Relief Of Dyspnea Research Articles

Non-invasive respiratory support in children and young adults with complex medical conditions in pediatric palliative care

ObjectiveDyspnoea and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are common in children with life-limiting conditions but studies on treatment with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are scarce. The aim...

Effect of inspiratory muscle training in pulmonary function and relief of dyspnea in patients with heart failure; systematic review

Effect of inspiratory muscle training in pulmonary function and relief of dyspnea in patients with heart failure; systematic review

Increased Spironolactone Dosing in Acute Heart Failure Alters Potassium Homeostasis but Does not Enhance Decongestion

The ATHENA-HF (Aldosterone Targeted Neurohormonal Combined with Natriuresis Therapy in Heart Failure) clinical trial found no improvements in natriuretic peptide levels or clinical congestion when spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours was used in addition to usual treatment for acute heart failure. We performed a post hoc analysis of ATHENA-HF to determine whether spironolactone treatment induced any detectable pharmacodynamic effects and whether patients with potentially greater aldosterone activity experienced additional decongestion. Trial subjects previously treated with spironolactone were excluded. We first examined for changes in renal potassium handling. Using the baseline serum potassium level as a surrogate marker of spironolactone activity, we then divided each treatment arm into tertiles of baseline serum potassium and explored for differences in laboratory and clinical congestion outcomes. Among spironolactone-naïve patients, the change in serum potassium did not differ after 24 hours or 48 hours but was significantly greater with spironolactone treatment compared to placebo at 72 hours (0.23 ± 0.55 vs 0.03 ± 0.60 mEq/L; P = 0.042) and 96 hours (0.32 ± 0.51 vs 0.13 ± 0.72 mEq/L; P = 0.046). Potassium supplementation was similar at treatment start and at 24 hours, but spironolactone-treated patients required substantially less potassium replacement at 48 hours (24% vs 36%; P = 0.048), 72 hours (21% vs 37%; P = 0.013), and 96 hours (11% vs 38%; P < 0.001). When the treatment arms were divided into tertiles of baseline serum potassium, there were no differences in the 96-hour log N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels, net fluid loss, urine output, or dyspnea relief in any of the potassium groups, with no effect modification by treatment exposure. Spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours in patients receiving intravenous loop diuresis for acute heart failure has no clear added decongestive ability but does meaningfully limit potassium wasting.

Dyspnea and Palliative Care in Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Rapid Review.

Dyspnea is the most common and activity-limiting symptom for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Treatment is complex, palliative care (PC) dyspnea relief interventions are poorly understood, and PC remains underutilized in COPD despite national guidelines and recommendations. The purpose of this rapid review was to explore the concept of dyspnea and role of PC through the lens of providers, caregivers, and patients with COPD. A systematic approach for synthesis was used to identify 13 articles published between January 2018 and October 2023. Team members compared data via visualization and theme clustering to identify key conclusions describing operationalization of dyspnea, management, and PC implications. Dyspnea operationalization was challenging, with inconsistent measurement and terminology. Dyspnea was a significant burden in COPD and contributed to complexity of treatment. Opioids were used most often to treat dyspnea, but provider perspectives and biases can influence treatment decisions and perceptions of opioid therapy by the patient and caregiver. Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and policies are needed to clarify the use of opioid therapy for dyspnea management to reduce stigmatization and barriers to treatment. Provider education should emphasize a multipronged approach to treatment of dyspnea in COPD with integration of PC early in the care continuum.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Patients with and without Non-Expandable Lung Secondary to Malignant Pleural Effusion-A Single-Centre Observational Study.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) affects up to 15% of patients with malignancy, and the prevalence is increasing. Non-expandable lung (NEL) complicates MPE in up to 30% of cases. However, it is not known if patients with malignant pleural effusion and NEL are more symptomatic in activities of daily living compared to patients with MPE with expandable lung. This was an observational study on consecutively recruited patients with MPE from our pleural clinic. Before thoracentesis, patients completed patient-reported outcomes on cancer symptoms (ESAS), health-related quality of life (5Q-5D-5L), and dyspnoea scores. Following thoracentesis, patients scored dyspnoea relief and symptoms during thoracentesis. Data on focused lung ultrasound and pleural effusion biochemistry were collected. The non-expandable lung diagnosis was made by pleural experts based on radiological and clinical information. We recruited 43 patients, including 12 with NEL (28%). The NEL cohort resembled those from previous studies concerning ultrasonography, pleural fluid biochemistry, and fewer cases with high volume thoracentesis. Patients with and without NEL were comparable concerning baseline demography. The 5Q-5D-5L utility scores were 0.836 (0.691-0.906) and 0.806 (0.409-0.866), respectively, for patients with and without NEL. We observed no between-group differences in symptom burden or health-related quality of life. While the presence of NEL affects the clinical management of recurrent MPE, the presence of NEL seems not to affect patients' overall symptom burden in patients with MPE.

