Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialIntranasal Fentanyl versus Placebo for Treatment of Episodic Breathlessness in Hospice Patients with Advanced Non-malignant Diseases.
Episodic breathlessness is a distressing and difficult to treat symptom because of its short duration. Fast actioned intranasal fentanyl (INF) is potentially more suitable than oral opioids. ⋯ We found no difference between INF and placebo in relieving episodic breathlessness in nonmalignant conditions. INF was well tolerated, and the study design proved to be feasible in hospice patients with advanced diseases. Future study using higher concentration of fentanyl solution may be warranted.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
ReviewThe Effectiveness of Tai Chi in Patients With Breast Cancer: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.
As a mind-body exercise, Tai Chi (TC) may have a positive impact on physical function and psychological well-being in patients with breast cancer (BC). The aim of this current overview of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) was to identify and summarize the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of TC in patients with BC. ⋯ TC is possibly beneficial to BC treatment. However, further rigorous and comprehensive studies are required to provide robust evidence for definitive conclusions.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Associations between Spirituality, Mindfulness, and Psychological Symptoms among Advanced Lung Cancer Patients and Their Spousal Caregivers.
Patients with metastatic lung cancer and their spousal caregivers are at high risk of psychological symptoms. Mindfulness may improve psychological symptoms via spiritual well-being (SW); yet, this mediation model has not been examined in a dyadic context. ⋯ SW is associated with patients' and spouses' psychological symptoms both directly and indirectly through mindfulness. Thus, interventions that target SW, particularly meaning and peace, along with mindfulness may be beneficial to the psychological management of patients facing a terminal disease and their spousal caregivers.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Development and validation of the QUALI-PALLI-FAM questionnaire for assessing relatives' perception of quality of inpatient palliative care: A prospective cross-sectional survey.
Relatives of patients receiving palliative care are at risk for psychological and physical distress, and their perception of quality of care can influence patients' quality of life. ⋯ The QUALI-PALLI-FAM appears to be a valid, reliable, and well-accepted tool to explore relatives' perception of quality of inpatient palliative care and complements the QUALI-PALLI-PAT questionnaire. Further testing is required in various settings and countries.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Associations between hospice care and "scary" family caregiver experiences.
Hospice deaths in the U.S. are increasing. Dying hospice patients may have rapidly emerging needs the hospice team cannot immediately meet, exposing family caregivers to fright-inducing (i.e., scary) situations. ⋯ Hospice care is associated with more exposures to and caregiver fear and helplessness in response to scary patient experiences. Research is needed to understand how better to support family caregivers of hospice patients to enable them to cope with common distressing symptoms of dying cancer patients. Hospice clinicians providing additional education and training about these symptoms might enable caregivers to better care for dying loved ones and reduce the stresses of end-of-life caregiving.