A comparison of the prevalence of dry mouth and other symptoms using two different versions of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System on an inpatient palliative care unit

Table 2 Comparison of symptom prevalence (defined as the proportion of severity ratings > 0) using ESAS-m^a in 2013 versus ESAS-r^b in 2017

Symptoms	Symptom prevalence, % (n/N)
Symptoms	ESAS-m^a (N = 184)	ESAS-r^b (N = 156)	p-value
Items listed similarly in both versions
Tiredness	93 (170/182)	99 (151/153)	p = .02
Nausea	49 (90/182)	45 (69/154)	p = .40
Lack of appetite	85 (153/180)	88 (135/153)	p = .39
Shortness of breath	75 (136/181)	79 (21/154)	p = .46
Anxious	75 (136/182)	68 (100/147)	p = .18
Depressed	80 (141/177)	74 (115/151)	p = .45
Wellbeing	88 (152/173)	93 (125/135)	p = .17
Items mentioned in both versions but in different ways
Pain at rest^c	72 (131/182)		p = .04
Pain on movement^c	83 (149/180)		p = .74
Pain^c		81 (127/156)
Constipation^d	73 (129/176)	15 (24/156)^b	p < .001
Items listed in only one version
Dry mouth^e	83 (151/183)	3 (5/156)^c	p < .001
Sleep problems^e	71 (126/178)	< 1 (1/156)^c	p < .001
Drowsiness^f		95 (147/155)	n/a

^a ESAS-m is a modified version of the original Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) in use at the palliative care unit in 2013 and included 12 items as described in this table. ^b ESAS-r is the revised version of the original ESAS in use at the palliative care unit in 2017 and included 10 items as described in this table. ^c The pain at rest and pain on movement items in the ESAS-m were replaced by a single pain item in the ESAS-r. Each of the ESAS-m pain items was compared to the ESAS-r pain item. ^d Constipation was not systematically assessed in the ESAS-r, but was given as an example of an “Other problem” and some patients reported it. ^e Dry mouth and sleep problems were not mentioned in the ESAS-r, but a few patients reported them as an “Other problem”. ^f Drowsiness was omitted from the ESAS-m, but was included in the ESAS-r. Because the ESAS-m did not allow for additional symptoms to be written in, its prevalence using the ESAS-m could not be determined.

ISSN: 1472-684X