Characteristics of patients with shortness of breath referred by pharmacists
| Characteristic | No. (%) of patients* n = 328 |
|---|---|
| Age, yr, median (IQR) | 50 (32–64) |
| Weight, kg, mean ± SD | 83.3 ± 20.7 |
| Height, cm, mean ± SD | 166.4 ± 9.6 |
| Sex, female | 188 (57.3) |
| Ethnicity | |
| White | 283 (86.3) |
| South Asian | 19 (5.8) |
| Aboriginal | 12 (3.6) |
| Other† | 14 (4.3) |
| Highest level of education | |
| Completed postsecondary education | 161 (49.1) |
| Some postsecondary education | 62 (18.9) |
| High school diploma | 61 (18.6) |
| Less than grade 12 | 44 (13.4) |
| Married or common-law status | 190 (57.9) |
| Most common comorbidities | |
| Allergies | 255 (77.7) |
| GERD | 142 (43.3) |
| Depression | 104 (31.7) |
| Sinus or nasal polyps | 103 (31.4) |
| Anxiety | 88 (26.8) |
| Other relevant comorbidities | |
| Hypertension | 85 (25.9) |
| Anemia | 42 (12.8) |
| Coronary artery disease | 28 (8.5) |
| Heart failure | 6 (1.8) |
| Smoking history | |
| Current | 65 (19.8) |
| Former | 117 (35.7) |
| Never | 146 (44.5) |
| Pack-years for current or former smokers, median (IQR) | 19 (10–31) |
| Symptoms | |
| Cough symptoms (day or night) | 98 (29.9) |
| Sputum production | 56 (17.1) |
| Chest tightness | 64 (19.5) |
| Wheeze | 64 (19.5) |
| Other symptoms | |
| Peripheral edema | 31 (9.5) |
| Fatigue | 70 (21.3) |
| Bilateral ankle edema | 34 (10.4) |
| Fever or flu-like symptoms | 18 (5.5) |
| Currently absent from work or school | 23 (7.0) |
| Previously diagnosed by a primary care provider for SOB symptoms | 216 (65.8) |
| Asthma | 181/216 (83.8) |
| COPD | 34/216 (15.7) |
| Other | 113/216 (52.3) |
| Previously seen by a specialist for SOB | 128 (39.0) |
| Previously had PFTs conducted for SOB | 134 (40.8) |
Note: COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease, IQR = interquartile range, PFT = pulmonary function test, SD = standard deviation, SOB = shortness of breath.
↵* Unless stated otherwise.
↵† Included black, Hispanic, East and Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and other ethnicities not stated in the case report form.