Appendix 1. Search strategy for MEDLINE (Ovid)

1. exp Dyspnea/
2. dyspn?ea.tw.
3. (short* adj2 breath).tw.
4. (urge* adj2 breath*).tw.
5. breathless*.tw.
6. ((labo?red or difficult* or small) adj3 breath*).tw.
7. ((respirat* or breath*) adj3 (distress* or comfort* or discomfort*)).tw.
8. (air adj3 (hunger or starve* or need* or gasp* or pant*)).tw.
9. suffocat*.tw.
10. unsatisf* inspiration.tw.
11. or/1‐10
12. Neoplasms/ or Lung Neoplasms/
13. ((lung* or bronchi* or pulmo*) adj3 (neoplasm* or cancer* or tumo?r* or metasta* or malignan*)).mp.
14. Lung diseases/
15. exp Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/
16. (COPD or COAD).tw.
17. Lung Diseases, Obstructive/
18. (obstruct* adj3 (pulmonary or lung* or airway* or airflow* or bronch* or respirat*)).tw.
19. hypertension, pulmonary/
20. or/12‐19
21. exp Heart Failure/
22. ((heart or cardia* or myocard*) adj2 (fail* or insufficienc*)).tw.
23. (decompensat* adj2 (heart* or cardia*)).tw.
24. decompensatio cordis.tw.
25. insufficientia cardis.tw.
26. ((cardiac or heart) adj2 incompetenc*).tw.
27. cardiac stand still.tw.
28. or/21‐27
29. exp Lung Diseases, Interstitial/
30. (interstitial adj3 (disease* or pneumoni* or fibrosis)).tw.
31. pulmonary fibrosis.tw.
32. fibrosing alveolitis.tw.
33. Cystic Fibrosis/
34. (cystic fibrosis or mucoviscidosis).tw.
35. or/29‐34
36. exp Motor Neuron Disease/
37. (MND or ALS).tw.
38. motor neuron disease*.tw.
39. sclerosis.tw.
40. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/
41. charcot disease*.tw.
42. lou gehrig disease*.tw.
43. encephalomyelitis disseminate.mp.
44. or/36‐43
45. 20 or 28 or 35 or 44
46. ((end stage or advanc* or final or terminal* or limit*) adj3 (disease* or illness*)).tw.
47. Terminally Ill/
48. Terminal Care/
49. Palliative Care/
50. Prognosis/
51. ((advanc* or terminal or limit*) adj3 (prognos* or prospect* or prediction*)).tw.
52. disease progression/
53. ((incurable or worsen* or chronic) adj3 (illness* or disease*)).tw.
54. or/46‐53
55. 45 or 54
56. randomized controlled trial.pt.
57. controlled clinical trial.pt.
58. randomized.ab.
59. placebo.ab.
60. drug therapy.fs.
61. randomly.ab.
62. trial.ab.
63. groups.ab.
64. 56 or 57 or 58 or 59 or 60 or 61 or 62 or 63
65. exp animals/ not humans.sh.
66. 64 not 65
67. 11 and 55
68. 66 and 67