Table 3

Comparison of dyspnoea assessment

	OPTIME—CHF	SURVIVE	VERITAS	EVEREST	PROTECT	ASCEND-HF	RELAX-AHF		REVIVE I	REVIVE II	DOSE	CARRESS	ROSE
Was dyspnoea an end point?	Secondary	Secondary	Co-primary	Secondary	Primary	Co-primary	Primary	Primary	Secondary	Secondary	Secondary	Secondary	Secondary
Instrument/scale used to measure dyspnoea	Composite HF score (not validated)	7-point Likert scale	VAS (quantified by AUC)	7-point Likert scale	7-point Likert scale	7-point Likert scale	VAS (quantified by AUC)	7-point Likert scale	7-point Likert scale	7-point Likert scale	VAS (quantified by AUC)	VAS (quantified by AUC)	VAS (quantified by AUC)
When was dyspnoea measured?	Baseline, day 3 and discharge	24 h	Baseline, 3, 6 and 24 h	24 h	24 h and daily until discharge	6 and 24 h	Baseline and days 1–5	6, 12 and 24 h	24, 48 h and days 3 and 5	6, 24, 48 h and days 3 and 5	Baseline to 72 h	Baseline, 96 h and 1 week	24 h and 48 h
Criteria for success?	Greater reduction in mean HF score for the active group compared to placebo	Greater % of pts reporting ≥mild improvement in active group compared to placebo	Mean difference of ≥150 mm×h for the active group compared to placebo	Greater % of pts showing improvement in dyspnoea score for active group compared to placebo	Greater % of pts reporting ≥moderate improvement compared to placebo	Greater % of pts reporting ≥moderate improvement compared to placebo	Mean difference of ≥468 mm×h for the active group compared to placebo	Greater % of pts reporting ≥moderate improvement compared to placebo	Greater % of pts reporting improvement in dyspnoea	Greater % of pts reporting Improvement in dyspnoea
Improvement in dyspnoea?	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes/no*	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes†	No	No

*Depending on which statistical analysis plan considered.
†High-dose cohort.
CHF, chronic heart failure; HF, heart failure; VAS, visual analogue score.