Table 3 Indication for sedation, patients' request and observational reports on communication and oral fluid/nutrition intake comparing the periods 1995–1999 and 2000–2002 (*p < 0.05).
From: Sedation in palliative care – a critical analysis of 7 years experience
Whole Period 1995 – 2002 | Period 1995–1999 | Period 2000 – 2002 | Significance p-values | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Patients with sedation in the last 48 hrs | ||||
n (% of all deaths) | 80 (14.6) | 31 (10.6) | 49 (18.9)* | **P = 0.007 |
Main indication for sedation, n (%) | ||||
Dyspnoea | 28 (35.0) | 11 (35.5) | 17 (34.7) | n.s. |
Gastrointestinal | 6 (7.5) | 3 (9.7) | 3 (6.1) | n.s. |
Bleeding | 1 (1.3) | 1 (3.2) | 0 (0.0) | n.s. |
Pain | 2 (2.5) | 1 (3.2) | 1 (2.0) | n.s. |
Delirium, agitation | 11 (13.8) | 6 (19.4) | 5 (10.2) | n.s. |
Anxiety, psychological distress | 32 (40.0) | 9 (29.0) | 23 (46.9) | P = 0.111 |
Requests for sedation, n (%) | 23 (28.8) | 6 (19.4) | 17 (34.4) | P = 0.141 |
Duration of sedation (hrs) | ||||
Mean (SD) | 62.8 (58.0) | 69.0 (57.5) | 58.9 (58.7) | P = 0.445 |
Range | 2–264 | 15 – 240 | 2 – 264 | |
Mainly somatic indication | 63.3 (56.3) | 84.7 (64.0) | 47.3 (45.1) | P = 0.117 |
Mainly psychological indication | 62.6 (60.3) | 52.2 (46.0) | 68.3 (67.1) | P = 0.145 |
Patients with request for sedation | 57.3 (47.3) | 73.0 (53.0) | 51.8 (45.2) | P = 0.198 |
Type of sedation and clinical state: | ||||
Continuous, n (%) | 48 (60.0) | 15 (48.4) | 33 (67.3) | P = 0.092 |
Intermittent, n (%) | 32 (40.0) | 16 (51.6) | 16 (32.7) | P = 0.092 |
With communication, n (%) | 42 (51.3) | 16 (51.5) | 26 (53.1) | n.s. |
With oral fluid intake, n (%) | 53 (66.3) | 15 (48.4) | 38 (77.6)* | P = 0.007 |
With oral nutrition, n (%) | 10 (12.5) | 5 (16.1) | 5 (10.2) | n.s. |