High-Flow Nasal Cannula System in Respiratory Failure Associated with Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.

Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment modality for interstitial lung disease (ILD)-related respiratory failure. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HFNC therapy in patients with ILDs. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using major electronic databases to identify relevant studies investigating the use of HFNC therapy in ILD patients with respiratory failure. Outcome measures of interest included improvements in oxygenation, dyspnea relief, respiratory rate control, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Results: Twelve studies were analyzed with an overall population of 715 patients included. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) was the most prevalent type of ILD. Evaluated clinical settings were acute (7 studies), chronic (2 studies), and end-stage (3 studies) ILDs. The HFNC as a support for acute respiratory failure seems not inferior to non-invasive ventilation while offering better comfort and patient's perception. Poor data are available about use in chronic/long-term or rehabilitative settings. In end of life/palliative care, an HFNC might improve quality of life. Despite the promising results, further research is warranted to establish optimal HFNC protocols, identify patient subgroups most likely to benefit, and explore long-term outcomes. Conclusions: Overall, the HFNC appears to be a valuable therapeutic option for managing respiratory failure in ILD patients, offering potential improvements in oxygenation and symptom relief.

Neural Respiratory Drive During Different Dyspnea Relief Positions and Breathing Exercises in Individuals With COPD.

When the work load of the respiratory muscles increases and/or their capacity decreases in individuals with COPD, respiratory muscle activation increases to maintain gas exchange and respiratory mechanics, and perception of dyspnea occurs. The present study aimed to compare diaphragm and accessory respiratory muscle activation during normal breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and breathing control in different dyspnea relief positions, supine and side lying. A cross-sectional study design was used. Sixteen individuals with COPD age between 40-75 y were included. Pulmonary function was evaluated by spirometry, muscle activation by surface electromyography, and dyspnea by the modified Borg scale. Muscle activation was measured in the diaphragm, scalene, sternocleidomastoid, and parasternal muscles. The evaluation was made in the dyspnea relief positions (sitting leaning forward, sitting leaning forward at a table, leaning forward with back against a wall, standing leaning forward, and high lying), seated erect, supine, and side lying. There were significant differences between the 8 positions (P < .001). There was no significant difference in muscle activation between sitting leaning forward and sitting leaning forward at a table position with analyzing post hoc test results (P > .99 for each muscle). However, muscle activation was lower in these 2 positions than in the other positions (P < .001 for each muscle). Muscle activation was greater in the supine position than in the other positions (P < .001 for each muscle). No difference was observed in muscle activation between the seated erect, leaning forward with back against a wall, standing leaning forward, high-lying, or side-lying positions (P > .05 for each muscle with a minimum P value of .09). The use of sitting leaning forward and sitting leaning forward at a table positions together with breathing control may help people with COPD to achieve more effective dyspnea relief and greater energy efficiency.

Ten-Year Outcome of Recanalization or Medical Therapy for Concomitant Chronic Total Occlusion After Myocardial Infarction.

The EXPLORE (Evaluating Xience and Left Ventricular Function in PCI on Occlusions After STEMI) trial was the first and only randomized trial investigating chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) early after primary PCI for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, compared with medical therapy for the CTO. We performed a 10-year follow-up of EXPLORE to investigate long-term safety and clinical impact of CTO PCI after ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, compared with no-CTO PCI. In EXPLORE, 302 patients post-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction with concurrent CTO were randomized to CTO PCI within ≈1 week or no-CTO PCI. We performed an extended clinical follow-up for the primary end point of major adverse cardiac events, consisting of cardiovascular death, coronary artery bypass grafting, or myocardial infarction. Secondary end points included all-cause death, angina, and dyspnea. Median follow-up was 10 years (interquartile range, 8-11 years). The primary end point occurred in 25% of patients with CTO PCI and in 24% of patients with no-CTO PCI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11 [95% CI, 0.70-1.76]). Cardiovascular mortality was higher in the CTO PCI group (HR, 2.09 [95% CI, 1.10-2.50]), but all-cause death was similar (HR, 1.53 [95% CI, 0.93-2.50]). Dyspnea relief was more frequent after CTO PCI (83% versus 65%, P=0.005), with no significant difference in angina. This 10-year follow-up of patients post-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction randomized to CTO PCI or no-CTO PCI demonstrated no clinical benefit of CTO PCI in major adverse cardiac events or overall mortality. However, CTO PCI was associated with a higher cardiovascular mortality compared with no-CTO PCI. Our long-term data support a careful weighing of effective symptom relief against an elevated cardiovascular mortality risk in CTO PCI decisions. URL: https://www.trialregister.nl; Unique identifier: NTR1108.

