Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2019
Financial Strain and Physical and Emotional Quality of Life in Breast Cancer.
Few studies have examined the association between financial strain and quality of life outcomes in breast cancer. ⋯ The present investigation illustrates the importance of financial strain in breast cancer. Healthcare systems are encouraged to expand interdisciplinary palliative and supportive care services that have the expertise necessary to help financially strained patients navigate the cancer care continuum.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2019
Validation of the Chinese version of the Good Death Inventory for evaluating end-of-life care from the perspective of the bereaved family.
It is essential to evaluate good death of patients with cancer. However, currently, there is no validated measurement tool available in Mainland China. ⋯ The psychometric characteristics of the Chinese version of the GDI indicate that this questionnaire is reliable and valid. It can be used as a tool for the assessment of quality of death and dying of patients with cancer among the Chinese population.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2019
Fan Therapy for the Treatment of Dyspnea in Adults: a Systematic Review.
The use of a handheld or electric fan has been proposed as one component of the complex clinical interventions used in the relief of dyspnea; however, there is a lack of consensus regarding its efficacy. ⋯ Limited direct evidence from randomized controlled trials indicates that fan therapy may effectively alleviate dyspnea. Additional trials are warranted to confirm this finding and explore the use of fan therapy for the treatment of dyspnea in more diverse populations and settings.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2019
Use of Cluster Analysis to Delineate Symptom Profiles in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Patient Population.
The Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDSs) are a set of rare heritable disorders of connective tissue, characterized by defects in the structure and synthesis of extracellular matrix elements that lead to a myriad of problems including joint hypermobility and skin abnormalities. Because EDS affects multiple organ systems, defining clear boundaries and recognizing overlapping clinical features shared by disease phenotypes is challenging. ⋯ The subgroups aligned with clinical observation of the heterogeneous nature of EDS, with overlapping symptoms between subtypes and a wide divergence in degree of symptoms within subtypes. This exploratory study helps characterize the various phenotypes and comorbidities of patients with EDS.
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As our population ages, there will be an increasing number of patients with life-limiting disease who may be referred for major elective surgery and more pressingly may present acutely, requiring major emergency surgical intervention. Owing to the high risk of perioperative and postoperative complications associated this group of patients, it is paramount that specific advance care planning that encompasses a patient's goals of care and resuscitative status be clarified before undergoing surgery in this acute period. ⋯ Furthermore, it will help to prevent futile and inappropriate treatments that do not respect a patient's wishes and their clinical status. In this case discussion, we explore the key themes about the challenge of perioperative advance care planning for patients with life-limiting disease and provide a framework to help guide conversation in this crucial period.