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Table 4 Differences in SEVERITY ratings between younger (< 60, n = 263) and older (≥ 60, n = 330) patients

From: Differences in the symptom experience of older versus younger oncology outpatients: a cross-sectional study

Symptom

Sample size

Age group

Mean score

Severity ratings† (%)

Unadjusted values

Adjusted values

Older age

Older age

1

2

3

4

OR

CI

p-value

OR

CI

p-value

Difficulty concentrating

149

<60

1.67

44.3

45.0

10.1

0.7

.80

.50-1.28

.353

.78

.46-1.32

.354

115

≥60

1.61

50.4

40.0

7.8

1.7

Pain

192

<60

2.08

24.5

47.9

22.9

4.7

1.08

.74-1.58

.674

.97

.64-1.49

.898

181

≥60

2.12

24.3

45.3

24.3

6.1

Lack of energy

214

<60

2.15

15.4

57.5

23.8

3.3

.91

.64-1.31

.622

.81

.55-1.21

.311

217

≥60

2.13

21.7

49.8

22.1

6.5

Cough

102

<60

1.74

46.1

36.3

15.7

2.0

1.04

.63-1.73

.870

.86

.47-1.55

.609

110

≥60

1.75

44.5

38.2

14.5

2.7

Feeling nervous

103

<60

1.83

35.9

47.6

13.6

2.9

.81

.47-1.40

.452

.81

.42-1.54

.514

85

≥60

1.78

40.0

48.2

5.9

5.9

Dry mouth

110

<60

2.06

28.2

41.8

25.5

4.5

.64

.40-1.03

.068

.54

.32-.91

.020

131

≥60

1.89

38.2

41.2

14.5

6.1

Nausea

99

<60

1.99

31.3

42.4

22.2

4.0

.64

.37-1.10

.107

.62

.33-1.14

.123

81

≥60

1.80

43.2

37.0

16.0

3.7

Feeling drowsy

167

<60

1.95

24.6

58.1

15.6

1.8

.68

.45-1.03

.068

.61

.38-.96

.033

169

≥60

1.82

32.5

55.0

10.7

1.8

Numbness/tingling in hands/feet

94

<60

1.85

36.2

45.7

14.9

3.2

.90

.53-1.55

.710

.79

.42-1.52

.484

91

≥60

1.85

41.8

38.5

13.2

6.6

Difficulty sleeping

168

<60

2.23

14.9

54.8

23.2

7.1

.87

.56-1.33

.512

.67

.42-1.09

.108

141

≥60

2.16

17.0

54.6

24.1

4.3

Feeling bloated

82

<60

1.91

30.5

51.2

14.6

3.7

.77

.40-1.47

.429

.77

.36-1.66

.510

55

≥60

1.82

36.4

49.1

10.9

3.6

Problems with urination

54

<60

1.96

33.3

42.6

18.5

5.6

1.14

.61-2.11

.685

1.10

.56-2.18

.777

110

≥60

2.01

26.4

52.7

14.5

6.4

Vomiting

43

<60

1.91

41.9

32.6

18.6

7.0

.90

.38-2.14

.811

.51

.17-1.54

.232

29

≥60

1.79

37.9

44.8

17.2

0.0

Shortness of breath

97

<60

1.78

40.2

45.4

10.3

4.1

1.52

.90-2.58

.116

1.27

.71-2.29

.423

99

≥60

2.00

33.3

42.4

15.2

9.1

Diarrhea

54

<60

1.93

24.1

61.1

13.0

1.9

.67

.33-1.35

.263

.62

.27-1.42

.258

63

≥60

1.81

36.5

49.2

11.1

3.2

Feeling sad

137

<60

1.99

30.7

43.8

21.2

4.4

.43

.26-.72

.001

.43

.24-.76

.003

93

≥60

1.66

46.2

46.2

3.2

4.3

Sweats

117

<60

2.14

23.9

44.4

25.6

6.0

.54

.33-.91

.019

.56

.31-.997

.049

95

≥60

1.86

34.7

46.3

16.8

2.1

Worrying

152

<60

2.10

20.4

58.6

11.8

9.2

.43

.26-.72

.001

.52

.30-.90

.020

101

≥60

1.77

38.6

49.5

7.9

4.0

Problems with sexual interest

92

<60

2.50

22.8

31.5

18.5

27.2

1.43

.82-2.52

.212

1.12

.57-2.19

.745

69

≥60

2.72

18.8

24.6

21.7

34.8

Itching

88

<60

1.86

38.6

43.2

11.4

6.8

.84

.46-1.52

.562

.89

.46-1.75

.745

69

≥60

1.78

42.0

43.5

8.7

5.8

Lack of appetite

99

<60

2.00

27.3

49.5

19.2

4.0

.96

.57-1.64

.886

.77

.42-1.43

.409

94

≥60

2.00

27.7

51.1

14.9

6.4

Dizziness

69

<60

1.54

55.1

37.7

5.8

1.4

.84

.43-1.65

.615

.61

.27-1.39

.241

64

≥60

1.48

59.4

34.4

4.7

1.6

Difficulty swallowing

40

<60

2.03

27.5

45.0

25.0

2.5

.53

.23-1.21

.133

.39

.14-1.10

.074

43

≥60

1.79

37.2

51.2

7.0

4.7

Feeling irritable

135

<60

1.77

40.7

42.2

16.3

0.7

.82

.50-1.34

.425

.65

.37-1.15

.142

98

≥60

1.68

41.8

49.0

8.2

1.0

Mouth sores

37

<60

1.86

43.2

35.1

13.5

8.1

.55

.23-1.34

.188

.52

.19-1.43

.205

35

≥60

1.60

60.0

22.9

14.3

2.9

Change in way food tastes

79

<60

2.06

27.8

48.1

13.9

10.1

.81

.46-1.43

.476

1.05

.57-1.93

.883

91

≥60

1.96

31.9

47.3

14.3

6.6

Weight loss

60

<60

1.67

48.3

38.3

11.7

1.7

.87

.45-1.69

.674

.60

.28-1.30

.196

67

≥60

1.63

52.2

35.8

9.0

3.0

Hair loss

61

<60

2.38

27.9

26.2

26.2

19.7

.97

.50-1.88

.921

.77

.36-1.61

.482

52

≥60

2.37

32.7

23.1

19.2

25.0

Constipation

87

<60

2.38

17.2

40.2

29.9

12.6

.67

.39-1.14

.139

.74

.42-1.32

.308

96

≥60

2.19

24.0

43.8

21.9

10.4

Swelling of arms or legs

42

<60

2.19

33.3

31.0

19.0

16.7

.92

.43-1.98

.837

.86

.36-2.04

.734

47

≥60

2.09

25.5

44.7

25.5

4.3

I don’t look like myself

91

<60

2.14

24.2

47.3

18.7

9.9

.52

.28-.95

.033

.49

.25-.96

.037

62

≥60

1.82

43.5

32.3

22.6

1.6

Changes in skin

99

<60

2.07

24.2

53.5

13.1

9.1

.63

.34-1.16

.140

.80

.41-1.56

.510

61

≥60

1.89

37.7

42.6

13.1

6.6

  1. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
  2. †Severity ratings = slight (1), moderate (2), severe (3), very severe (4).
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