Two faces of the same coin: a qualitative study of patients’ and carers’ coexistence with chronic breathlessness associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Table 2 Patients characteristics (n = 9)

Median age (IQR)	77 (72–79)
Gender
Female	3
Ethnicity
Oceanian (Australia or New Zealand)	8
North-West European	1
Usual language spoken at home
English	9
Residence
Living in a private residence	9
Marital status
Married or de facto	8
Widowed	1
Highest level of education
Did not complete high school	4
Completed high school	1
Completed a trade certificate	2
University Degree	2
mMRC score at baseline
3	9
NRS Worst breathlessness (24 h)
4	1
6	2
7	3
8	2
9	1
AKPS
50	3
60	3
70	3

mMRC 0–4 modified Medical Research Council scale (higher scores correspond to lower levels of exertion achieved before being limited by breathlessness), NRS 0 to 10 numerical rating scale (0 = no breathlessness, 10 worst possible breathlessness); AKPS Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status (higher scores correspond to better performance status)

ISSN: 1472-684X