Dyspnea, anxiety, body consciousness, and quality of life in patients with lung cancer

Dyspnea is a common symptom of lung cancer that can impact patient physical, social, and psychological well-being. Study goals were to evaluate quality of life (QOL) and dyspnea in patients with lung cancer and the relationships between QOL, dyspnea, trait anxiety, and body consciousness. Sociodemographic and cancer-related variables (stage, cell type, performance status) were evaluated. One hundred twenty outpatients with stage I-IV lung cancer participated in the study. Patients completed 5 questionnaires assessing QOL, dyspnea, trait anxiety, body consciousness, and pain. Eighty-seven percent of study participants experienced dyspnea. Patients with high dyspnea scores had lower QOL (P = 0.04). Dyspnea was worse in men than in women (P = 0.02), and there was a trend towards older patients reporting more severe dyspnea than younger patients (P = 0.06). There was no difference in dyspnea based on cancer stage, cell type, or performance status. Pain and anxiety scores were higher in patients with high dyspnea (P = 0.02, P = 0.03). Dyspnea was more severe in patients taking opioid analgesics when compared to non-opioids or no pain medications (P = 0.03). No significant association was found between dyspnea, anxiety, and private body consciousness.     

Normal or low initial PTH levels are not a predictor of morbidity/mortality in patients undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: During the past few decades, the pattern of bone disease in uremic patients has changed significantly. There has been an increase in the number of patients with normal or low initial parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, particularly in patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD). Previous authors have described a higher prevalence of bone pain, microfractures, and fractures, and higher mortality among these patients. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of patients who had a low or normal intact PTH (iPTH) level when they started CPD. DESIGN: We reviewed the records of 251 patients in our program that started CPD during the past 5 years (January 1996-December 2000). Clinical data, laboratory variables, medication, and dialysis parameters/dose were available at every clinic visit (approximately every 4 weeks). Intact PTH was used to express parathyroid function; values 3 times higher than the upper limit of normal (ULN) were assumed to be optimal. Variables predictive of the development of parathyroid dysfunction were calculated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the patients who started CPD, 15.5% had iPTH values below the ULN (7.6 pmol/L), and an additional 29.5% had an iPTH of less than 3 times the ULN (i.e., between 7.6 and 22.8 pmol/L). We call these two groups of patients the normal/low initial iPTH group. During the follow-up period (3-63 months), we found a trend toward increasing iPTH levels. By the end of the study period, 61.2% of those with normal/low initial iPTH remained in the normal/low iPTH range, and 38.8% had converted to a group with an iPTH range higher than 22.8 pmol/L. The patients who converted their iPTH grouping were younger, fewer of them were diabetics (p = not significant), and they were more frequently on low calcium dialysate (p < 0.05). Hyperphosphatemia was an independent risk factor for subsequent iPTH changes during the course of continuous ambulatory PD treatment. All patients in the normal/low iPTH groups had a low prevalence of bone fractures (3.5%). Also, patients who remained in the normal/low iPTH group at the end of the follow-up period did not have more fractures than those who converted to the hyperparathyroid group (3.8% vs 3.1%). We found no differences in bone fractures between patients with iPTH levels below 22.8 and those with levels above 22.8 pmol/L (3.5% vs 5.4%), nor were there differences in patient and technique survival between these two groups. CONCLUSION: Normal/low initial iPTH is a frequent finding among patients starting CPD. Serum phosphorus was an independent risk factor for subsequent iPTH changes during the course of CPD treatment. Use of low calcium dialysate was significantly higher in patients who converted their iPTH into the high iPTH range. Very few patients with low/normal iPTH had bone-related symptoms (pain and fractures), and their morbidity and mortality did not differ from those patients with a high initial iPTH level.     

Evaluating the effects of music on dyspnea during exercise in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study.

