Follow-up study on symptom distress in esophageal cancer patients undergoing repeated dilation

Table 4 Symptom incidence and item score in esophageal carcinoma patients repeatedly undergoing dilation for esophageal stenosis

After the 1st dilation (n = 105)			After the 2nd dilation (n = 102)			After the 3rd dilation (n = 96)			After the 4th dilation (n = 53)			After the 5th dilation (n = 48)			After the 6th dilation (n = 30)			After the 7th dilation (n = 13)
Item	%	mean ± SD	Item	%	mean ± SD	Item	%	mean ± SD	Item	%	mean ± SD	Item	%	mean ± SD	Item	%	mean ± SD	Item	%	mean ± SD
Dysphagia	63.2	6.4 ± 1.8	Dysphagia	58.9	6.2 ± 1.6	Dysphagia	69.1	6.7 ± 2.4	Distress	78.4	7.3 ± 2.6	Sadness	77.4	7.5 ± 3.1	Cough	78.1	7.3 ± 1.9	Sadness	79.6	7.9 ± 2.8
Pain	61.1	5.8 ± 2.3	Cough	56.6	6.1 ± 2.3	Weight loss	69.3	7.1 ± 1.8	Dysphagia	70.6	6.9 ± 3.1	Cough	73.9	6.6 ± 2.4	Sadness	77.5	7.3 ± 2.6	Fatigue	70	7.1 ± 1.7
Distress	57.3	6.1 ± 2.1	Pain	51.2	6.6 ± 1.4	Pain	67.9	6.8 ± 2.1	Fatigue	68.3	7.6 ± 2.2	Weight loss	70.1	7.1 ± 3.6	Fatigue	73.1	7.6 ± 2.7	Weight loss	69.5	6.9 ± 2.4