Effectiveness of opioid switching for dyspnea and its predictors in cancer patients: a single-center retrospective observational study.

Morphine is the most used opioid for dyspnea, but other opioids such as oxycodone and fentanyl are increasingly used, and opioid switching to these is sometimes undertaken. No studies have verified the effectiveness of opioid switching for relief of dyspnea. We retrospectively investigated the effectiveness of opioid switching for dyspnea and its predictors. All patients with opioid switching for dyspnea during hospitalization at Komaki City Hospital from January 2019 to August 2022 were included. Opioid switching was defined as a change to another opioid, and the assessment period for evaluating the effectiveness and adverse events of opioid switching was set as 1week. Patients with Numeric Rating Scale or Japanese version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule reduction for dyspnea of at least 1, or with clear improvement based on medical records, were considered valid. Mitigating factors for dyspnea were identified using logistic regression analysis. Of the 976 patients with opioid switching, 57 patients had opioid switching for relief of dyspnea. Of these, opioid switching was effective in 21 patients (36.8%). In a multivariate analysis, older patients (odds ratio: 5.52, 95% CI: 1.50-20.20, P<0.01), short prognosis for post-opioid switching (odds ratio: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.87, P=0.03) and cachexia (odds ratio: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02-0.64, P<0.01) were significantly associated with opioid switching effects for dyspnea. There were no serious adverse events after opioid switching. This study indicates that opioid switching for dyspnea may have some effect. Furthermore, opioid switching for dyspnea may be more effective in older patients and less effective in terminally ill patients or in those with cachexia.

The Effect of Personalized Comprehensive Care on the Nursing Care of Severe Pneumonia Patients

Objective: To explore the value of receiving personalized comprehensive care for patients with severe pneumonia. Methods: 73 patients with severe pneumonia who visited the clinic from February 2020 to February 2023 were included in this study. The patients were randomly grouped into Group A and Group B. Group A received personalized comprehensive care whereas Group B received conventional care. The value of care was compared. Results: The duration of mechanical ventilation time, the time taken for fever and dyspnea relief, and the hospitalization time of Group A were shorter than those in Group B (P &lt; 0.05). The blood gas indexes such as PaO2, PaCO2, and blood pH of Group A were better than those of Group B (P &lt; 0.05). The pulmonary function indexes such as peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of Group A were better than those of Group B, P &lt; 0.05. Moreover, the patients in Group A were generally more satisfied with the care given compared to the patients in Group B (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Personalized comprehensive care improves blood gas indexes, enhances lung function, accelerates the relief of symptoms, and also enhances patient satisfaction in severe pneumonia patients.

Nonoperative relief of dyspnea due to mediastinal mass.

Nonoperative relief of dyspnea due to mediastinal mass.

Disparities in Access and Use of PleurX Catheters for Treatment of Malignant Pleural Effusion: A Literature and Experience Based Review

It is not uncommon for patients with metastatic cancer to experience recurrent buildup of fluid in their pleural space. These malignant pleural effusions (MPE) are often experienced in late-stage illness with limited (&lt;1 year) life expectancy and often present with shortness of breath, chest pain and discomfort, contributing to the morbidity of the patient’s illness. Tunneled indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs), including the PleurX by Beckton Dickinson (Franklin Lakes, NJ), are devices that are inserted on an outpatient basis that allow rapid and self-administered relief of symptomatic dyspnea, thereby offering an important palliative care option to patients with MPE. Current literature suggests these IPCs have enhanced efficacy compared with existing treatment options for MPE such as recurrent thoracentesis. However, the maintenance of these IPCs, including dressing changes and monitoring of fluid levels to avoid overuse or contamination, ideally requires the assistance from a family member or a home health aide. In this paper, we postulate whether the cost and maintenance demand of IPCs make them inaccessible to underserved communities, thereby contributing to the existing health disparities in health outcome by socioeconomic class. While there exists, no current literature looking at this issue specifically, existing literature does support a significantly lower utilization of health home aids in black, hispanic, and low-income populations. Our own experience at a level 1 trauma center in Newark, NJ, serving an at risk, underserved community, further suggests that the required visiting nurse and bottle replacement time and resource costs are prohibitive for this population. Given our experience and the limited literature, we believe additional research is warranted to establish plausibility of IPC use in lower socioeconomic strata.

