title: [Characteristics of Patients with Breathlessness].
abstract: BackgroundBreathlessness 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.MethodsWe 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.ResultsBreathlessness 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).ConclusionBased 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.affiliation: Institut für Palliative Care, Oldenburg.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Institut für Palliative Care, Oldenburg.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altfelder
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alt-Epping
authors.affiliation: Institut für Palliative Care, Oldenburg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bausewein
authors.affiliation: Institut für Palliative Care, Oldenburg.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Weingärtner
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Uniklinikum Köln.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voltz
authors.affiliation: Palliativmedizinische Abteilung, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, CCC EMN, Erlangen.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ostgathe
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Bonn.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.affiliation: CLARA Klinische Forschung, Kleinmachnow.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindena
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nauck
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003221:Confusion / Q000401:mortality*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality*; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate