Table 2. Baseline characteristics of participants and completion rates in a multi-site, placebo-controlled, parallel arm study of 20 mg of sustained release morphine daily by dominant underlying cause of chronic breathlessness (n=284).
| Dominant cause of chronic breathlessness | |||||
| COPD n=164 | Other n=120 | ||||
| Chronic breathlessness assessments | |||||
| Baseline mean (SD) breathlessness scores0–100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) | Intensity/severity* | In the previous 24 hours | Worst | 60.3 (23.2) | 58.5 (24.8) |
| Best | 28.7 (20.8) | 29.7 (21.2) | |||
| Average | 42.1 (19.3) | 42.8 (20.0) | |||
| Now | Now | 41.4 (22.4) | 42.5 (22.9) | ||
| Affective† | Unpleasantness | 36.4 (23.1) | 39.0 (22.4) | ||
| Completion of all7 daysof therapy n (%) | 135 (82.3%) | 98 (81.7%) | |||
*
Anchored at ‘none’ and ‘worst’ possible.
†
Anchored at ‘none’ and ‘the most unpleasant that I have ever felt.’.
COPDchronic obstructive pulmonary disease