Table 2.
Dyspnea and its Association with Mortality – Ten Cohort Studies.
| Characteristic | Study 1 | Study 2 | Study 3 | Study 4 | Study 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Tecumseh | Whitehall | WHO | Sweden | West Scotland |
| Dyspnea Definition | SOB walking on the level | SOB walking on the level. | SOB walking on the level. | SOB walking on the level. | SOB walking on the level. |
| Number | 844 | 17717 | 4903 | 607 | 6,859 |
| Gender | male | male | male | male | male |
| Age Range | 40–64 | 40–64 | 40–64 | 50–60 | 45–64 |
| Group Surveyed | General Community | Civil Servant | Occupational Groups | Random Sample | General Community |
| Year of Initial Survey | 1962–65 | 1967–69 | 1970–71 | 1973 | 1972, 74–75 |
| Follow-up | 16 years | 10 years | 15 years | 11 years | 6–8 years |
| Death Number. | 103 | 889 | 416 | 107 | 367 |
| Type of Death | CVD only | CVD only | CVD only | All cause | CVD only |
| Dyspnea & Death RR | Rate Ratio 1.69 (1.03–2.77) | Rate Ratio 2.39 (2.03–2.81) | Rate Ratio 2.32 (1.82–2.96) | Odds Ratio 2.92 | Rate Ratio 2.01 (1.62–2.49) |
| Conclusion | Dyspnea is a Predictor of CVD Mortality | Dyspnea is a Predictor of CVD Mortality | Dyspnea is a Predictor of CVD Mortality | Dyspnea is a Predictor of all cause Mortality | Dyspnea is a Predictor of CVD Mortality |
| Year, Reference | 1989, 52 | 1989, 52 | 1989, 52 | 1987, 53 | 1989, 52 |
| Characteristic | Study 6 | Study 7 | Study 8 | Study 9 | Study 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Framingham | Denmark | Australia | Norway | Netherlands |
| Dyspnea Definition | SOB walking on the level or SOB climbing stairs. | MRC level 3 or higher SOB. Reference 51 | SOB walking with others on level ground. | SOB hurrying on the level or walking uphill. | SOB walking with others on level ground. |
| Number | 3133 | 1030 | 4277 | 1623 | 7360 |
| Gender | female and male | male | 2177 female 2100 male |
male | 3547 female 3813 male |
| Age Range | 53 – 85 | 46 – 69 | 25 – 79 | 40 – 59 | 14 – 79 |
| Group Surveyed | Random sample | Occupational Groups | General Population | Healthy Occupational Sub Groups | General Population |
| Year of Initial Survey | 1972–1976 | 1974–75 | 1969 | 1972–75 | 1965 |
| Follow-up | 20 – 25 years | 10 years | 20–26 years | 26 years | 43 years |
| Death Number. | 840 | 219 | 840 men 637 women |
615 | 2883 |
| Type of Death | All cause | All cause | All cause | All cause | All cause |
| Dyspnea & Death RR | HR = 1.67 male, age: 70–86 HR – 1.79 female, age: 53–69 |
HR = 1.57 (1.13 – 2.20) | Male = 2.33 (1.25 – 4.35) Female = 1.56 (1.07 – 2.29) | HR = 1.43 (1.11 – 1.83) | Overall HR = 1.3 (1.2 – 1.5) male = 1.3 (1.1 – 1.7) female = 1.4 (1.1 –1.6) |
| Conclusion | Dyspnea is a Predictor of all cause Mortality | Dyspnea a Predictor of all cause Mortality | Dyspnea is a Predictor of all cause Mortality | Dyspnea is Predictor of all cause Mortality | Dyspnea is a Predictor of all cause Mortality |
| Year, Reference | 1989, 54 | 1988, 55 | 1999, 56 | 2006, 57 | 2012, 58 |
SOB = shortness of breath, CVD = cardiovascular disease, RR = rate ratio, odds ratio, or hazard ratio, HR = hazard ratio, MRC = Medical Research Council. Scale of 1 to 5 on Breathlessness. See reference 51.