Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Review Meta AnalysisCut points on 0-10 numeric rating scales for symptoms included in the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale in cancer patients: a systematic review.
To improve the management of cancer-related symptoms, systematic screening is necessary, often performed by using 0-10 numeric rating scales. Cut points are used to determine if scores represent clinically relevant burden. ⋯ For many symptoms, there is no clear evidence as to what the optimal cut points are. In daily clinical practice, a symptom score ≥4 is recommended as a trigger for a more comprehensive symptom assessment. Until there is more evidence on the optimal cut points, we should hold back using a certain cut point in quality indicators and be cautious about strongly recommending a certain cut point in guidelines.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Review Meta AnalysisContinuous sedation (CS) until death: mapping the literature by bibliometric analysis.
Sedation at the end of life, regardless of the nomenclature, is an increasingly debated practice at both clinical and bioethical levels. However, little is known about the characteristics and trends in scientific publications in this field of study. ⋯ This is the first bibliometric analysis on continuous sedation until death that can be used to inform future studies. Further research is needed to refine controversies on terminology and ethical acceptability of the practice, as well as conditions and modalities of its use.