Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
Review Meta AnalysisEfficacy and safety of ketamine to treat cancer pain in adult patients: A systematic review.
Ketamine is a well-characterized anesthetic agent, and subanesthetic ketamine possesses analgesic effects in both acute and chronic pain. ⋯ Ketamine may be used as an effective therapy to relieve cancer pain. However, more rigorously designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to verify the above conclusions.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
Multicenter StudyGabapentin for pain in pediatric palliative care.
Gabapentin is commonly used to treat pain in children receiving pediatric palliative care. This study describes the real-world use of gabapentin and the associated benefits and adverse effects/events (AEs). ⋯ Gabapentin prescribed at standard doses for advanced cancer and severe neurological injury in children under a pediatric palliative care service was associated with generally improved pain intensity at previously described levels of adverse effects.
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The symptoms associated with the excessive fluid accumulation of ascites or pleural effusions can be intractable to medical management and can have a significant negative impact on quality of life of hospice patients. Hospice of the Valley, a community-based, nonprofit hospice agency has historically referred patients to outpatient providers for paracentesis, thoracentesis, and placement of tunneled drainage catheters. ⋯ An in-house program of tunneled catheter placement is a feasible option for hospice providers with low-cost exposure and high potential for improved quality of life and symptom relief for selected patients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
ReviewExpressive Arts Interventions to Improve Psychosocial Well-being in Caregivers: A Systematic Review.
Over 43 million caregivers provide care and support in the United States. Increased stress and burden may contribute to poor psychosocial well-being. Recently, there has been an emergence of art-based interventions to improve well-being among care receivers and caregivers. A synthesis of this literature evaluating expressive arts interventions (EAIs) with caregivers is needed. ⋯ Caregivers are essential to the care of people with medically complex and life-limiting conditions. EAIs hold the potential to improve psychosocial outcomes for caregivers, are used globally, and can be culturally tailored. Future research should examine intervention duration and intensity, measures to address additional dimensions of psychsocial well-being, and implementation in additional caregiver populations.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
A phase II study of High-Flow Nasal Cannula for relieving dyspnea in advanced cancer patients.
The efficacy and tolerability of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for relieving dyspnea in advanced cancer patients with limited prognosis requires elucidation. ⋯ To our knowledge, this trial is the first prospective study to assess the five-day efficacy and tolerability of HFNC for dyspnea in patients under palliative care. Although this did not reach the prespecified endpoint, about half of the patients showed 1.0 point improvement, a minimally clinically important difference (MCID) in the chronic lung disease. HFNC can be a palliative treatment option in advanced cancer patients with dyspnea.