The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2014
Prospective clarification of the utility of the palliative prognostic index for patients with advanced cancer in the home care setting.
This study aimed to prospectively clarify the accuracy of the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) for advanced cancer patients in home care settings. ⋯ The sensitivity of the PPI for advanced cancer patients in home care settings was lower than that reported for patients in palliative care units. Development of prognostic tools suitable for home care settings is needed.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2014
Observational StudyEfficacy and gastrointestinal tolerability of oral oxycodone/naloxone combination for chronic pain in outpatients with cancer: an observational study.
Combination opioid agonist/antagonist therapy has been shown to preserve bowel function in patients with chronic cancer pain. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of prolonged-released fixed-dose oxycodone-naloxone (PR OXN) in consecutive outpatients with chronic cancer pain. Of 206 patients prescribed PR OXN (mean age 61.3 ± 12.9 years; 52.9% female), 31.5% were opioid naïve. ⋯ PR OXN efficacy and tolerability were similar in opioid-naïve and -experienced patients, and among age-stratified subgroups. No severe side effects occurred. In a real-life outpatient setting, PR OXN provided analgesia without bowel dysfunction in patients with chronic cancer pain.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2014
A survey of patients who were referred to our palliative care division from other hospitals and appeared to have obvious indications for cancer chemotherapies.
Higashi Sapporo Hospital is a cancer-specific hospital with palliative care doctors and certified oncologists. During case conferences held twice a week, we routinely evaluate the referred patients. In our case conferences, we selected patients who were referred to our palliative care division from other hospitals, with possible indications for cancer chemotherapies. ⋯ Among them, we identified 4 cases as having indications for standard cancer chemotherapies. All 4 patients tolerated the therapies well, responded to chemotherapy, and survived for more than 1 year. Conferences in which oncologists and palliative care doctors can discuss cases frequently and intimately are thought to be important.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2014
Perceived barriers and enablers to referrals to community-based hospice palliative care volunteer programs in Canada.
Two separate studies were conducted to identify perceived barriers and enablers to referrals to community-based hospice palliative care volunteer programs in 2 Atlantic Canadian provinces. In study 1, a physician, home support nurse manager, social worker, and volunteer coordinator (VC) were interviewed. ⋯ In study 2, a total of 10 VCs completed the PBEQ and (1) rated the extent to which they perceived 18 items to be barriers to referrals; (2) rated the extent to which they perceived 12 items to be enablers to referrals; and (3) described additional barriers and enablers. A Tips for Referrals sheet was created.