title: [Characteristics of patients with breathlessness - results of the german hospice and palliative care evaluation].
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 0-3). 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 (53.8 %) patients (mean age 67.2 years (SD 12.4), 51.4 % female, 93.6 % malignant disease (female / male lung cancer 15.7/29.5 %, breast cancer 20.3/0.3 %, colon 10.3/8.7 %)). Breathless patients compared with those without breathless ness had a significantly worse functional status (ECOG 3-4: 78.4 % vs. 70.8 %, p < 0.001), suffered from a larger number (11.1 vs. 9.5, p < 0.001) of symptoms and the symptoms were of higher intensity (except confusion). Breathless patients had a higher risk to die during inpatient stay (43.5 % vs. 32.4 %, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altfelder
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alt-Epping
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bausewein
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Weingärtner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voltz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ostgathe
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindena
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nauck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D017051:Hospice Care; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D010166:Palliative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis