Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2013
ReviewDo corticosteroids provide analgesic effects in cancer patients? A systematic literature review.
Corticosteroids are frequently used in cancer patients for their analgesic properties. The evidence for analgesic effects of corticosteroids in palliative care has not been established. ⋯ Corticosteroids may have a moderate analgesic effect in cancer patients. The paucity of relevant studies was striking; consequently, the evidence was graded as "very low." More studies addressing the analgesic efficacy in cancer patients are required.
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The use of targeted therapy at the end of life has not been well characterized. ⋯ Targeted agents were used as often as chemotherapy at the end of life, particularly among younger patients and those with hematologic malignancies. Guidelines on targeted therapy use at the end of life are needed.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialInternet-based dyspnea self-management support for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease experience dyspnea with activities despite optimal medical management. ⋯ The DSMPs did not significantly reduce dyspnea with activities compared with attention control. However, the high participant satisfaction with the DSMPs combined with positive changes in other outcomes, including self-efficacy for managing dyspnea and exercise behavior, highlight the need for additional testing of individually tailored technology-enabled interventions to optimize patient engagement and improve clinically relevant outcomes.