title: A comparison of symptom prevalence in far advanced cancer, AIDS, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and renal disease.
abstract: Little attention has been paid to the symptom management needs of patients with life-threatening diseases other than cancer. In this study, we aimed to determine to what extent patients with progressive chronic diseases have similar symptom profiles. A systematic search of medical databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO) and textbooks identified 64 original studies reporting the prevalence of 11 common symptoms among end-stage patients with cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or renal disease. Analyzing the data in a comparative table (a grid), we found that the prevalence of the 11 symptoms was often widely but homogeneously spread across the five diseases. Three symptoms-pain, breathlessness, and fatigue-were found among more than 50% of patients, for all five diseases. There appears to be a common pathway toward death for malignant and nonmalignant diseases. The designs of symptom prevalence studies need to be improved because of methodological disparities in symptom assessment and designs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joao Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Solano
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Irene J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Higginson
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D010166:Palliative Care; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology