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Results of a pilot investigation into a complex intervention for breathlessness in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Brief report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2010

Morag Farquhar ,
Irene J. Higginson ,
Petrea Fagan  and
Sara Booth
Morag Farquhar*
Affiliation:
Macmillan Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Cambridge, General Practice and Primary Care Research Unit, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, England
Irene J. Higginson
Affiliation:
Department of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, England
Petrea Fagan
Affiliation:
Cambridge University Hospitals' NHS Foundation Trust, Breathlessness Intervention Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, England
Sara Booth
Affiliation:
Cambridge University Hospitals' NHS Foundation Trust, Breathlessness Intervention Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, England
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Morag Farquhar, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, England. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective:

Breathlessness is the most common devastating symptom of advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Breathlessness Intervention Service (BIS) is a multidisciplinary service that uses both pharmacological and non-pharmacological evidence-based interventions to reduce the impact of the symptom. The results of a Phase II evaluation of the service are reported.

Method:

Pretest - posttest analysis of non-randomized data was performed for 13 patients with severe advanced COPD referred to BIS.

Results:

Mean VAS-Distress scores (primary outcome measure) decreased (improved) for the group between baseline and follow up suggesting a clinically significant improvement: 6.88 (SD = 2.50) to 5.25 (SD = 2.99). At an individual level, 11 of the 13 patients showed a decrease in their distress due to breathlessness, and for eight of these this was clinically significant (range of all decreases 0.3–7.1 cm). Changes in secondary outcome measures are also reported.

Significance of results:

The Breathlessness Intervention Service appears to reduce distress due to breathlessness among patients with advanced COPD. A Phase III fully-powered randomized controlled trial is warranted.

Keywords

BreathlessnessChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseComplex interventionFeasibility study
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , June 2010 , pp. 143 - 149
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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