BMJ supportive & palliative care
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
ReviewEfficacy, tolerability and acceptability of oxycodone for cancer-related pain in adults: an updated Cochrane systematic review.
To assess the efficacy, tolerability and acceptability of oxycodone for cancer pain in adults METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, Embase, SCI, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, BIOSIS, PsycINFO and four trials registries to November 2016. ⋯ Oxycodone offers similar levels of pain relief and adverse events to other strong opioids. However, hallucinations occurred less with CR oxycodone than with CR morphine, but the quality of this evidence was very low, so this finding should be treated with utmost caution. Our conclusions are consistent with other reviews and suggest that oxycodone can be used first line as an alternative to morphine. However, because it is cheaper, morphine generally remains the first-line opioid of choice.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
ReviewOpioid errors in inpatient palliative care services: a retrospective review.
Opioids are a high-risk medicine frequently used to manage palliative patients' cancer-related pain and other symptoms. Despite the high volume of opioid use in inpatient palliative care services, and the potential for patient harm, few studies have focused on opioid errors in this population.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
ReviewSubcutaneous levetiracetam for the management of seizures at the end of life.
To report the results of a combined case series analysis of subcutaneous levetiracetam (Keppra) for the management of seizures in palliative care patients. ⋯ Combined analysis of 73 reported cases of subcutaneous levetiracetam suggests this treatment may have a role in the management of seizures at the end of life. However, randomised controlled trials are urgently needed to establish the efficacy and tolerability of subcutaneous levetiracetam administration. If proven to be safe and effective, subcutaneous levetiracetam offers the potential to prevent and treat seizures without causing unnecessary sedation at the end of life.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
Observational StudyRisk of 12-month mortality among hospital inpatients using the surprise question and SPICT criteria: a prospective study.
People with serious life-limiting disease benefit from advance care planning, but require active identification. This study applied the Gold Standards Framework Proactive Identification Guidance (GSF-PIG) to a general hospital population to describe high-risk patients and explore prognostic performance for 12-month mortality. ⋯ The GSF-PIG approach identified a large minority of hospital inpatients who might benefit from advance care planning. Future studies are needed to investigate the feasibility, cost and impact of screening in hospitals.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
'Song of Life': music therapy in terminally ill patients with cancer.
Music therapy (MT) holds a promising potential to meet emotional and existential needs in palliative care patients. The aim of the present pilot study was to assess the feasibility, acceptance and potential effectiveness of a novel MT intervention to improve life closure and spiritual well-being of terminally ill patients with cancer receiving palliative care. ⋯ 'SOL' proved to be a feasible and highly accepted intervention for patients approaching the end of their lives. Further consideration with regard to the procedures and outcomes is necessary before implementation of a randomised trial.