Does "patient-reported discomfort" from bronchoscopy differ over time?

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Patient Experience Research

Background:

• Optimal timing for assessing patient satisfaction post-bronchoscopy remains unclear.
• This study investigates patient comfort scores immediately versus 7-14 days after bronchoscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare immediate post-bronchoscopy patient comfort scores with those obtained at a later follow-up.
• To identify factors influencing patient comfort during and after bronchoscopy.

Main Methods:

• 240 patients undergoing bronchoscopy were enrolled; 180 provided complete data.
• Patients self-reported discomfort (0-4 scale) immediately post-procedure and at follow-up (7-14 days).
• Nursing staff also recorded patient comfort and sedation levels.

Main Results:

• No significant difference was observed between immediate and follow-up patient comfort scores (P=0.79).
• Nurse-assessed comfort correlated with patient-reported scores at both time points (P<0.01).
• Younger patients (<60 years) reported significantly higher immediate discomfort (P<0.05), despite receiving lower midazolam doses.

Conclusions:

• Patient comfort assessment post-bronchoscopy yields similar results whether done immediately or at a later date.
• Younger age is associated with increased immediate discomfort during bronchoscopy.
• Nurse assessments of patient comfort align with patient self-reports.