TY - JOUR T1 - Prevalence and severity of differing dimensions of breathlessness among elderly males in the population JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00553-2021 SP - 00553-2021 AU - Max Olsson AU - David C Currow AU - Miriam J Johnson AU - Jacob Sandberg AU - Gunnar Engström AU - Magnus Ekström Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/11/11/23120541.00553-2021.abstract N2 - Breathlessness is common in the general population. Existing data were obtained primarily with the uni-dimensional modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) breathlessness scale that does not assess intensities of unpleasantness nor physical, emotional, and affective dimensions. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence and intensity of these dimensions of breathlessness in elderly males and any associations with their duration, change over time, and mMRC grade. We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of 73-year-old males in a county in southern Sweden. Breathlessness was self-reported at one time-point using a postal survey including the Dyspnoea-12 (D-12), the Multidimensional Dyspnoea profile (MDP), and the mMRC. Presence of an increased dimension score was defined as a score≥minimal clinically important difference for each dimension scale. Association with mMRC, recalled change since age 65, and duration of breathlessness were analysed with linear regression. Among 907 men, an increased dimension score was present in 17% (D-12 total score), 33% (MDP A1 unpleasantness), 19% (D-12 physical), 17% (MDP immediate perception), 10% (D-12 affective), and 17% (MDP emotional response). The unpleasantness and affective dimensions were strongly associated with mMRC ≥3. Higher MDP and D-12 scores were associated with worsening of breathlessness since age 65, and higher MDP A1 unpleasantness was associated with breathlessness of less than one year duration. Increased scores of several dimensions of breathlessness are prevalent in 73-year-old males and are positively correlated with mMRC scores, worsening of breathlessness after age 65, and duration of less than one year.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: Max Olsson has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: David Currow reports receiving consulting fees from Specialised Therapeutics Australia Pty Ltd, and Mayne Pharma, outside the submitted work. Participation on a Helsinn Pharmaceuticals Advisory Board, outside the submitted work. Intellectual property payment received from Helsinn Pharmaceuticals, outside the submitted work.Conflict of interest: Miriam J Johnson has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Jacob Sandberg has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Gunnar Engström has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Magnus Ekström has nothing to disclose. ER -