Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2011
Evaluation of the Palliative Prognostic Score (PaP) and routinely collected clinical data in prognostication of survival for patients referred to a palliative care consultation service in an acute care hospital.
Patients, caregivers, and clinicians require high levels of information regarding prognosis when conditions are incurable. ⋯ The PaP was successfully validated in a population with characteristics that extend beyond those of the population in which it was originally developed. This is the largest sample in which the PaP has been validated to date.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2011
Pain-related beliefs among Chinese patients with chronic pain: the construct and concurrent predictive validity of the Chinese version of the Survey of Pain Attitudes-14 (ChSOPA-14).
Pain beliefs as indexed by the Survey of Pain Attitudes (SOPA) have been consistently shown to predict pain adjustment outcomes in Western populations. However, its utility in non-Western populations is unclear. ⋯ The findings offer preliminary evidence for the construct and concurrent predictive validity of the ChSOPA-14. This makes available a suitable instrument for chronic pain in the Chinese population and will facilitate future cross-cultural research on pain beliefs.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2011
Comparing three life-limiting diseases: does diagnosis matter or is sick, sick?
At advanced stages, cancer, congestive heart failure (CHF), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) produce high rates of hospitalization, disability, and annual mortality. Despite similar prognoses, patients with cancer often are treated differently than those with other illnesses, the former being seen as terminal vs. chronic. ⋯ Comparing patients with advanced cancer, CHF, and COPD, illness experience was more similar than different. Patients living with life-limiting illnesses other than cancer may benefit from whole-person services often extended to cancer patients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2011
Once-daily opioids for chronic dyspnea: a dose increment and pharmacovigilance study.
Randomized controlled trials can answer questions of efficacy, but long-term pharmacovigilance studies generate complementary safety data. ⋯ Ten milligrams of sustained-release oral morphine once daily is safe and effective for most people who respond.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2011
The symptom burden of patients with hematological malignancy: a cross-sectional observational study.
Current literature suggests that contact with specialist palliative care for patients diagnosed with hematological malignancy is infrequent. As part of an investigation into patterns of care, the symptom profile of this patient group required elucidation. ⋯ Patients with hematological malignancy are likely to have symptom control needs similar to those with metastatic cancer. Because such symptom burden appears to affect those at all phases of illness, comprehensive symptom assessment is suggested throughout. The introduction of palliative care services during times of increased symptom burden may assist hematologists and other carers in the management of their patients' distress and quality of life.