Table 2.
Rates of symptoms in patients with primary brain tumor at end of life
| Symptom | Sizoo et al. 201056 | Pace et al. 200954 | Faithfull et al. 200555 | Oberndorfer et al. 2008 (final 2 weeks of life)57 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neurological | ||||
| Drowsiness, loss of consciousness | 87% | 85% | 90% | |
| Weakness/hemiparesis | 62% | |||
| Seizures/epilepsy | 45% | 30% | 56% | 48% |
| Focal neurological deficits e.g. motor/dysphasia | 51% | |||
| Poor mobility | 77% | |||
| Poor communication | 64% | |||
| Visual disturbance | 21% | |||
| Cognitive/Psychological | ||||
| Cognitive deficits/memory loss | 33% | 39% | ||
| Confusion | 29% | |||
| Anxiety/depression | 9% | |||
| Agitation/delirium/confusion | 15% | 31%/na/51% | ||
| Eating and Digestion | ||||
| Dysphagia | 71% | 85% | 10% | 79% |
| Nausea/vomiting | 20% | 33% | 28% | |
| Constipation | 9% | |||
| Pain | ||||
| Headache | 33% | 36% | 62% | 38% |
| Bodily pain | 25% | 13% | ||
| Respiratory | ||||
| Dyspnoea | 16% | |||
| Death rattle | 12% | |||
| Pneumonia | 24% | |||
| Urinary | ||||
| Incontinence | 40% | 28% | ||
| Urinary infection | 21% | |||
| Other | ||||
| Skin problems | 28% | |||
| Fever | 86% | |||
| Fatigue | 25% | 44% | ||