Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.

<h4>Background</h4>The minimal important difference (MID) is essential for interpreting the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Despite a number of RCTs in patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) which use the visual analogue scale for dyspnea (VASD) as an outcome me...

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Main Authors: Eleanor K Mishra, John P Corcoran, Robert J Hallifax, John Stradling, Nicholas A Maskell, Najib M Rahman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123798
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author Eleanor K Mishra
John P Corcoran
Robert J Hallifax
John Stradling
Nicholas A Maskell
Najib M Rahman
author_facet Eleanor K Mishra
John P Corcoran
Robert J Hallifax
John Stradling
Nicholas A Maskell
Najib M Rahman
author_sort Eleanor K Mishra
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>The minimal important difference (MID) is essential for interpreting the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Despite a number of RCTs in patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) which use the visual analogue scale for dyspnea (VASD) as an outcome measure, the MID has not been established.<h4>Methods</h4>Patients with suspected MPE undergoing a pleural procedure recorded their baseline VASD and their post-procedure VASD (24 hours after the pleural drainage), and in parallel assessed their breathlessness on a 7 point Likert scale.<h4>Findings</h4>The mean decrease in VASD in patients with a MPE reporting a 'small but just worthwhile decrease' in their dyspnea (i.e. equivalent to the MID) was 19mm (95% CI 14-24mm). The mean drainage volume required to produce a change in VASD of 19mm was 760ml.<h4>Interpretation</h4>The mean MID for the VASD in patients with a MPE undergoing a pleural procedure is 19mm (95% CI 14-24mm). Thus choosing an improvement of 19mm in the VASD would be justifiable in the design and analysis of future MPE studies.
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spelling doaj-art-36c6b8ad27a0437f93e4e5172cb4f0162025-08-20T03:10:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01104e012379810.1371/journal.pone.0123798Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.Eleanor K MishraJohn P CorcoranRobert J HallifaxJohn StradlingNicholas A MaskellNajib M Rahman<h4>Background</h4>The minimal important difference (MID) is essential for interpreting the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Despite a number of RCTs in patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) which use the visual analogue scale for dyspnea (VASD) as an outcome measure, the MID has not been established.<h4>Methods</h4>Patients with suspected MPE undergoing a pleural procedure recorded their baseline VASD and their post-procedure VASD (24 hours after the pleural drainage), and in parallel assessed their breathlessness on a 7 point Likert scale.<h4>Findings</h4>The mean decrease in VASD in patients with a MPE reporting a 'small but just worthwhile decrease' in their dyspnea (i.e. equivalent to the MID) was 19mm (95% CI 14-24mm). The mean drainage volume required to produce a change in VASD of 19mm was 760ml.<h4>Interpretation</h4>The mean MID for the VASD in patients with a MPE undergoing a pleural procedure is 19mm (95% CI 14-24mm). Thus choosing an improvement of 19mm in the VASD would be justifiable in the design and analysis of future MPE studies.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123798
spellingShingle Eleanor K Mishra
John P Corcoran
Robert J Hallifax
John Stradling
Nicholas A Maskell
Najib M Rahman
Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
PLoS ONE
title Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
title_full Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
title_fullStr Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
title_full_unstemmed Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
title_short Defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions.
title_sort defining the minimal important difference for the visual analogue scale assessing dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusions
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123798
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