In this study, we examined the effects of music on the dyspnea and anxiety experienced by people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) when they are walking. A crossover design was used. Patients walked for 10 minutes without music and for 10 minutes while listening to music. The order of the interventions was determined by chance. The levels of perceived dyspnea (modified Borg scale) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State) were measured at baseline (before a 6-minute walk), at pretest (after that walk and before the 10-minute walks), and after the walks. Thirty subjects with a mean age of 70 +/- 7 years participated in the study. There were no differences in dyspnea or anxiety levels between the walks with music and with no music (p > 0.05). Despite some positive trends, this study did not provide conclusive evidence to support the efficacy of listening to music during exercise; further research is needed to support this intervention.     

D-二聚体和脑钠肽对急性呼吸困难病因诊断的价值

目的 探讨D-二聚体(D-D)和脑钠肽(BNP)对急性呼吸困难病因诊断的价值.方法 用免疫比浊法检测血浆D-D,用微粒子酶免疫法检测血浆BNP.结果 肺动脉栓塞性呼吸困难组(A组)、心源性呼吸困难组(B组)和肺源性呼吸困难组(C组)血浆D-D、BNP浓度明显高于正常对照组(D组),其中A组D-D浓度明显高于其他疾病组(P均<0.01),B组BNP浓度明显高于其他疾病组(P<0.01);C组D-D浓度与B组比较差异无统计学意义,BNP浓度明显低于A组(P<0.01).D-D对肺动脉栓塞性呼吸困难诊断的灵敏度95.8%,特异性45%,阴性预测值96.4%,阳性预测值41.1%;BNP对心源性呼吸困难诊断的灵敏度73.3%,特异性94.4%,阴性预测值86.4%,阳性预测值88.0%.结论 当D-D<500 ng/mL时,可排除肺动脉栓塞性呼吸困难;BNP>500 pg/mL,可作为心源性呼吸困难的独立诊断指标.     

Validation of a vertical visual analogue scale as a measure of clinical dyspnea

The purpose of this study was to validate a vertical visual analogue scale (VVAS) as a measure of clinical dyspnea. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by having asthmatics score their dyspnea intensity on both a VVAS and a horizontal visual analogue scale (HVAS), and then measuring their peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Correlation between the VVAS and HVAS was r = .97; between the VVAS and the PEFR, correlation was r = -.85, demonstrating the concurrent validity of the VVAS as a measure of dyspnea. Construct validity then was established, using the contrasted-groups approach with repeated measures. Both asthmatics and those with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) rated their dyspnea on the VVAS during times of severe and little airway obstruction. The dyspnea ratings at times of severe versus low obstruction were found to be different for both the asthmatic and COPD subjects. The VVAS was shown to have both concurrent and construct validity as a measure of dyspnea.     

A randomized controlled trial of supplemental oxygen versus air in cancer patients with dyspnea

CONTEXT: The symptomatic benefits of oxygen in patients with cancer who have nonhypoxic dyspnea are not well defined. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether or not oxygen is more effective than air in decreasing dyspnea and fatigue and increasing distance walked during a 6-minute walk test. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced cancer who had no severe hypoxemia (i.e., had an O2 saturation level of > or = 90%) at rest and had a dyspnea intensity of > or = 3 on a scale of 0-10 (0 = no shortness of breath, 10 = worst imaginable shortness of breath) were recruited from an outpatient thoracic clinic at a comprehensive cancer center. This was a double-blind, randomized crossover trial. Supplemental oxygen or air (5 L/min) was administered via nasal cannula during a 6-minute walk test. The outcome measures were dyspnea at 3 and 6 minutes, fatigue at 6 minutes, and distance walked. We also measured oxygen saturation levels at baseline, before second treatment phase, and at the end of study. RESULTS: In 33 evaluable patients (31 with lung cancer), no significant differences between treatment groups were observed in dyspnea, fatigue, or distance walked (dyspnea at 3 minutes: P = 0.61; dyspnea, fatigue, and distance walked at 6 minutes: P = 0.81, 0.37, and 0.23, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Currently, the routine use of supplemental oxygen for dyspnea during exercise in this patient population cannot be recommended.     

Jejunal and ileal adaptation to alterations in dietary calcium: changes in calcium and magnesium absorption and pathogenetic role of parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.

Previous balance studies have shown that fractional calcium absorption is increased by a low and reduced by a high calcium diet. The present studies were done to determine which segment of the small intestine is most sensitive to alterations in dietary calcium, and to see if dietary calcium intake has an effect on the intestinal absorption of another divalent cation, magnesium. Absorption was measured during constant perfusion of 30-cm segments of jejunum and ileum of normal subjects after 4 or 8 wk of a high (1,900 mg/d) or a low (20 mg/d) calcium diet. We found that calcium absorption rate was higher when subjects had been on a low than when they had been on a high calcium diet; the ileum responded more rapidly and more completely than the jejunum. Similar results were obtained with magnesium, but only the difference in the ileum was statistically significant. Sodium and xylose absorption were not influenced by dietary calcium intake. The serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were higher on the low than on the high calcium diet. We conclude that the ileum is more sensitive than the jejunum to changes in dietary calcium intake, and that ileal adaptation probably plays a major role in protecting the body against a deficiency or excess of body calcium that otherwise would occur when dietary calcium is abnormally low or high. Calcium intake influences ileal magnesium absorption in a similar fashion; it is not known whether or not this serves a protective function. Our data are compatible with the concept that adaptation to dietary calcium intake is mediated by changes in the serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.     

Alterations in the mechanical properties of the lung during dyspnea in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The mechanical properties of the lungs in seven patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were measured before and during dyspnea on exertion, as well as when relief with added oxygen was obtained. Mean pulmonary dynamic compliance was 0.091 liters/cm of H(2)O before dyspnea, 0.057 during dyspnea, and 0.101 liters/cm H(2)O during relief. During dyspnea there was an increase in the total respiratory work (both elastic and nonelastic work) and this fell during relief with oxygen. Nonelastic resistance and respiratory rate were not significantly different during the three periods. In five similar patients a progressive increase in the instantaneous rate of change of transpulmonary pressure (dP/dt) was observed during exercise and this was markedly increased during dyspnea. These changes in dP/dt during exercise could explain the observed fall of pulmonary dynamic compliance.     

术中维持较低的血红蛋白浓度对手术安全和预后的影响

目的探讨术中维持较低的血红蛋白水平对患者手术过程和手术预后的影响。方法 ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级手术患者120例,随机分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅲ3组,每组各40例,术中血红蛋白（Hb）浓度分别为：100g≤Hb〈120g/L、80g≤Hb〈100g/L和70g≤Hb〈80g/L。测定术前（T0）、术中（T1）、术毕（T2）、术后24h（T3）、出院时（T4）的血常规、乳酸、动脉血气,观察上述时点的心率（HR）、平均动脉压（MAP）变化情况,记录术中总输血量及输血并发症的发生情况、手术时间、住院时间及手术预后等。结果各组红细胞（RBC）、血红蛋白（Hb）及红细胞比容（Hct）在T1～T3时均低于T0,同期比较Ⅱ组低于Ⅰ组,Ⅲ组又低于Ⅱ组;T4时这些指标与T0比较差别减少,同时3组之间比较差异也减少。3组T1～T3的乳酸含量高于T0,T4虽仍高于组T0,但差距已明显缩小,组间同期比较无明显差异。3组T1～T3的pH、二氧化碳分压（PaCO2）低于T0,至T4时与T0已无差异。pH、PaCO2及其氧分压（PaO2）各组同期比较差异无统计学意义。每组各时点及组间同期HR、MAP差异无统计学意义。Ⅰ组的输血量及比Ⅱ、Ⅲ组多,Ⅱ又明显多于Ⅲ组。Ⅰ组因输血导致的过敏反应、发热多于Ⅲ组。3组间的住院时间无差别。3组患者术后切口感染及延迟愈合发生率无差别。结论术中Hb维持在70～80g/L水平对患者是安全的,且能减少术中输血量和因输血导致的不良反应。     

Motor imagery during hypnotic arm paralysis in high and low hypnotizable subjects.

