Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 1994
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffect of intraoperative ketorolac on postanesthesia care unit comfort.
The efficacy of intraoperatively administered ketorolac for the prophylactic treatment of pain in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) was examined in a prospective, double-blinded study. Thirty patients undergoing general anesthesia for orthopedic or lower abdominal surgery were randomized into two groups. Both groups received equivalent doses of opioids intraoperatively. ⋯ The ketorolac group reported significantly lower pain scores 1 hr after PACU admission (P < 0.01). Time to PACU discharge was not different between groups. Intraoperatively administered ketorolac is an effective adjunct in the management of postoperative pain.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 1992
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe evaluation of analgesic effects in cancer patients as exemplified by a double-blind, crossover study of immediate-release versus controlled-release morphine.
We compared the effects of controlled-release and immediate-release morphine preparations in adult patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain and report methodologic approaches to pain evaluation. The study consisted of a two-phase randomized crossover trial preceded by a titration phase; all phases were conducted under double-blind conditions. To evaluate pain intensity, a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Present Pain Intensity scale of the McGill Pain Questionnaire were used. ⋯ Use of supplemental morphine solution for breakthrough pain expressed as the percentage of the daily dose of the test drug was 5.5% for the controlled-release drug and 10.9% for the immediate-release drug. Differences in pain scores, side effects, and supplemental morphine requirement between the two groups were not significant. We discuss methodologic issues in double-blind clinical trials of analgesics, in particular the validity of "Patient Preference" as an outcome measure and problems related to the titration phase.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Aug 1992
Case Reports Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialSymptomatic benefit of supplemental oxygen in hypoxemic patients with terminal cancer: the use of the N of 1 randomized controlled trial.
The symptomatic effects of oxygen on the dyspnea of terminally ill cancer patients have not been clearly established. Therefore, the decision to administer oxygen is frequently made on an individual basis. We report on the use of N of 1 randomized clinical trial to compare the symptomatic benefit of respiratory failure due to terminal ovarian cancer. ⋯ In 4 cases the patient considered the difference between oxygen and air to be of "much importance," and in one case to be of "moderate importance." No significant treatment, period, or interaction between period and treatment was detected for the difference in the VAS. We conclude that oxygen was significantly better than air for symptomatic improvement in this patient. The N of 1 technique is a simple and reliable method for the assessment of individual patients' response to oxygen.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 1992
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA comparison of the Hopkins Pain Rating Instrument with standard visual analogue and verbal descriptor scales in patients with cancer pain.
A self-contained, portable, pain rating instrument that provides an immediate result for documentation purposes was developed to improve pain assessment in cancer patients. The Hopkins Pain Rating Instrument (HPRI) is a 5 x 20 cm plastic visual analogue scale (VAS) with a sliding marker that moves within a groove that measures 10 cm. The side facing the patient resembles a traditional VAS while the opposite side is marked in cm to quantify pain intensity. ⋯ The most common pain sites were the back, leg, and epigastric areas. On initial and repeat testing, there were high correlations between the HPRI and the VAS (r = 0.99, P less than 0.0001) and the VDS (r = 0.85, P less than 0.0001). The correlation coefficients for test--retest reliability for the HPRI, VAS, and VDS were 0.97, 0.97, and 0.94 (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 1992
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized double-blind crossover trial of intravenous lidocaine in the treatment of neuropathic cancer pain.
In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, we evaluated the effect of intravenous lidocaine (5 mg/kg body weight over 30 min) on the neuropathic pain of advanced cancer patients. Pain intensity, assessed by a visual analogue scale, did not show any significant difference between lidocaine and placebo infusion. The blinded choice of patients and investigators also suggested no significant improvement from lidocaine when given by this regimen. Intravenous lidocaine does not appear to have a significant analgesic effect on neuropathic cancer pain.