Shortness of Breath During Hospital Stay Linked to Six-Fold Increase in Death Risk

Feeling short of breath while hospitalized is associated with a significantly higher risk of death, according to new research published today, potentially impacting hospital care protocols worldwide.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed data from nearly 10,000 adults who reported breathing difficulties upon admission to hospital, with 77 percent entering through the emergency department. They tracked patient outcomes – including mortality, readmission rates, length of stay, and intensive care needs – over a two-year period, finding that patients who developed shortness of breath during their hospital stay were six times more likely to die in hospital. Those reporting breathlessness upon arrival faced a three-fold increased risk. The study, published in ERJ Open Research, revealed a direct correlation between the severity of breathlessness, rated on a scale of 0 to 10, and the risk of death.

“Some patients experience it as feeling starved of air or suffocated,” explained study lead Professor Robert Banzett. “In hospitals, nurses routinely ask patients to rate any pain they are experiencing, but this is not the case for dyspnoea.” Interestingly, the research found no link between reported pain levels and increased mortality, with Professor Banzett noting that while pain is a warning system, it doesn’t typically signal an “existential threat.” Experts suggest that routinely assessing breathlessness could improve symptom management and identify high-risk patients needing urgent attention, similar to how hospitals currently monitor pain levels. Understanding the underlying causes of breathlessness is crucial; conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), affecting millions, can contribute to this symptom.

Hilary Pinnock, chair of the European Respiratory Society’s Education Council, commented that the findings should prompt further research into the mechanisms linking breathlessness to adverse outcomes. Officials are now considering implementing routine breathlessness assessments as a standard part of hospital admission procedures to facilitate earlier intervention and potentially save lives.