Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2014
Review Meta AnalysisA network meta-analysis of the efficacy of opioid analgesics for the management of breakthrough cancer pain episodes.
With many medications available for the management of breakthrough cancer pain (BTCP), physicians may require additional guidance in selecting an appropriate medication to suit an individual patient's needs. ⋯ From current evidence, although all BTCP medications provided pain relief within the time frames assessed, transmucosal fentanyl medications achieved a greater level of pain relief in a shorter time frame than placebo or oral morphine.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialThe affective dimension of dyspnea improves in a dyspnea self-management program with exercise training.
The perception of dyspnea includes both sensory and affective dimensions that are shaped by emotions and psychological, social, and environmental experiences. Previous investigators have studied either measurement or strategies to decrease the affective dimension with laboratory-induced dyspnea. Few have reported the effect of a therapeutic clinical intervention on the affective dimension of dyspnea. ⋯ These findings provide initial support for the positive impact of a self-management program with nurse-coached exercise on the affective dimension of dyspnea. Further investigation of interventions that target the affective dimension in addition to the sensory dimension of dyspnea should be encouraged.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2014
Prospective longitudinal evaluation of a symptom cluster in breast cancer.
Symptom cluster research expands cancer investigations beyond a focus on individual symptoms in isolation. ⋯ With the exception of anxiety, the coherence of the symptom cluster was supported by similar patterns of severity and change over time in these symptoms (trend for sleep quality). Participants with higher SCI scores prior to chemotherapy continued to experience greater symptom burden during and after chemotherapy. Early assessment and intervention addressing this symptom cluster (vs. individual symptoms) may have a greater impact on patient performance status and quality of life for patients with higher SCIs.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2014
Case ReportsThe use of octreotide to manage symptoms of bronchorrhea: a case report.
Octreotide, a synthetic analogue of the hormone somatostatin, is primarily used in palliative medicine because of its antisecretory effect and has been shown to be effective in the management of bowel obstruction, nausea, and diarrhea. Octreotide also has been successfully used for the management of bronchorrhea in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We report the case of a 47-year-old female with a history of bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma whose copious bronchial secretions were controlled with octreotide. Octreotide should be further evaluated as a first-line treatment for bronchorrhea.