Table 2 Palliative sedation characteristics (PALSED study), total and per setting

Primary reason to start PS

 Dyspnea

17 (22%)

7 (30%)

3 (16%)

7 (19%)

0.4^b

 Delirium

14 (18%)

9 (39%)

1 (5%)

4 (11%)

0.01^b

 Exhaustion

13 (17%)

2 (9%)

4 (21%)

7 (19%)

0.5^b

 Existential suffering

9 (12%)

1 (4%)

3 (16%)

5 (14%)

0.4^b

 Anxiety

7 (9%)

0

1 (5%)

6 (17%)

0.07^b

 Pain

5 (6%)

2 (9%)

1 (5%)

2 (6%)

0.9^b

 Nausea/vomiting

4 (5%)

0

3 (16%)

1 (3%)

0.05^b

 Other

7 (9%)

1 (4%)

3 (16%)

3 (8%)

0.5^b

 Missing

2 (3%)

1 (4%)

0

1 (3%)

No. of symptoms at start PS

 1

15 (19%)

8 (35%)

2 (11%)

5 (14%)

0.08^b

 2

31 (40%)

8 (35%)

7 (37%)

16 (44%)

0.7^b

 3 or more

32 (41%)

7 (30%)

10 (53%)

15 (42%)

0.3^b

Form of PS

 Continuous sedation

73 (94%)

22 (96%)

18 (95%)

33 (92%)

0.8^b

 Intermittent sedation

3 (4%)

0

1 (5%)

2 (6%)

0.5^b

 Started intermittent- changed in continuous sedation

2 (3%)

1 (4%)

0

1 (3%)

0.6^b

Sedative medication used

 Midazolam only

50 (64%)

17 (74%)

8 (42%)

25 (69%)

0.07^b

 Midazolam and other medication^c

26 (33%)

6 (26%)

9 (47%)

11 (31%)

0.3^b 

 Midazolam changed in phenobarbital

2 (3%)

0

2 (11%)

0

0.04^b

Recalculated midazolam dosages (mg/h), median [IQR]

2.3 [1.5–3.1]

2.0 [1.2–3.1]

3.1 [2.5–5.1]

2.3 [1.7–2.8]

0.01^a

Administration of opioids(sc/iv) during PS, yes (n, %)^d

74 (95%)

21 (91%)

17 (89%)

36 (100%)

0.2^b

Duration PS (in hours), median [IQR]

38.1 [16.2–87.5]

41.6 [18.6–80.5]

37.0 [27.0–97.8]

31.4 [15.6–72.7]

0.8^a