Previous research suggests that conversion disordered patients with hand/arm paralysis exhibit slowed reaction times for mental hand-rotation tasks that correspond to their affected arm when the tasks are explicitly instructed and not when they are implicitly cued. Because of the many similarities between hypnotic phenomena and conversion symptoms, the authors tested whether similar motor imagery impairment would occur among normal high hypnotizable subjects when paralysis is suggested. Nine high and 8 low hypnotizable subjects were administered an implicit and an explicit mental hand-rotation task during hypnotically suggested paralysis of the right arm. On the implicit task, there were no significant reaction time (RT) differences between highs and lows. On the explicit task, only highs showed a significantly larger RT increase per degree of rotation with the paralyzed arm, compared to the normal arm. These preliminary findings suggest that the motor imagery impairment observed in conversion paralysis can be induced in highs using hypnosis.     

The clinical utility of serum lactate dehydrogenase in diagnosing pneumocystis carinii pneumonia among hospitalized AIDS patients.

It has been previously demonstrated that serum lactate dehydrogenase is elevated among HIV patients with pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). To evaluate the clinical utility of this test we analyzed the admission LDH levels of patients hospitalized for the first time due to the secondary complications of AIDS. Among 76 patients without a prior history of PCP, 41 (54%) had PCP diagnosed during their hospitalization while 35 (46%) did not have PCP. Serum LDH was significantly higher among PCP patients than in patients without PCP (mean = 423 IU/L vs 234 IU/L). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that at an optimal cutoff point of LDH greater than or equal to 240 IU/L, the test sensitivity and specificity were 0.78 and 0.74 respectively among all hospitalized patients. However, when only patients with dyspnea were considered, the optimal test sensitivity and specificity improved to 0.94 and 0.78 at a cutoff point of LDH greater than or equal to 220 IU/L. Comparing the areas under fitted ROC curves, serum LDH was a significantly better discriminator among patients with dyspnea than among those who were not short of breath. We conclude that while serum LDH is strongly associated with the presence of PCP among AIDS patients, it is a poor screening test for PCP when applied to all hospitalized AIDS patients with and without respiratory complaints. Serum LDH is no substitute for appropriate microbiological studies. However, with further evaluation, it may prove to be a useful test in guiding the clinical management of dyspneic patients in whom sputum or bronchial examinations are negative or not immediately available.     

中晚期妊娠糖尿病患者应用动态血糖监测系统的价值评估

目的 探讨动态血糖监测系统在孕中晚期妊娠糖尿病(GDM)孕妇中的应用价值.方法 对2006年1月-2007年4月门诊进行孕期健康检查的妊娠中晚期(24～35周)孕妇进行GDM的筛查,首先进行50g葡萄糖筛查试验,如1h血糖≥7.8mmol/L,则进一步于3d后行100g口服葡萄糖耐量试验.根据美国糖尿病协会诊断标准,将筛查出的47例GDM孕妇随机分成2组,实验组25例行72h动态血糖监测(CGMS),对照组22例行72h指尖末梢血糖测试,7次/d(包括三餐前、三餐后及睡前).结果 所有GDM孕妇在监测过程中均无低血糖自觉症状及低血糖事件记录;CGMS数据显示实验组高血糖比为(17.5±3.1)%,低血糖比为(2.4±0.9)%,均明显高于对照组的(14.3±2.2)%及0.结论 建议采用血糖仪行血糖自我监测的GDM孕妇,在进行指尖末梢血糖测试的同时定期进行CGMS血糖监测,系统评价真实血糖控制情况,确保母婴安全.     

B型利钠肽在急性呼吸困难鉴别诊断中的应用研究

目的　探讨床旁B型利钠肽(BNP)测定对急性呼吸困难鉴别诊断的敏感性、特异性和准确性。方法　采用美国博适 Triage干式快速定量心力衰竭/心肌梗死诊断仪对36 7例心源性和非心源性呼吸困难患者床旁BNP测定。结果　不同心功能分级患者BNP水平不同;BNP水平小于6 0pg/ml患者基本可诊断为非心源性呼吸困难;BNP水平大于1 0 0pg/ml但小于50 0pg/ml患者需考虑心源性呼吸困难可能;大于50 0pg/ml患者基本可诊断为心源性呼吸困难。结论　BNP水平高低是鉴别心源性和非心源性呼吸困难可靠的指标。     

