TY - JOUR
T1 - Measuring the dyspnea of decompensated heart failure with a visual analog scale
T2 - how much improvement is meaningful?
AU - Ander, Douglas S.
AU - Aisiku, Imoigele P.
AU - Ratcliff, Jonathan J.
AU - Todd, Knox H.
AU - Gotsch, Karen
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - Patients presenting to the emergency department with heart failure are evaluated based on the subjective sensation of dyspnea. In this study, the authors sought to determine the change in dyspnea, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), which is associated with a meaningful change in the patient's perception and the effect of dyspnea severity on the VAS. In this prospective, observational study the authors defined a meaningful change in VAS dyspnea as the difference between VAS scores when patients reported "a little less difficulty breathing" or "a little more difficulty breathing." Seventy-four patients were evaluated, and the mean for a meaningful change in VAS was 21.1 mm (95% confidence interval, 12.3-29.9 mm). Patients that recorded higher index VAS scores had a significantly greater change in VAS. VAS scores and the changes with treatment provide the treating physician with another means to assess the effects of their interventions.
AB - Patients presenting to the emergency department with heart failure are evaluated based on the subjective sensation of dyspnea. In this study, the authors sought to determine the change in dyspnea, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), which is associated with a meaningful change in the patient's perception and the effect of dyspnea severity on the VAS. In this prospective, observational study the authors defined a meaningful change in VAS dyspnea as the difference between VAS scores when patients reported "a little less difficulty breathing" or "a little more difficulty breathing." Seventy-four patients were evaluated, and the mean for a meaningful change in VAS was 21.1 mm (95% confidence interval, 12.3-29.9 mm). Patients that recorded higher index VAS scores had a significantly greater change in VAS. VAS scores and the changes with treatment provide the treating physician with another means to assess the effects of their interventions.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1527-5299.2004.03475.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1527-5299.2004.03475.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15314477
AN - SCOPUS:16544362349
SN - 1527-5299
VL - 10
SP - 188
EP - 191
JO - Congestive heart failure (Greenwich, Conn.)
JF - Congestive heart failure (Greenwich, Conn.)
IS - 4
ER -