Opioids for the management of dyspnea in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dyspnea is a prevalent symptom that significantly reduces quality of life of cancer patients. Palliative treatment is necessary when the symptoms do not respond to treatment for their cause. Opioids are widely used as pharmacological therapy, but evidence for individual agents is inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of opioids for dyspnea in cancer patients. We searched the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ICHUSHI for studies using opioids for dyspnea in adult cancer patients reported by September 2019. Screening of the retrieved literature and assessment of risk of bias and outcomes were performed by two independent authors. A meta-analysis was performed on the primary endpoint, relief of dyspnea, and secondary endpoints including quality of life, somnolence as a side effect, and serious adverse events. Twelve randomized controlled trials were evaluated regarding relief of dyspnea. Somnolence and serious adverse events were evaluated in seven and four randomized controlled trials, respectively, but no randomized controlled trials were evaluable for quality of life. Overall, opioids were more effective than placebo for dyspnea (standardized mean difference -0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.75 to -0.12). Although significant difference was found between systemic morphine and placebo in the drug-specific analysis, no significant difference could be detected in the other analyses. Systemic administration of opioids is more effective than placebo in relieving dyspnea in cancer patients. Robust evidence on the efficacy and safety of opioids on dyspnea in cancer patients is lacking, and further studies are needed.

Sublingual fentanyl for refractory episodic acute dyspnea in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A real-world study

BACKGROUND Dyspnea is an extremely prevalent and debilitating symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), affecting up to 74% of patients despite optimal medical therapy. Sublingual fentanyl citrate (SLF) has a fast onset of action and a short half-life, both interesting characteristics to treat acute breakthrough dyspnea without inducing metabolite accumulation. The Montreal Chest Institute (MCI) COPD specialty clinic has been using low-dose SLF for patients with advanced COPD experiencing significant episodic dyspnea despite high intensity inhaled therapy. We present here a retrospective chart review, the largest to date, to report on a “real life” experience. METHODS All included patients had a formal diagnosis of COPD and were seen in the MCI COPD specialty clinic between January 1, 2015 and January 1, 2021. All patients prescribed SLF, irrespective of the duration of use, were enrolled in this chart review. Extent of symptom relief, categorized into either major, intermediate or no improvements, and adverse effects were inferred from in-person or telephone follow-up appointment clinical notes. An exacerbation was defined as a self-reported acute increase in symptoms leading to oral corticosteroid use or hospitalization. Rates of exacerbation and hospitalization in the 12 months before SLF initiation and during SLF use were compared. RESULTS In total, 17 COPD patients were given SLF during the study period. The mean FEV1 was 0.51 L (21% predicted). All participants reported MRC5/5 dyspnea and were prescribed regular low-dose oral morphine for daily breathlessness prior to SLF initiation. Most patients used SLF for more than 6 months, and 76.5% of the study group found intermediate or major improvement in breathlessness episodes. There was no significant change in the rates of exacerbation and admission for acute respiratory failure while on SLF. CONCLUSION In this review, we report real-life, long-term data on severe COPD patients using self-controlled as-needed SLF, showing patient acceptability, an improvement in dyspnea, and limited side effects. Hence, this represents an important step toward the first effective alternative rescue medication for the relief of breakthrough dyspnea since short-acting inhalers. Further study using a randomized trial design is required to confirm the efficacy of this therapy.

Assessing the efficacy and safety of DEB-BACE combined with intravenous chemotherapy for the treatment of intermediate to advanced lung adenocarcinoma after progression of targeted drug resistance.

