Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized controlled trial of a standardized educational intervention for patients with cancer pain.
Published literature has not defined the effectiveness of standardized educational tools that can be self-administered in the general oncology population with pain. ⋯ Provision of a video and/or booklet for people with cancer pain was a feasible and effective adjunct to the management of cancer pain.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2010
ReviewAcupuncture for treating uremic pruritus in patients with end-stage renal disease: a systematic review.
Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common and bothersome symptom in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that does not always respond to conventional care. Acupuncture is frequently used for the treatment of a wide range of conditions, but its effects on UP in ESRD patients are unclear. The objective of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for UP in patients with ESRD. ⋯ J Pain Symptom Manage 2010;40:117e125. 2010 U. S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2010
Clinical TrialPatient-reported usefulness of peripherally inserted central venous catheters in terminally ill cancer patients.
Oral administration of medication is often difficult in terminally ill cancer patients, and a subcutaneous route is traditionally one of the most preferred parenteral routes. Recent studies suggest, however, that some patients and families prefer the intravenous route, and peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) are actively used in oncology settings. Nonetheless, in the palliative care setting, no empirical studies have investigated the patient-perceived usefulness of PICCs. ⋯ PICCs were safely inserted in about 90% of terminally ill cancer patients within about 20 minutes. Although 30% of the patients experienced transient mild procedure-related distress, more than 90% of the patients felt that the parenteral route was more comfortable and convenient after the procedure. PICCs may provide a safe, comfortable, and convenient alternative for terminally ill cancer patients, if placement of the PICC is individualized to the patient situation and after alternatives are considered. Further studies are needed to compare the superiority of the PICC and traditional subcutaneous route to clarify what types of patients are the most suitable for each procedure.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2010
Clinical TrialThe efficacy of haloperidol in the management of nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer.
Haloperidol is used commonly for the control of nausea and vomiting (N/V) in palliative care patients, but there is very little evidence to support its use. ⋯ Haloperidol has some efficacy in the treatment of N/V in this patient group. The results from this uncontrolled study provide pilot data from which to plan future controlled trials of antiemetics in the palliative care population.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2010
Psychological well-being and quality of care: a factor-analytic examination of the palliative care outcome scale.
The Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS) is a widely used outcome measure in palliative care research, and has good psychometric properties. It has been used for clinical or research purposes in specialist cancer centers, nursing homes, day hospice units, and hospice settings in a growing number of countries. However, the POS has not yet been examined using factor analysis. ⋯ The POS appears to capture two factors, psychological status and quality of care, and to have three items that function independently (family anxiety, symptoms, and pain control). Our findings suggest that future evaluations of palliative care services should include assessment not only of symptoms and well-being or quality of life, but also of quality of care, and that unidimensional measures will not capture all relevant aspects in palliative care.