Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
PLoS One
; 10(4): e0123798, 2015.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25874452
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The minimal important difference (MID) is essential for interpreting the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Despite a number of RCTs in patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) which use the visual analogue scale for dyspnea (VASD) as an outcome measure, the MID has not been established.METHODS:
Patients with suspected MPE undergoing a pleural procedure recorded their baseline VASD and their post-procedure VASD (24 hours after the pleural drainage), and in parallel assessed their breathlessness on a 7 point Likert scale.FINDINGS:
The mean decrease in VASD in patients with a MPE reporting a 'small but just worthwhile decrease' in their dyspnea (i.e. equivalent to the MID) was 19mm (95% CI 14-24mm). The mean drainage volume required to produce a change in VASD of 19mm was 760ml.INTERPRETATION:
The mean MID for the VASD in patients with a MPE undergoing a pleural procedure is 19mm (95% CI 14-24mm). Thus choosing an improvement of 19mm in the VASD would be justifiable in the design and analysis of future MPE studies.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Ovarian Neoplasms
/
Breast Neoplasms
/
Pleural Effusion, Malignant
/
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
/
Dyspnea
/
Mesothelioma
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
PLoS One
Journal subject:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom