ABSTRACT
Dyspnea, the distressing experience of respiratory discomfort, is the most common symptom in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Dyspnea generally intensifies as the disease progresses, with the result that the ability to participate in activities of daily living is seriously curtailed and quality of life is diminished. For patients with advanced, poorly reversible disease, effective symptom control becomes an important therapeutic goal. It is only appropriate, therefore, that symptom assessment be considered as a primary clinical outcome measure in clinical trials designed to evaluate the impact of therapeutic interventions in COPD.
