Characteristics of patients receiving palliative sedation (n = 183) and refractory symptoms in Dutch general practice, compared to age distribution of all deceased 2005–2011
| Year | Palliative sedation | All deathsa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | Total | n = 3222 | |
| Incidence (1/100 000) | 19.6 | 33.7 | 27.7 | 17.0 | 28.0 | 24.0 | 15.2 | ||
| Sex, % | |||||||||
| Male (n = 101) | 65.4 | 53.1 | 53.3 | 50.0 | 51.6 | 56.7 | 56.3 | 55.2 | – |
| Female (n = 82) | 34.6 | 46.9 | 46.7 | 50.0 | 48.4 | 43.3 | 43.8 | 44.8 | – |
| Age, % | |||||||||
| ≤54 (n = 23) | 12.0 | 9.4 | 3.3 | 22.2 | 22.6 | 6.7 | 18.8 | 12.6 | 8.8 |
| 55–64 (n = 36) | 36.0 | 18.8 | 16.7 | 16.7 | 12.9 | 23.3 | 12.5 | 19.8 | 11.9 |
| 65–74 (n = 43) | 12.0 | 25.0 | 33.3 | 11.1 | 22.6 | 30.0 | 25.0 | 23.6 | 18.8 |
| 75–84 (n = 46) | 32.0 | 25.0 | 26.7 | 27.8 | 22.6 | 20.0 | 25.0 | 25.3 | 30.6 |
| ≥85 (n = 34) | 8.0 | 21.9 | 20.0 | 22.2 | 19.4 | 20.0 | 18.8 | 18.7 | 29.9 |
| Diseases, %b | |||||||||
| Cancer (n = 135) | 69.2 | 81.3 | 73.3 | 77.8 | 67.7 | 70.0 | 81.3 | 73.8 | – |
| Cardiovascular (n = 16) | 7.7 | 3.1 | 16.7 | 5.6 | 9.7 | 10.0 | 6.3 | 8.7 | – |
| COPD (n = 7) | 3.8 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 10.0 | 0.0 | 3.8 | – |
| Other (n = 33) | 23.1 | 21.9 | 10.0 | 16.7 | 22.6 | 13.3 | 18.8 | 18.0 | – |
| Symptoms, %b | |||||||||
| Pain (n = 127) | 73.1 | 65.6 | 70.0 | 77.8 | 64.5 | 76.7 | 56.3 | 69.4 | – |
| Dyspnoea (n = 97) | 50.0 | 53.1 | 66.7 | 38.9 | 51.6 | 56.7 | 43.8 | 53.0 | – |
| Fear (n = 72) | 46.2 | 62.5 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 32.3 | 23.3 | 31.3 | 39.3 | – |
| Delirium (n = 44) | 34.6 | 21.9 | 10.0 | 44.4 | 25.8 | 16.7 | 25.0 | 24.0 | – |
| Nausea (n = 54) | 30.8 | 37.5 | 23.3 | 27.8 | 29.0 | 33.3 | 18.8 | 29.5 | – |
| Vomiting (n = 45) | 23.1 | 28.1 | 26.7 | 16.7 | 25.8 | 23.3 | 25.0 | 24.6 | – |
| Otherc (n = 31) | – | – | 23.3 | 22.2 | 29.0 | 23.3 | 25.0 | 24.8 | – |
| Number of symptoms, % | |||||||||
| 0 (n = 3) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 5.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.3 | 1.7 | – |
| 1 (n = 33) | 15.4 | 25.0 | 16.7 | 5.6 | 9.7 | 30.0 | 18.8 | 18.0 | – |
| 2 (n = 59) | 26.9 | 28.1 | 40.0 | 38.9 | 45.2 | 20.0 | 31.3 | 32.2 | – |
| ≥3 (n = 88) | 57.7 | 46.9 | 40.0 | 50.0 | 45.2 | 50.0 | 43.8 | 48.1 | – |