Additional Variables
Variables examined in this study also included patient demographics
(age, height, weight, sex, past medical history), cancer characteristics
(diagnosis, sites of disease, staging, relapse history), treatment
history (chemotherapy agents, dates and dosage, radiation fields and
dosage, bone marrow transplant or thoracic surgery). Side effects of
therapy with the potential to affect measured pulmonary function such as
pneumonitis and allergic reactions, and hospital inpatient admissions
and emergency department visits of a respiratory cause (e.g. pneumonia,
atelectasis) were also captured. Data were collected retrospectively
from 30 days prior to patient diagnosis from medical records at CHEO,
including local hospital health administrative data for health care
visit dates.