Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2017
Valuing attributes of home palliative care with service users: a pilot discrete choice experiment.
Discrete choice experiment (DCE) is a quantitative method that helps determine which service attributes are most valued by people and consequently improve their well-being. ⋯ The DCE method is feasible and acceptable but not all patients are able to participate. In the main study phase, we will give more attention to the explanation of the waiting time attribute.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2017
A survey to evaluate facilitators and barriers to quality measurement and improvement: Adapting tools for implementation research in palliative care programs.
Although critical for improving patient outcomes, palliative care quality indicators are not yet widely used. Better understanding of facilitators and barriers to palliative care quality measurement and improvement might improve their use and program quality. ⋯ This novel, adaptable instrument assesses palliative care team perspectives on barriers and facilitators for quality measurement and improvement in palliative care programs. Next steps include evaluation of the survey's construct validity and how survey results correlate with findings from program quality initiatives.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2017
Neuropathic pain and Nerve Growth Factor in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: prospective clinical-pathological study.
Neuropathic pain can be present in patients developing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Nerve growth factor (NGF) is trophic to small sensory fibers and regulates nociception. ⋯ Serum NGF increases in cancer patients receiving taxane or platinum with painful CIPN, suggesting that it might be a potential biomarker of the presence and severity of neuropathic pain in this population. Long-term comprehensive studies to better define the course of NGF in relation with neurological outcomes would be helpful in the further design of therapies for CIPN-related neuropathic pain.