Journal of pain and symptom management
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2016
A Rasch Analysis of Assessments of Morning and Evening Fatigue in Oncology Patients Using the Lee Fatigue Scale.
To accurately investigate diurnal variations in fatigue, a measure needs to be psychometrically sound and demonstrate stable item function in relationship to time of day. Rasch analysis is a modern psychometric approach that can be used to evaluate these characteristics. ⋯ Excluding four items from the morning fatigue scale and three items from the evening fatigue scale improved the psychometric properties of the LFS for assessing diurnal variations in fatigue severity in oncology patients.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2016
The Opioid Rotation Ratio from Transdermal Fentanyl to "Strong" Opioids in Patients with Cancer Pain.
One-third of cancer patients require opioid rotation (OR) to treat uncontrolled pain or opioid-induced neurotoxicity. Although fentanyl is the most frequently rotated opioid in cancer patients, the accurate opioid rotation ratio (ORR) from transdermal fentanyl (TDF) to other so-called "strong" opioids is unknown. ⋯ The median ORR from TDF mg/day to MEDD is 100 and from TDF mcg/hour to MEDD is 2.4, suggesting that TDF 100 mcg/hour is equivalent to an MEDD of 240 mg.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2016
Anticipatory Nausea, Risk Factors and Its Impact on Chemotherapy-Related Nausea and Vomiting: Results from the PEER Study.
Anticipatory (prechemotherapy) nausea (AN) is a classic conditioned symptom not responding well to current antiemetics. Minimal work has been done to assess its risk factors and impact on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). ⋯ AN is a challenging symptom, and its prevention needs to consider better CINV prevention in the previous cycles as well as managing prechemotherapy anxiety.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2016
A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Shuangbai San for Treating Primary Liver Cancer Patients With Cancer Pain.
Shuangbai San is a Chinese herb preparation used externally to treat pain. There have been few randomized controlled trials addressing the safety and usefulness of Shuangbai San, such as its effect on pain relief and quality of life (QOL) improvement. ⋯ The use of Shuangbai San can relieve mild pain in liver cancer patients and improve their QOL.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2016
U.S. Physicians' Opinions About Accommodating Religiously Based Requests for Continued Life-Sustaining Treatment.
Families of critically ill patients occasionally request that physicians continue life-sustaining treatment (LST), sometimes giving religious reasons. ⋯ Physicians appear more willing to accommodate requests to continue LST when those requests are based on particular religious communities or traditions, but not when based on expectations of divine healing.