8555 Background: To compare the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting bead bronchial arterial chemoembolization (DEB-BACE) combined with intravenous chemotherapy versus systemic intravenous chemotherapy for intermediate to advanced lung adenocarcinoma with positive driver genes after progression of targeted therapy. Methods: A total of 131 patients with intermediate to advanced lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively recruited from 2018-2022 and divided into Group A (standard chemotherapy regimen, N=62) and Group B (DEB-BACE and intravenous chemotherapy, N=69). The short-term efficacy, hemoptysis remission rate, dyspnea remission rate, and incidence of adverse effects were compared between the two groups using the χ2 test. Survival estimates were performed by Kaplan-Meier, and a Log-rank test was performed to examine survival differences between groups. Results: The three-month disease control rate (DCR: 82.6% vs 58.1%) and objective remission rate (ORR: 60.9% vs 38.7%) were better in group B than in group A (both P&lt;0.05). Median progression-free survival (PFS, 10.0 vs 7.9 months) and median overall survival (OS, 33.0 vs 18.0 months) were better in group B than in group A (both P &lt; 0.05). The PFS rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 67.3%, 40.8%, and 0.0% and 54.1%, 23.2%, and 0.0% in groups B and A, respectively; and the OS rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 100%, 95.7%, 72%, 88.6%, 66.1%, and 21.8% in group B and group A, respectively, with statistically significant differences (P &lt; 0.05). Within one month after treatment, group B had better hemoptysis relief (83.3% vs. 20.0%) and dyspnea relief (57.5% vs. 30.0%) than group A (both P &lt; 0.05). During the follow-up period, the incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in group B than in group A (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: For patients with intermediate to advanced lung adenocarcinoma who have failed to progress on targeted therapy, DEB-BACE combined with intravenous chemotherapy has shown superior efficacy and survival benefit and lower adverse effects, while significantly improving patients' symptoms of hemoptysis and dyspnea, with important application prospects.

P83 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF LEVOSIMENDAN IN AN ISCHEMIC CARDIOGENIC SHOCK POPULATION: A 10–YEARS SINGLE CENTRE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract Background Levosimendan is a Ca2+–sensitizer with inodilator action able to improve cardiac contractility without increse oxygen demand. In AHF setting clinical trial and registries showed an improvement in systemic haemodynamics without a decrease in in–hospital mortality. Purpose: evaluate safety and efficacy of Levosimendan in an ischemic CS population. Methods All consecutive patients with CS after AMI admitted at our CICU from March 2012 to July 2021 were included in this single–centre retrospective study. 39 patients received Levosimendan alone or in combination with other inotropic drugs. All patients had an invasive monitoring of arterial pressure and continuous ECG–monitoring. Patients with severe renal failure were excluded. An echocardiogram was performed before drug infusion and 3 days after. We collected data from haemodynamics and from ECG monitoring looking for arrhythmic events. Results We enrolled 167 patients with CS after AMI, 39 patients received Levosimendan and 10 of them required association with low–dosage noradrenaline. 32 received Levosimendan at dosage of 0,1 mcg/kg/min. The drug was started on average 4 days after hospitalization. Statistical analysis showed a significant change in left ventricular EF assessed by echocardiogram from 25% to 31% (P = 0.018, fig 1). We observed also an improvement of symptoms with an overall relief of dyspnea and fatigue clinically evaluated. The ECG monitoring showed ventricular arrhythmias (VA) in 11 patients (NSVT, SVT, VF) but the most frequent arrhythmia after Levosimendan was atrial fibrillation (AF) which was significantly associated with in–hospital mortality (OR = 1,82, p = 0,002), whereas VA did not. Moreover patients with new onset AF after Levosimendan showed a lower clinical and instrumental response to the drug. No significant changes in electrolytes (sodium and potassium) have been documented during arrhythmic events. Conclusion Levosimendan is useful in CS after AMI setting because has demonstrated to improve systemic hemodynamics parameters and symptomatology. Overall Levosimendan is safe with a low rate of ventricular arrhythmias that, in our sample, are not associated with in–hospital mortality. Moreover we observed also a significant increase in AF that was associated with in–hospital mortality, but further studies in larger populations could be advisable to describe the real incidence of AF after Levosimendan infusion and its prognostic role in CS patients.

Comment on: Benefits of tolvaptan on early dyspnea relief in patients with acute heart failure: A meta-analysis.

Comment on: Benefits of tolvaptan on early dyspnea relief in patients with acute heart failure: A meta-analysis.

Effect of Dexmedetomidine for Palliative Sedation for Refractory Dyspnoea in Patients with Terminal-Stage Cancer.

