Symptom frequency, severity, and quality of life among persons with three disease trajectories: cancer, ALS, and CHF

Jiayun Xu; Marie T Nolan; Katherine Heinze; Gayane Yenokyan; Mark T Hughes; Julie Johnson; Joan Kub; Carrie Tudor; Daniel P Sulmasy; Lisa Soleymani Lehmann; Joseph J Gallo; Felicia Rockko; Mei Ching Lee

doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2015.03.005

Symptom frequency, severity, and quality of life among persons with three disease trajectories: cancer, ALS, and CHF

Appl Nurs Res. 2015 Nov;28(4):311-5. doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2015.03.005. Epub 2015 Mar 13.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: jxu32@jhu.edu.
² Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: mnolan3@jhu.edu.
³ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: kgriff12@jhu.edu.
⁴ Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: gyenoky1@jhu.edu.
⁵ Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: mthughes@jhmi.edu.
⁶ The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address: jjohnso3@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu.
⁷ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: jkub1@jhu.edu.
⁸ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: ctudor2@jhu.edu.
⁹ The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address: dsulmasy@bsd.uchicago.edu.
¹⁰ Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: LLEHMANN1@PARTNERS.ORG.
¹¹ Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: jgallo@jhsph.edu.
¹² Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: felicia.rockko@gmail.com.
¹³ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: lee@son.umaryland.edu.

Abstract

Purpose: National reports on end-of-life symptom management reveal a gap in the evidence regarding symptoms other than pain and studies of diseases other than cancer. This study examines the frequency and severity of symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in persons with advanced cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional examination of symptoms and QOL measured using the McGill QOL Questionnaire, among 147 participants.

Results: Forty one percent of participants had advanced cancer, 22% had ALS, and 37% had advanced CHF. A total of 266 symptoms were reported, with the common symptom categories being discomfort/pain, weakness/fatigue/sleep, and respiratory. Participants with CHF had the highest mean symptom severity and the lowest QOL.

Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware and attentive for symptoms other than pain in patients with advanced illness. Studies on diseases other than cancer, such as CHF and ALS, are important to improve symptom management in all disease groups.

Keywords: Chronic disease; End of life; Quality of life; Symptoms.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / physiopathology*
Female
Heart Failure / physiopathology*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms / physiopathology*
Quality of Life*
Severity of Illness Index

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding