The impact of regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine for chronic breathlessness on caregiver burden : An exploratory analysis of the BEAMS trial
Kochovska, Slavica ; Ferreira, Diana ; Chang, Sungwon ; Luckett, Tim ; Roydhouse, Jessica ; Ekström, Magnus LU
and Currow, David C.
(2024)
In Palliative Medicine
38(1).
p.156-162
- Abstract
Background: Chronic breathlessness adversely impacts people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their caregivers (family and friends), who may, in turn, experience significant burden due to their caregiving role. Sustained-release morphine may reduce chronic breathlessness in some patients, which may have an impact on caregivers’ perceived burden. Aim: To explore the impact on caregiver burden of active treatment of people with chronic breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) ⩾ 3) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine within a multi-site, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Design: Exploratory analysis of self-reported caregiver... (More)
Background: Chronic breathlessness adversely impacts people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their caregivers (family and friends), who may, in turn, experience significant burden due to their caregiving role. Sustained-release morphine may reduce chronic breathlessness in some patients, which may have an impact on caregivers’ perceived burden. Aim: To explore the impact on caregiver burden of active treatment of people with chronic breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) ⩾ 3) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine within a multi-site, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Design: Exploratory analysis of self-reported caregiver burden at baseline and end of week 3 in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Caregiver measures included: demographics and perceived burden (Zarit Burden Interview 12-item short-form questionnaire). Patient measures included: worst breathlessness and FitBitR-measures. Setting/participants: All consenting caregivers of trial patient participants in a multi-site study recruiting from palliative care and respiratory services. Results: Caregivers (n = 49; 59% women; median age 68 years [IQR 50–75]) reported median baseline caregiver burden 12 [IQR 5–17], with 53% reporting high burden (⩾13). Eighty-four percent of caregivers reported no change in burden. In people whose worst breathlessness improved, caregiver burden moved in the same direction, though the correlation was not significant (rs = 0.25, p = 0.17). Conversely, caregiver burden worsened as patients’ minutes lightly active increased, with the correlation being significant (rs = 0.56, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Caregivers reported high levels of caregiver burden, but patients’ response to treatment in terms of their symptom and function may influence change in caregiver burden over a three-week period.
(Less)
- author
- Kochovska, Slavica
; Ferreira, Diana
; Chang, Sungwon
; Luckett, Tim
; Roydhouse, Jessica
; Ekström, Magnus
LU
and Currow, David C.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- caregiver burden, Chronic breathlessness, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, randomised controlled trial
- in
- Palliative Medicine
- volume
- 38
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 7 pages
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85177091317
- pmid:37978419
- ISSN
- 0269-2163
- DOI
- 10.1177/02692163231211227
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c0e751b3-a740-407d-8f03-49928fa9d5a5
- date added to LUP
- 2024-01-08 13:46:12
- date last changed
- 2025-07-03 02:21:26
@article{c0e751b3-a740-407d-8f03-49928fa9d5a5,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Chronic breathlessness adversely impacts people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their caregivers (family and friends), who may, in turn, experience significant burden due to their caregiving role. Sustained-release morphine may reduce chronic breathlessness in some patients, which may have an impact on caregivers’ perceived burden. Aim: To explore the impact on caregiver burden of active treatment of people with chronic breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) ⩾ 3) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine within a multi-site, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Design: Exploratory analysis of self-reported caregiver burden at baseline and end of week 3 in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Caregiver measures included: demographics and perceived burden (Zarit Burden Interview 12-item short-form questionnaire). Patient measures included: worst breathlessness and FitBit<sup>R</sup>-measures. Setting/participants: All consenting caregivers of trial patient participants in a multi-site study recruiting from palliative care and respiratory services. Results: Caregivers (n = 49; 59% women; median age 68 years [IQR 50–75]) reported median baseline caregiver burden 12 [IQR 5–17], with 53% reporting high burden (⩾13). Eighty-four percent of caregivers reported no change in burden. In people whose worst breathlessness improved, caregiver burden moved in the same direction, though the correlation was not significant (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.25, p = 0.17). Conversely, caregiver burden worsened as patients’ minutes lightly active increased, with the correlation being significant (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.56, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Caregivers reported high levels of caregiver burden, but patients’ response to treatment in terms of their symptom and function may influence change in caregiver burden over a three-week period.</p>}},
author = {{Kochovska, Slavica and Ferreira, Diana and Chang, Sungwon and Luckett, Tim and Roydhouse, Jessica and Ekström, Magnus and Currow, David C.}},
issn = {{0269-2163}},
keywords = {{caregiver burden; Chronic breathlessness; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; randomised controlled trial}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{156--162}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Palliative Medicine}},
title = {{The impact of regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine for chronic breathlessness on caregiver burden : An exploratory analysis of the BEAMS trial}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/02692163231211227}},
doi = {{10.1177/02692163231211227}},
volume = {{38}},
year = {{2024}},
}