Dyspnea Search Strategy and Results

Initial references prior to update: 30

Databases searched for update: PubMed, CINAHL

Search results of literature retrieved 1/1/2009–1/1/2019:

  • PubMed
    • (Therapy/Broad[filter] OR systematic[sb]) AND (((Dyspnea[majr] OR Dyspnea[ti] OR dyspnoea[ti] OR breathless*[ti]) AND (cancer OR oncolog* OR neoplasms[majr])) OR ((cancer OR oncolog* OR neoplasms[majr]) AND (dyspnea OR dyspnoea OR breathless*) AND (heliox OR bipap OR cpap OR pleura OR thoracentesis OR pleurodesis OR "Pleuroperitoneal shunt*" OR "Tracheal stent*" OR "tracheobronchial stent*" OR "airway stent*" OR "Medical air" OR airflow OR tripod OR Fowler* OR "Cool room" OR "cool air"))) AND ("2009/01/01"[PDAT] : "2019/01/01"[PDAT])
    • 478 citations retrieved
  • CINAHL
    • ((MM "Dyspnea/CI/DH/DT/NU/PC/RT/RH/SU/TH") OR (TI Dyspnea OR TI dyspnoea OR TI breathless*) OR (dyspnea AND (heliox OR bipap OR cpap OR pleura OR thoracentesis OR pleurodesis OR "Pleuroperitoneal shunt*" OR "Tracheal stent*" OR "tracheobronchial stent*" OR "airway stent*" OR "Medical air" OR airflow OR tripod OR Fowler* OR "Cool room" OR "cool air")) ) AND ( cancer OR neoplasms OR oncolog* ) 
    • Limiters: English Language; Clinical Queries: Therapy - High Sensitivity, Therapy - High Specificity, Therapy - Best Balance
    • 264 citations retrieved

166 titles were selected for a full article review.

128 final studies were included after the removal of duplicates and studies that did not meet inclusion criteria and the addition of manuscripts retrieved in other topics meeting dyspnea-specific criteria.

Inclusion Criteria: 

  1. Full research report, systematic review, guideline, or meta-analysis
  2. Study must report results of measurement of dyspnea
  3. Study examines an intervention aimed at affecting the symptom of dyspnea
  4. Study sample must include patients with cancer
  5. As of 1/1/2016, additional inclusions are (a) sample size of at least 40 or 20 per study group, and (b) for complex interventions, the description of the intervention must be sufficient to identify the components of that intervention.

Exclusion Criteria: 

  1. Grey literature
  2. Descriptive-only study 
  3. Samples of pediatric patients (< 19 years old)