Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2018
Multicenter Study Observational StudyFactors Associated with Attrition in a Multicenter Longitudinal Observational Study of Patients with Advanced Cancer.
Attrition is common in longitudinal observational studies in palliative care. Few studies have examined predictors of attrition. ⋯ Advanced cancer patients with cognitive failure, increased physical symptoms, poorer performance status, and shorter duration from cancer diagnosis were more likely to dropout. These results have implications for research design, patient selection, and data interpretation in longitudinal observational studies.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyResults of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of Nabiximols Oromucosal Spray as Adjunctive Therapy in Advanced Cancer Patients With Chronic Uncontrolled Pain.
Prior Phase 2/3 studies found that cannabinoids might provide adjunctive analgesia in advanced cancer patients with uncontrolled pain. ⋯ Nabiximols might have utility in patients with advanced cancer who receive a lower opioid dose, such as individuals with early intolerance to opioid therapy.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Letter Multicenter StudyClinical Variety may help prevent Burnout after a Decade in Palliative Care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2018
Multicenter Study Observational StudySpiritual Needs and Perception of Quality of Care and Satisfaction with Care in Oncology Patients: a Multi-cultural Assessment.
Assessment and response to patients' spiritual concerns are crucial components of high-quality supportive care. Better measures of spiritual needs across the cultural spectrum may help direct necessary interventions. ⋯ Spiritual needs are common in an ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse cancer patient population but may differ by cultural background. High levels of spiritual need are associated with lower levels of satisfaction and diminished perception of quality of care. Training clinicians to address patients' spiritual concerns, with attention to cultural differences, may improve patients' experiences of care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2018
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparing the palliative care needs of patients with hematologic and solid malignancies.
Hematologic cancer patients use palliative care services less frequently than their solid tumor counterparts. Prior work suggests that these patients have a sizable symptom burden, but comparisons between hematologic and solid tumor patients near the end of life are limited. ⋯ Hematologic and solid tumor patients have significant symptom burden at time of referral to palliative care services. Blood cancer patients may have unique concerns warranting targeted attention, including substantial drowsiness and tiredness. Our findings suggest a need to optimize palliative care usage in the hematologic cancer population.