Intérêt du dosage du peptide natriurétique de type-B en médecine d’urgence

Acute dyspnea is frequent in emergency medicine. The B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a polypeptide, released by ventricular myocytes, in direct proportion to wall tension, for lowering renin–angiotensin–aldosterone activation. BNP concentrations closely correlate to heart failure severity. Numerous studies have demonstrated the high usefulness of BNP to diagnose heart failure, which is the main cause of acute dyspnea. The diagnostic accuracy of BNP is higher than that of the emergency physician, and is improved in association with clinical pretest probability. A bedside dosage is now available, with a high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of heart failure. Threshold value is ranging from 80 to 300 pg/ml. Briefly, heart failure is usually absent when BNP is lower than 100 pg/ml, and probably present when BNP is higher than 400 pg/ml.     

Dyspnea during thalidomide treatment for advanced ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: To detail the dyspnea encountered in women receiving thalidomide as therapy for advanced ovarian cancer. CASE SUMMARIES: Eight of 18 (44%) patients with recurrent ovarian cancer developed dyspnea while receiving thalidomide 200 mg daily as part of a prospective Phase II study. Dyspnea was evaluated with pulse oximetry, chest X-ray and, if indicated, spiral computed tomography scan. Four patients had abnormal chest X-ray findings (1 pleural effusion, 1 pneumonia, 2 mild congestive heart failure), and one of these patients also had a pulmonary embolus. The other 4 patients had no objective test findings to explain their dyspnea. Five patients had resolution of symptoms when thalidomide was discontinued and, when the drug was resumed at a 50% dose reduction, experienced no further shortness of breath. DISCUSSION: While dyspnea in association with thalidomide has not previously been reported as a common adverse event, it was a frequent complaint of patients receiving this drug as part of a Phase II study. Comorbid conditions causing dyspnea were evaluated since they are common in this patient population; however, half of our patients had no objective evidence of such conditions. The Naranjo probability scale indicated a probable relationship between dyspnea and thalidomide therapy in the patients with no objective evidence of comorbidity. We advocate discontinuation of thalidomide until symptoms have resolved, at which time reintroduction of thalidomide at a reduced dose may be considered. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving thalidomide may develop dyspnea as an adverse effect of the drug. In selected patients, thalidomide may be safely reintroduced once symptoms resolve.     

PHOTODEGRADATION OF DOXORUBICIN, DAUNORUBICIN and EPIRUBICIN MEASURED BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

The degradation kinetics of doxorubicin, daunorubicin and epirubicin in aqueous solution under fluorescent light and sunlight were studied using high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods. The rates of photodegradation of all three drugs were similar, they were inversely proportional to the drug concentration and were accelerated by an increase in the pH of the vehicle. Photodegradation followed first-order kinetics. At concentrations greater than or equal to 500 micrograms/ml no special precautions appeared to be necessary to protect freshly prepared solutions of these agents from light. Photolysis was very rapid, however, at concentrations in the low microgram range therefore, when these solutions are used for in-vitro work or stability studies, they should be protected from light at all times. In addition, adsorptive losses, which may also be pronounced in low concentration solutions, should be prevented by storage in polypropylene containers.     

Usefulness of the modified 0-10 Borg scale in assessing the degree of dyspnea in patients with COPD and asthma.

INTRODUCTION: Rapid assessment and monitoring is essential for patients with acute bronchospasm. However, tools for measuring dyspnea or the state of being short of breath are often limited to peak flow, blood gas analysis, and asking patients multiple questions about their breathing at a time when they find speaking difficult. We thus decided to examine a tool called the modified Borg scale (MBS) that had the potential to provide quick, easy, and rapid information about a patient's subjective state of dyspnea. This 0 to 10 rated scale gave our ED patients a device they could use to measure and evaluate their dyspnea. For this reason, we added it to the triage assessment practice and included it in all posttreatment assessment notes on patients with exacerbations of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were seen in the emergency department and urgent care clinic. STUDY QUESTIONS: (1) Can patients with acute bronchospastic asthma or COPD adequately communicate their level of dyspnea using the MBS? (2) Does subjective improvement in the patient's dyspnea using the MBS correlate with improvements in pulmonary functions as measured by the peak flow meter and cutaneous oxygen saturation (Sao(2))? METHODS: Routine and triage assessment of subjective dyspnea using the MBS was instituted at a hospital emergency department serving adult veterans. Concurrently, the MBS was added to our standardized treatment protocol for management of patients with bronchospasm. ED and urgent care records were reviewed to collect baseline and postrespiratory treatment data on peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR), MBS scores, and Sao(2) percentages. RESULTS: Four hundred male veterans aged 24 to 87 years presented with a chief complaint of dyspnea. The assessing physician identified 102 of these patients as having acute bronchospasm; 42 were diagnosed with asthma, and 60 were diagnosed with COPD. All study patients with acute bronchospasm were able to use the MBS to rate their perception of severity of dyspnea. As the peak flow measurements increased, the MBS scores of difficulty breathing decreased. For the asthma groups, the mean MBS score decreased from 5.1 at triage baseline to 2.4 after treatment. This finding indicated that a significant correlation existed between the change in MBS scores and the change in PEFR from pretreatment to posttreatment scores (r = -.31, P <.05). As the peak flow increased, the MBS scores decreased. Sao(2) only slightly improved in the asthma group compared with the COPD group. For patients with COPD, the mean MBS score decreased from 6.0 at triage baseline to 3.0 after treatment. This finding indicated that a significant correlation also existed between the change in MBS scores and the change in PEFR from pretreatment to posttreatment scores (r = -.42, P <.001). Cutaneous oxygen saturation also improved in the COPD group after treatment. The modality of treatment ordered by the physician was metered dose inhaler or nebulizer. These treatment modalities had no effect on the aforementioned results in the asthma or COPD group. CONCLUSIONS: The MBS is a valid and reliable assessment tool for dyspnea. This study demonstrated that it correlated well with other clinical parameters and could be useful when assessing and monitoring outcomes in patients with acute bronchospasm. Patients who used the MBS rated it with a high degree of satisfaction on ease of use and found that the language in this scale adequately expressed their dyspnea. The ED triage and primary care nursing staff rated the MBS as highly satisfactory, stating that it was quick and easy to use. Respiratory assessment in the triage notes and nursing notes were streamlined to consistently include 3 respiratory measures: PEFR, MBS, and Sao(2). Long respiratory narratives were found to be unnecessary in many cases. In addition, the MBS helped to include an important element of subjective assessment when evaluating the severity of dyspnea.     

A RE I NTERFACILITY G ROUND T RANSPORTS OF P ATIENTS U TILIZING I NTRA - AORTIC B ALLOON P UMPS S AFE ?

Objective. To determine whether the interfacility ground transport of patients with intra-aortic balloon pumps results in morbidity or mortality during transfer. Methods. Charts of all intra-aortic balloon pump transports by a private ambulance company occurring from January 1998 through December 1999 (24 months) were reviewed retrospectively. Records were assessed by a single reviewer for adverse events, explicitly defined as any notation on the record describing death, chest pain, dyspnea, altered mental status, device malfunction, bleeding, unstable vital signs (heart rate <50 beats/min or ≥120 beats/min, respiratory rate <12 breaths/min or ≥30 breaths/min, systolic blood pressure <90?mm?Hg), or hypoxia (oxygen saturation <93%). Unstable vital signs as defined above did not count as adverse events if they represented a patient's baseline condition prior to transport. Results. Thirty-two transports were identified during the study period. Twenty-seven patients (84.4%) had no adverse events. There were no mortalities. Adverse events, none of which resulted in morbidity, were: 1) chest pain and transient paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (relieved with increasing the nitroglycerin infusion); 2) continuous mild chest pain (began during transport and diminished with giving sublingual nitroglycerin and increasing the nitroglycerin infusion); 3) dyspnea and hypoxia (relieved with increased oxygen); 4) transient hypotension (spontaneously resolved); 5) hypotension (resolved by increasing the dopamine infusion). Conclusion. Although a few adverse events occurred, interfacility ground transport of patients with intra-aortic balloon pumps was not associated with morbidity or mortality in this study.