Patient characteristics and background of CDSUD requests
| Rejection (n=2) | Delay then no CDSUD (n=18) | Delay then CDSUD (n=13) | Immediate CDSUD (n=9) | Total (n=42) | |
| Sex, male | 0 | 9 (50) | 7 (54) | 5 (56) | 21 (50) |
| Age in years, mean | 56 (SD=6) | 68.7 (SD=13) | 66.1 (SD=10.1) | 61.4 (SD=20 | 65.7 (SD=13.7) |
| College education level+ | 1 (50) | 13 (72) | 10 (77) | 5 (56) | 29 (69) |
| Financial difficulties | 1 (50) | 0 | 1 (8) | 0 | 2 (5) |
| Control profile | 2 (100) | 13 (72) | 10 (77) | 6 (67) | 31 (74) |
| Spirituality | 0 | 0 | 2 (15) | 0 | 2 (5) |
| Social isolation | 0 | 1 (6) | 1 (8) | 0 | 2 (5) |
| Performance status | |||||
| 1 | 0 | 2 (11) | 2 (15) | 0 | 4 (9) |
| 2 | 0 | 1 (6) | 4 (31) | 2 (22) | 7 (17) |
| 3 | 1 (50) | 9 (50) | 4 (31) | 4 (44) | 18 (43) |
| 4 | 1 (50) | 6 (33) | 3 (23) | 3 (33) | 13 (31) |
| Pathology | |||||
| Cancer | 1 (50) | 16 (89) | 9 (69) | 8 (89) | 34 (81) |
| Digestive | 0 | 10 (56) | 2 (15) | 1 (11) | 13 (31) |
| Gynaecological | 1 (50) | 2 (11) | 3 (23) | 1 (11) | 7 (17) |
| Pulmonary | 0 | 0 | 1 (8) | 3 (33) | 4 (10) |
| Head and neck | 0 | 0 | 2 (15) | 0 | 2 (5) |
| Brain | 0 | 2 (11) | 0 | 0 | 2 (5) |
| Haematological | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (22) | 2 (5) |
| Urological | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (11) | 1 (2) |
| Sarcoma | 0 | 0 | 1 (8) | 0 | 1 (2) |
| Primary unknown | 0 | 1 (6) | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) |
| Skin | 0 | 1 (6) | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) |
| ALS | 1 (50) | 2 (11) | 3 (23) | 0 | 6 (14) |
| Cystic fibrosis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (11) | 1 (2) |
| Respiratory failure | 0 | 0 | 1 (8) | 0 | 1 (2) |
| Symptoms* | 2 (100) | 17 (94) | 13 (100) | 9 (100) | 41 (98) |
| Psychoexistential suffering | 2 (100) | 12 (67) | 12 (92) | 5 (56) | 29 (69) |
| Pain | 1 (50) | 9 (50) | 6 (47) | 3 (33) | 18 (43) |
| Dyspnoea | 0 | 6 (33) | 5 (38) | 5 (56) | 17 (41) |
| Major depressive state | 2 (100) | 6 (33) | 5 (38) | 3 (33) | 16 (38) |
| Major depressive state untreated | 1 (50) | 2 (11) | 2 (15) | 2 (22) | 7 (17) |
| Depressive state non-assessed | 0 | 7 (39) | 3 (23) | 4 (44) | 14 (33) |
| Major anxiety | 0 | 8 (44) | 4 (31) | 2 (22) | 14 (33) |
| Nausea-vomiting/diarrhoea/ occlusion | 0 | 5 (28) | 1 (8) | 3 (33) | 10 (24) |
| Agitation | 0 | 0 | 1 (8) | 0 | 1 (2) |
| None | 0 | 1 (6) | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) |
| Context of the request | |||||
| Initial request for euthanasia | 1 (50) | 11 (61) | 9 (69) | 6 (67) | 27 (64) |
| Ambivalence | 2 (100) | 11 (61) | 7 (54) | 0 | 20 (48) |
| High-intensity demand | 0 | 13 (72) | 11 (85) | 9 (100) | 33 (79) |
| Ambivalence and high-intensity demand | 0 | 9 (50) | 5 (38) | 0 | 14 (33) |
| Trigger | 1 (50) | 8 (44) | 9 (69) | 7 (78) | 25 (60) |
| Invasive equipment | 0 | 3 (17) | 3 (23) | 4 (44) | 9 (21) |
| Pressure of the entourage | 1 (50) | 2 (11) | 5 (38) | 3 (33) | 11 (26) |
| Cognitive disorders | 0 | 1 (6) | 1 (8) | 0 | 2 (5) |
*Some symptoms could be present simultaneously.
ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; CDSUD, continuous deep sedation until death.