[Characteristics of Patients with Breathlessness]. / Charakteristika von Palliativpatienten mit Atemnot.
Pneumologie
; 71(1): 40-47, 2017 Jan.
Article
in De
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28114708
ABSTRACT
Background Breathlessness is a common and distressing symptom in patients with advanced life-limiting disease. The aim of this study was to describe demographical and clinical characteristics of patients with breathlessness in Germany. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of hospice and palliative care inpatient data from 2006 to 2008. The Hospice and Palliative Care Evaluation (HOPE) is an annual prospective German survey, that includes a validated 16-item symptom-and-problem checklist (severity score 0â-â3). Characteristics of patients with or without breathlessness were compared in a pure descriptive manner. Interpretation of given p-values takes the error inflation due to multiple testing into account. Results Breathlessness was recorded in 2860/5320 (53.8â%) patients (mean age 67.2 years (SD 12.4), 51.4â% female, 93.6â% malignant disease (female/male lung cancer 15.7/29.5â%, breast cancer 20.3/0.3â%, colon 10.3/8.7â%). Breathless patients compared with those without breathless ness had a significantly worse functional status (ECOG 3â-â4 78.4â% vs. 70.8â%, pâ<â0.001), suffered from a larger number (11.1 vs. 9.5, pâ<â0.001) of symptoms and the symptoms were of higher intensity (except confusion). Breathless patients had a higher risk to die during inpatient stay (43.5â% vs. 32.4â%, pâ<â0.001). Conclusion Based on this large sample of hospice and palliative care inpatients, breathlessness is associated with a high symptom burden and shortened survival. Breathless patients need more attention in health care.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Hospital Mortality
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Confusion
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Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
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Dyspnea
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Heart Failure
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Neoplasms
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
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Etiology_studies
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Prevalence_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
De
Journal:
Pneumologie
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
ALEMANHA
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ALEMANIA
/
DE
/
DEUSTCHLAND
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GERMANY