RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Randomised, placebo controlled trial of nebulised furosemide for breathlessness in patients with cancer
JF Thorax
JO Thorax
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society
SP 872
OP 875
DO 10.1136/thx.2007.091538
VO 63
IS 10
A1 A Wilcock
A1 A Walton
A1 C Manderson
A1 L Feathers
A1 B El Khoury
A1 M Lewis
A1 A Chauhan
A1 P Howard
A1 S Bell
A1 J Frisby
A1 A Tattersfield
YR 2008
UL http://thorax.bmj.com/content/63/10/872.abstract
AB Background: Breathlessness is a common and difficult symptom to treat in patients with cancer. Case reports suggest that nebulised furosemide can relieve breathlessness in such patients but few data are available.Method: Patients with primary or secondary lung cancer and a Dyspnoea Exertion Scale score of ⩾3 were recruited. Following familiarisation, patients received either nebulised furosemide 40 mg or nebulised 0.9% saline under double blind conditions or no treatment, in random order on 3 consecutive days. Patients undertook number reading and arm exercise tests to assess breathlessness and its impact, and were asked to report subjective benefit and any preference between nebulised treatments.Results: 15 patients took part. There were no differences between furosemide, saline and no treatment in the outcomes of the number reading test (eg, mean number read per breath was 6.7, 6.4 and 6.7, respectively) or arm exercise test (eg, mean Borg score at maximum equivalent workload was 2.3, 2.5 and 2.7, respectively). No adverse effects were reported, although there was a small fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity following saline. Six patients considered that their breathlessness improved with nebulised treatment, three preferring saline, one furosemide and two reporting they were of equal benefit.Conclusions: Our findings do not support a beneficial effect from nebulised furosemide in patients with cancer related breathlessness.Listed on the National Research Register (N0170118249) and the UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio Database (1428).