Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2016
A Comparison of Circumstances at the End of Life in a Hospital Setting for Children with Palliative Care Involvement Versus Those Without.
Specialized pediatric palliative care (PPC) services have become more common in urban pediatric hospital settings, although little is known about palliative care specialist involvement. ⋯ The integration of a PPC team was associated with fewer diagnostic/monitoring procedures and improved pain management documentation in this study of 114 children who died as inpatients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2016
Efficacy and safety of two methadone titration methods for the treatment of cancer-related pain: The EQUIMETH2 trial (methadone for cancer-related pain).
In the European Association for Palliative Care recommendations for cancer pain management, there was no consensus regarding the indications, titration, or monitoring of methadone. ⋯ Methadone is an effective and sustainable second-line alternative opioid for the treatment of cancer-related pain. The methods of titration are comparable in terms of efficacy, safety, and ease of use.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2016
Exploring the topics discussed during a conversation card game about death and dying: a content analysis.
Substantive discussions between loved ones are necessary for effective advance care planning. Although multiple tools are currently in use for promoting conversations, the content and clinical relevance of the conversations they stimulate is unknown. ⋯ Topics discussed during a nonfacilitated end-of-life conversation game are substantive and address important issues for advance care planning.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2016
Development of the EORTC QLQ-CAX24, a questionnaire for cancer patients with cachexia.
Cachexia is commonly found in cancer patients and has profound consequences; yet there is only one questionnaire that examines the patient's perspective. ⋯ The QLQ-CAX24 is a cancer cachexia-specific questionnaire, comprising 24 items, for HRQOL assessment in clinical trials and practice. It contains five multi-item scales (food aversion, eating and weight-loss worry, eating difficulties, loss of control, and physical decline) and four single items.