Abstract
Introduction: Does sertraline provide symptomatic relief for chronic breathlessness in people with advanced disease whose underlying cause(s) are optimally treated?
Methods: Two hundred and twenty three participants with chronic breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) breathlessness scale ≥2) who had optimal treatment of underlying cause(s), and were referred to palliative care were randomised 1:1 to sertraline 25 mg-100 mg (titrated over nine days) or placebo for four weeks of treatment in total. The primary outcome was the proportion who had a change in intensity of current breathlessness >15% from baseline on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results: There was no difference in the proportion of people responding between study arms at day 26-28 (breathlessness now; odds ratio [OR] 1·00 (95% CI 0.71, 1·40, p=0·992) nor any other measures of breathlessness. Quality of life in the sertraline arm had a higher likelihood of improving than placebo over the four weeks (0·21 95% CI 0·01 to 0·41, p=0·044). No differences in performance status, anxiety and depression, nor survival were observed. Adverse events were similar between arms.
Conclusions: Sertraline does not appear to provide any benefit over placebo in the symptomatic relief of chronic breathlessness in this patient population.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2018 52: Suppl. 62, PA2047.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2018