Journal of pain and symptom management
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation for the Management of Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Disturbance, and Pain in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A preliminary study.
Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is a safe modulation of brain activity for treating depression, anxiety, insomnia, and pain. However, there are no published studies in patients with advanced cancer (ACPs). ⋯ In this preliminary study, we found that the use of CES was safe and feasible in ACP. The use of CES was associated with significant improvement of depression, anxiety, pain, and sleep scores. These findings support further studies of CES in ACP for symptom control.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Practice patterns of medications for patients with malignant bowel obstruction using a nationwide claims database and the association between treatment outcomes and concomitant use of H2-blockers/proton pump inhibitors and corticosteroids with octreotide.
Malignant bowel obstruction impairs the quality of life in patients with advanced cancer. Octreotide, acid-suppressing medications such as H2-receptor antagonists (H2-blockers) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and corticosteroids are often used in combination for symptom control. ⋯ Octreotide alone was used in the majority of patients, and the concomitant use of corticosteroids was more likely to be associated with early NGT removal.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Developing a short form of the German Barriers Questionnaire-II: A validation study in four steps.
Patient-related barriers to cancer pain management are most commonly assessed with the Barriers Questionnaire II (BQII; 27 items). ⋯ The BQII-G12 showed excellent psychometric properties in the preliminary testing, providing a new option for practice and research. Patient-related barriers to cancer pain management are crucial for adequate pain treatment. The new valid and reliable short BQII-G12 supports clinical practice and research by substantially reducing patient burden and resources needed to measure these barriers.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationPalliative Care in Rwanda: Aiming for Universal Access.
In 2011, Rwanda's Ministry of Health set a goal of universal access to palliative care by 2020. Toward this audacious egalitarian and humanitarian goal, the Ministry of Health worked with partners to develop palliative care policies and a strategic plan, secure adequate supplies of opioid for the country, initiate palliative care training programs, and begin studying a model for integrating coordinated palliative care into the public health care system at all levels. It also initiated training of a new cadre of home-based care practitioners to provide palliative care in the home. Based on these developments, the goal appears within reach.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationPalliative Care in Vietnam: Long-term Partnerships Yield Increasing Access.
Palliative care began in Vietnam in 2001, but steady growth in palliative care services and education commenced several years later when partnerships for ongoing training and technical assistance by committed experts were created with the Ministry of Health, major public hospitals, and medical universities. An empirical analysis of palliative care need by the Ministry of Health in 2006 was followed by national palliative care clinical guidelines, initiation of clinical training for physicians and nurses, and revision of opioid prescribing regulations. ⋯ Work is underway to test the hypothesis that insurance coverage of palliative home care not only can improve patient outcomes but also provide financial risk protection for patients' families and reduce costs for the health care system by decreasing hospital admissions near the end of life. A national palliative care policy and strategic plan are needed to maintain progress toward universally accessible cost-effective palliative care services.