Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2020
Review Case ReportsSublingual Buprenorphine for Pediatric Cancer Pain: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Pain is a common symptom in pediatric patients with cancer, and most patients in palliative care will receive opioids. Traditional opioids have several drawbacks, including their adverse effects, inconsistent or diminishing efficacy, and limited available routes of administration. ⋯ Unfortunately, data supporting the use of buprenorphine in pediatric pain patients, particularly SL buprenorphine, are lacking. This case report describes the feasibility of SL buprenorphine use in pediatric patients with complex cancer-related pain.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialMethylphenidate as needed for fatigue in patients with advanced cancer. A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Cancer-related fatigue is a highly prevalent symptom with a strong negative impact on patients' daily life. ⋯ In this controlled and double-blind study in patients with advanced cancer, methylphenidate as needed was significantly more effective than placebo in relieving fatigue after two and five hours.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2020
Human Touch via Touchscreen: Rural nurses' experiential perspectives on telehealth use in pediatric hospice care.
Telemedicine has the potential to extend care reach and access to home-based hospice services for children. Few studies have explored nurse perspectives regarding this communication modality for rural pediatric cohorts. ⋯ The experiences of nurses who use telehealth in their care for children receiving end-of-life care in rural regions may enable palliative care teams to understand both the benefits and challenges of telehealth use. Nurse insights on telehealth may help palliative care teams better honor the communication needs of patients and families while striving to improve care access.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2020
Observational StudyOFF-LABEL AND UNLICENSED DRUGS IN PEDIATRIC PALLIATIVE CARE: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.
Off-label and unlicensed use of drugs is a widespread practice in pediatric care because of the lack of specific efficacy and safety data and the absence of formulations adapted to the needs of these individuals. Pediatric patients with a life-limiting illness frequently receive drugs under these conditions, although no studies have established the prevalence of this practice. ⋯ More than half of the prescriptions in this PPCU were off label or unlicensed. Treatment indication was one of the main reasons for off-label use. Administration of compounded preparations was common in patients with a life-limiting illness.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2020
Cancer Patients' Perceived Difficulties Filling Opioid Prescriptions After Receiving Outpatient Supportive Care.
Limited access to opioids for patients with cancer has been reported as a potential unintended consequence of recent regulations restricting opioid use and prescribing practices. To our knowledge, there are a limited number of peer-reviewed studies that evaluate the perceived difficulties of the patients with cancer when filling their opioid prescription. To understand these difficulties, we surveyed patients receiving opioids in our outpatient supportive care center (SCC). ⋯ This study provides evidence that patients with cancer visiting our SCC perceived difficulties obtaining their opioid prescriptions. The results suggest that negative interactions with the pharmacy and/or pharmacist contribute to their perceived difficulty. Additional research is needed to further characterize the contributors of the difficulties patients with cancer face in filling their opioid prescriptions.