Comparisons of assessments for the sensory-perceptual and affective domains of breathlessness
| Items | VAS [3] | Descriptor list [7] | D-12 [8] | MDP [9] | ||
| Intensity | Y | |||||
| Unpleasantness | Y | Y (A1) | MDP-IP | |||
| Sensory quality | ||||||
| I feel that my breathing is rapid | Y | I am breathing a lot (rapidly, deeply or heavily)# | ||||
| My breathing is heavy | Y | |||||
| My breath does not go out all the way | Y | |||||
| My chest feels tight | Y | My chest or lungs feel tight or constricted# | ||||
| My chest is constricted | Y | |||||
| I feel that I am breathing more | Y | |||||
| My breathing requires effort | Y | My breathing requires muscle work or effort# | ||||
| My breathing requires work | Y | Y | D-12 Physical | |||
| I feel out of breath | Y | |||||
| I cannot get enough air | Y | Y | I am not getting enough air, I feel hunger for air or I am smothering# | |||
| I feel hungry for air | Y | |||||
| I feel that I am smothering | Y | |||||
| I feel that I am suffocating | Y | |||||
| I have difficulty catching my breath | Y | |||||
| My breath does not go in all the way | Y | Y | ||||
| I feel short of breath | Y | |||||
| My breathing is shallow | Y | |||||
| My breathing requires mental effort or concentration | Y | |||||
| My breathing is exhausting | Y | |||||
| My breathing is uncomfortable | Y | |||||
| Affective or emotional response | D-12 Affective | MDP-ER | ||||
| My breathing makes me feel miserable | y | |||||
| My breathing is distressing | Y | |||||
| My breathing makes me feel agitated | Y | |||||
| My breathing is irritating | Y | |||||
| My breathing makes me feel depressed | Y | Y | ||||
| Anxious | Y | |||||
| Frustrated | Y | |||||
| Angry | Y | |||||
| Afraid | Y | |||||
| Instrument characteristics | ||||||
| Items | 1 | 15 | 12 | 11 | ||
| Scoring scale | mm | NA | Categories scored on 0–3 scale | Continuous numeric rating scale (0–10) | ||
| Recommended scoring | Single score | NA | Single score | Individual items±subdomain scores; if single score required=A1 | ||
| Domains assessed [3] | ||||||
| Sensory quality | Y | Y | Y | |||
| Intensity | Y (VAS-I) | Y | Y | |||
| Affective distress | Y (VAS-U) | Y | Y | |||
| Symptom impact/burden | Y | |||||
| Recommended focal period for assessment | Specified event or time | “These days” | Specified event or time | |||
| Development context | Routine clinic visit | Concurrent laboratory and emergency departments | ||||
Volunteered descriptors are not included as subjects may volunteer multiple descriptors reflecting various intensity, unpleasantness, sensory quality or affective responses [4]. VAS-I/U: visual analogue scale (Intensity/Unpleasantness); D-12: Dyspnoea-12; MDP: Multidimensional Dyspnoea Profile; Y: yes (item is included); A1: MDP item for unpleasantness; NA: not applicable. #: sensory quality “forced-choice” items.