Palliation of Dyspnea in Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) affects at least 750,000 Canadians and is
currently the 4th leading cause of death in Canada. Almost everyone with COPD suffers from
shortness of breath (dyspnea) that worsens over time despite standard treatment (inhalers,
exercise programs and oxygen). Patients and families have identified relief from dyspnea as a
top priority for improved care. New approaches are needed for treating advanced COPD to
lessen the burden that it places on the lives of patients and families alike. Opioid drugs,
such as morphine, can help in COPD in many ways, including reducing dyspnea, fear and
anxiety. Opioids are used widely in cancer for similar symptoms. However, there are
historical biases against their use in advanced COPD (mostly due to fear of side effects when
much higher doses than the investigators intend have been used in the past). No studies have
assessed the value to patients of using low dose opioids in advanced COPD in addition to
conventional treatment. The investigators are planning a study that involves recording
interviews with about 30 patients and their partner or key family member before and after
starting treatment with low dose morphine, to understand their experiences with using
morphine. The investigators will also ask them to complete questionnaires about quality of
life, dyspnea, anxiety, depression and fear. Descriptions of experiences of using morphine
have the potential to inform patients, families, clinicians and professional societies about
the benefits and harms of opioid use for dyspnea in the advanced stages of a common serious
lung disease when traditional treatments often fail. The investigators will conduct the study
in both urban (Halifax and Saskatoon) and in a rural setting (New Brunswick). The
investigators' study of an inexpensive and widely available treatment has the potential to
improve care and outcomes in advanced COPD for the many Canadians living and dying with this
serious lung disease.
Phase:
Phase 2/Phase 3
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Collaborators:
Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation