End-of-life preferences of people with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Objectives To identify end-of-life preferences of people with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to compare characteristics between those who wish to discuss the end-of-life and those who do not.

Methods An analysis of the baseline data of a randomised controlled trial was performed including people with COPD GOLD stages III–IV or former quadrant D with modified Medical Research Council questionnaire grade ≥2, after hospital discharge following an exacerbation. Participants were interviewed using the End-of-Life Preferences Interview.

Results A total of 165 individuals (53% men; 68±9 years old; 55% care dependent) were included. Most participants wished to take part in shared decision-making (78%), to be informed about a short life expectancy (82%), to discuss the end-of-life (82%), to have loved ones around at death (87%) and to choose when to die (70%). They also reported accepting opioids (74%). Preferences for who to provide physical care, the place, consciousness and atmosphere at death as well as life-sustaining treatments were heterogeneous. Participants who wanted to discuss the end-of-life had a significantly higher educational level (p=0.030) and worse health status than participants who did not (p=0.007).

Conclusions End-of-life preferences of people with advanced COPD were heterogeneous, however, most wished to discuss it, especially those with higher educational level and worse health status.

Trial registration number NTR3940.