Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2023
A world of maximalist medicine: physician perspectives on palliative care and end-of-life for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Physicians who specialize in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) care for patients facing a serious, life-limiting illness. Palliative care is underutilized in patients with PAH, and little is known about how best to provide palliative care to this patient population. ⋯ PAH physicians are open to palliative care for their patients and are willing to partner with palliative care clinicians to implement this effectively and in the right setting. Areas for targeted improvement in enhancing palliative care for patients with PAH exist, especially enhancing collaboration between PAH physicians and palliative care specialists and navigating barriers in health systems.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2023
Hospital Opioid Usage and Adverse Events in Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease.
Patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) commonly experience pain and other symptoms that result in a poor quality of life. Few studies have examined opioid usage, adverse events (AEs), and other outcomes in ESLD patients receiving opioid analgesia. ⋯ Opioid administration was not an independent risk factor for the number of AEs in hospitalized patients with ESLD, whereas anxiety and more liver-related complications increased AE risk. Our findings suggest that opioids have an appropriate and reasonably safe role in alleviation of pain in patients with ESLD.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2023
Review Meta AnalysisHome-Based Specialized Pediatric Palliative Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Although specialized pediatric palliative care (SPPC) teams increasingly provide home-based care, the evidence of its impact has not yet been systematically evaluated. ⋯ This systematic review suggests that home-based SPPC is associated with increased likelihood of home death, and might be associated with improved quality of life and reduced symptom burden. The small number of studies and an overall high risk of bias, however, makes the overall strength of evidence low.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2023
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of Spiritual Care on Well-being of Intensive Care Family Surrogates: A Clinical Trial.
Critical illness of a family member is associated with high emotional and spiritual distress and difficult medical decisions. ⋯ Proactive, semistructured spiritual care delivered by chaplains improves well-being for ICU surrogates. Results provide evidence for inclusion of chaplains in palliative and intensive care teams.