Key result
Absolute scales outperform 7-point comparator scales for measuring dyspnea in acute heart failure.
Why the study?
Although dyspnea is the most common presenting symptom and an important treatment target in AHF, a consensus on how to assess it is lacking.
Provides standardized recommendations for measuring dyspnea in acute heart failure using absolute scales (5-point Likert or Visual Analogue Scale) in sitting and lying positions rather than comparator scales.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Absolute scales may standardize dyspnea assessment in AHF; leaves open prospective validation before routine use.
Dyspnea is the most common presenting symptom of patients with acute heart failure (AHF). Although dyspnea is an important target for treatment in clinical practice and clinical trials, there remains a lack of consensus on how to assess it. We describe and recommend to use absolute scales such the Likert 5-point or the Visual Analogue Scale rather than any comparator scale such as the Likert 7-point scale. We further recommend starting dyspnea measurements in sitting position and perform, if possible, similar measurements in lying position. The same set of measurements may be repeated as needed during the time course of disease and the treatment.
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Socrates et al. (2009) conducted a review in Acute heart failure (AHF). Absolute dyspnea scales (5-point Likert scale or Visual Analogue Scale) measured in sitting and lying positions vs. Comparator scales (such as the 7-point Likert scale) was evaluated on Dyspnea assessment. Absolute scales (5-point Likert or Visual Analogue Scale) in sitting and lying positions are recommended over 7-point comparator scales for measuring dyspnea in acute heart failure.
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