The complexity of outcome assessment in trials of symptomatic management for people living with persistent breathlessness: challenges and opportunities

<title>Extract</title> In many people with chronic respiratory diseases, breathlessness (dyspnoea) occurs at normal day-to-day exertion, despite optimal treatment of their underlying diseases [1]. It is disabling, and is associated with worse self-rated health, care dependency, worse physical and mental quality of life, decreased social life, anxiety, depression, unplanned healthcare use and poorer prognosis [2–4].