Dyspnoea affects a considerable percentage of patients with terminal-stage cancer, and clinical guidelines recommend palliative sedation for patients with refractory dyspnoea. Midazolam is currently the most commonly used sedative; however, it can cause serious adverse reactions, such as respiratory/circulatory depression. Hence, there is a need for an alternative sedative. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a promising alternative as its "awake sedation" effect; however, little is known regarding its use in patients with end-stage dyspnoea. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the safety and usefulness of DEX for palliative sedation of patients with refractory dyspnoea. This retrospective study included patients with terminal-stage cancer who received DEX for palliative sedation owing to refractory dyspnoea in the hospice ward from January 2018 to October 2022. We analysed their general data, dyspnoea conditions, sedation details, sedative treatment effect, dyspnoea relief, and changes in vital signs before and after sedation, via paired t-tests. We included 17 patients with terminal-stage cancer who received DEX palliative sedation at a dose of 0.2-0.9 µg/kg·h for refractory dyspnoea, among whom 6 (35%) received a loading dose of 1 µg/kg in 10 min. After 1 h of sedation and at the maximum sedation dose, the Respiratory Distress Observation Scale and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale scores decreased significantly compared with those before sedation (all P<0.001), as did the respiratory rate (P=0.024 and P=0.008, respectively). The heart rate and blood oxygen saturation did not significantly change, whereas the systolic and diastolic blood pressure after 1 h of sedation were significantly lower than those before sedation (both P=0.015). DEX is a promising palliative sedative for patients with terminal-stage cancer, as it safely relieved the symptoms of refractory dyspnoea without inducing serious adverse reactions. Therefore, DEX may greatly enhance the quality of life for patients with terminal-stage cancer.

Association of 48-h net fluid status with change in renal function and dyspnea among patients with decompensated heart failure: A pooled cohort analysis of three acute heart failure trials.

Acute heart failure (AHF) exacerbations are a leading cause of hospitalization in the United States. Despite the frequency of AHF hospitalizations, there are inadequate data or practice guidelines on how quickly diuresis should be achieved. To study the association of 48-h net fluid change and (A) 72-h change in creatinine and (B) 72-h change in dyspnea among patients with acute heart failure. This is a retrospective, pooled cohort analysis of patients from the DOSE, ROSE, and ATHENA-HF trials. The primary exposure was 48-h net fluid status. The co-primary outcomes were 72-h change in creatinine and 72-h change in dyspnea. The secondary outcome was risk of 60-day mortality or rehospitalization. Eight hundred and seven patients were included. The mean 48-h net fluid status was -2.9 L. A nonlinear association was observed with net fluid status and creatinine change, such that creatinine improved with each liter net negative up to 3.5 L (-0.03 mg/dL per liter negative [95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.06 to -0.01) and remained stable beyond 3.5 L (-0.01 [95% CI: -0.02 to 0.001], p = .17). Net fluid loss was associated with a monotonic improvement of dyspnea (1.4-point improvement per liter negative [95% CI: 0.7-2.2], p = .0002). Each liter net negative by 48 h was also associated with 12% decreased odds of 60-day rehospitalization or death (odds ratio: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.95; p = .002). Aggressive net fluid targets within the first 48 h are associated with effective relief of patient self-reported dyspnea and improved long-term outcomes without adversely affecting renal function.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of benzodiazepines for dyspnea in patients with cancer.

the role of benzodiazepines in relieving dyspnea in patients with cancer has not yet been established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of benzodiazepines alone or in combination with opioids for dyspnea in patients with cancer. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Ichushi-Web were searched for articles published from database inception to 23 September 2019. Studies of benzodiazepines alone or in combination with opioids for dyspnea were included. The primary outcome measure was the relief of dyspnea. The secondary outcome measures were anxiety, somnolence and severe adverse events. of 505 publications initially identified, two trials and one trial were included in the meta-analysis of midazolam alone and in combination with morphine, respectively. With regard to the relief of dyspnea, midazolam alone showed no significant difference compared with morphine alone, with a relative risk of 0.95 (95% confidence interval: 0.47-1.89). Meanwhile, midazolam plus morphine was significantly more effective than morphine alone, with a relative risk of 1.33 (95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.75). For anxiety relief, a meta-analysis could not be performed because of insufficient data. The incidence of somnolence and severe adverse events was not significantly different between the experimental and control groups for either midazolam alone or in combination with morphine. benzodiazepines alone do not significantly improve dyspnea compared with opioids alone, but a combination of benzodiazepines and opioids may be more effective. Evidence from randomized controlled trials focusing on patients with cancer has not been generated in recent years. Further appropriately designed randomized controlled trials are required.