volume had little influence. In contrast, cough sounds increased with both volume and effort. During cough peals, EMG fell initially, increasing towards the end of peals, pressures remained stable and sound parameters fell steadily to the end of the peal. In conclusion, effort and operating volume have important influences on cough mechanics but modulate muscle activation, pressure and cough sound amplitude and energy differently. Consequently, these cough sound parameters poorly represent voluntary cough mechanics and have limited potential as a surrogate intensity measure.

Poor cough flow in acute stroke patients is associated with reduced functional residual capacity and low cough inspired volume.

INTRODUCTION: Each year 7 million people die of stroke worldwide; most deaths are caused by chest infections. Patients with acute stroke have impaired voluntary cough flow, associated with increased risk of chest infections. Reduced functional residual capacity (FRC) could lead to impaired cough flow. We therefore compared FRC in acute hemiparetic stroke patients and controls and explored its relationship with volume inspired before cough and voluntary cough peak flow. METHODS: 21 patients within 2 weeks of first-ever middle cerebral artery territory (MCA) infarct (mean (SD) age 68 (11) years, 10 females) and 30 controls (58 (11) years, 15 females) underwent FRC and voluntary cough testing (cough inspired volume and peak flow) while semirecumbent. FRC was expressed as % predicted; cough inspired volume was expressed as % predicted VC and cough peak flow as % predicted PEF. A clinician scored stroke severity using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). RESULTS: Patients' reclined FRC, voluntary cough peak flowand cough inspired volume were reduced compared with controls (p<0.01 for all): patients' median (IQR) FRC 76 (67-90) % predicted, mean (SD) cough inspired volume 64 (20) % predicted and mean (SD) peak cough flow 61 (32) % predicted despite them having only mild stroke-related impairments: median NIHSS score 4 (IQR 2-6). Univariate linear regression analyses showed FRC predicted cough inspired volume (adjusted R2=0.45) and cough inspired volume predicted cough flow (adjusted R2=0.56); p<0.01 for both. Sitting patients upright increased their FRC by median 0.210 L. CONCLUSIONS: FRC and cough inspired volume in the reclined position are significantly reduced in acute hemiparetic stroke patients with mild impairments; both factors are associated with poor voluntary cough peak flow.

Physiotherapy and Speech and Language therapy intervention for chronic cough.

There are few effective pharmacological therapies available to treat refractory chronic cough. Functional MRI studies of the brain have recently shown that patients with chronic cough have dysfunctional inhibitory control of cough. Self-management therapies delivered by physiotherapists or speech therapists are effective at suppressing cough. They enable patients to consciously suppress the urge to cough. The intervention consists of education, laryngeal hygiene, cough suppression and distraction measures and behaviour modification. The efficacy of Physiotherapy and Speech And Language Intervention (PSALTI) has been confirmed in two randomised control trials. In one trial, there was a 41% reduction in cough frequency with PSALTI, assessed objectively with the Leicester Cough Monitor, and a clinically significant improvement in quality of life. Importantly, the improvement in cough was sustained when therapy was discontinued. The addition of the Speech Pathology Treatment to neuromodulator drug therapy, Pregabalin has also been evaluated in a clinical trial. There was a clinically significant improvement in quality of life, and this was sustained when therapy was discontinued. The mechanism of action of PSALTI is not known and this should be investigated in future. Further studies are needed to identify the components of PSALTI that deliver the most benefit, and determine whether PSALTI is effective in cough associated with other chronic lung disorders.

Which patients with advanced respiratory disease die in hospital? A 14-year population-based study of trends and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Strategies in many countries have sought to improve palliative care and reduce hospital deaths for non-cancer patients, but their effects are not evaluated. We aimed to determine the trends and factors associated with dying in hospital in two common progressive respiratory diseases, and the impact of a national end of life care (EoLC) strategy to reduce deaths in hospital. METHODS: This population-based observational study linked death registration data for people in England dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or interstitial pulmonary diseases (IPD). We plotted age- and sex-standardised trends, assessed during the pre-strategy (2001-2004), first strategy phase (2004-2008), and strategy intensification (2009-2014) periods, and identified factors associated with hospital death using multiple adjusted proportion ratios (PRs). RESULTS: Over 14 years, 380,232 people died from COPD (334,520) or IPD (45,712). Deaths from COPD and IPD increased by 0.9% and 9.2% annually, respectively. Death in hospital was most common (67% COPD, 70% IPD). Dying in hospice was rare (0.9% COPD, 2.9% IPD). After a plateau in 2004-2005, hospital deaths fell (PRs 0.92-0.94). Co-morbidities and deprivation independently increased the chances of dying in hospital, with larger effects in IPD (PRs 1.01-1.55) than COPD (PRs 1.01-1.39) and dose-response gradients. The impact of multimorbidity increased over time; hospital deaths did not fall for people with two or more co-morbidities in COPD, nor one or more in IPD. Living in rural areas (PRs 0.94-0.94) or outside London (PRs, 0.89-0.98) reduced the chances of hospital death. In IPD, increased age reduced the likelihood of hospital death (PR 0.81, ≥ 85 versus ≤ 54 years); divergently, in COPD, being aged 65-74 years was associated with increased hospital deaths (PR 1.13, versus ≤ 54 years). The independent effects of sex and marital status differed for COPD versus IPD (PRs 0.89-1.04); in COPD, hospital death was associated with being married. CONCLUSIONS: The EoLC strategy appeared to have contributed to tangible reductions in hospital deaths, but did not reach people with multimorbidity and this gap widened over time. Integrating palliative care earlier in the disease trajectory especially in deprived areas and cities, and where multimorbidity is present, should be boosted, taking into account the different demographic factors in COPD and IPD.