Journal of pain and symptom management
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2016
Multicenter StudyAdherence to Measuring What Matters Measures Using Point-of-Care Data Collection Across Diverse Clinical Settings.
Measuring What Matters (MWM) for palliative care has prioritized data collection efforts for evaluating quality in clinical practice. How these measures can be implemented across diverse clinical settings using point-of-care data collection on quality is unknown. ⋯ Variations in clinician documentation of adherence to MWM quality measures are seen across clinical settings. Additional studies are needed to better understand benchmarks and acceptable ranges for adherence tailored to various clinical settings.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2016
Development and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the CKD-MBD Knowledge and Behavior Questionnaire (CKD-MBD-KB) for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.
Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is one of the most complicated morbidities among patients with end-stage renal disease. At present, a specific questionnaire assessing relevant knowledge and behavior for patients with CKD-MBD is still unavailable. ⋯ This CKD-MBD-KB questionnaire has been confirmed to have adequate psychometric properties (good reliability and validity) and may be useful in the assessment of patient-related knowledge, intervention programs, and treatment protocols.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2016
ReviewInterpreting at the End of Life: A Systematic Review of the Impact of Interpreters on the Delivery of Palliative Care Services to Cancer Patients with Limited English Proficiency.
Language barriers can influence the health quality and outcomes of limited English proficiency (LEP) patients at end of life, including symptom assessment and utilization of hospice services. ⋯ LEP patients had worse quality of end-of-life care and goals of care discussions when professional interpreters were not used. More intervention studies are needed to improve the quality of care provided to LEP patients and families receiving palliative services.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2016
Comparative StudyThe Influence of Low Salivary Flow Rates on the Absorption of a Sublingual Fentanyl Citrate Formulation for Breakthrough Cancer Pain.
Salivary gland hypofunction may affect the absorption of drugs through the oral mucosa, which in turn may affect their clinical efficacy (e.g., onset of action). ⋯ The pharmacokinetics of the sublingual fentanyl orally disintegrating tablet appear to be negatively affected by the presence of salivary gland hypofunction, although the moistening of the oral cavity before dosing results in a pharmacokinetic profile similar to that seen with the giving of pilocarpine hydrochloride.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2016
Observational StudyPatient-Controlled Therapy (PCT) of Breathlessness in Palliative Care: A New Therapeutic Concept for Opioid Application?
Breathlessness is one of the most distressing symptoms experienced by patients with advanced cancer and noncancer diagnoses alike. Often, severity of breathlessness increases quickly, calling for rapid symptom control. Oral, buccal, and parenteral routes of provider-controlled drug administration have been described. It is unclear whether patient-controlled therapy (PCT) systems would be an additional treatment option. ⋯ Opioid PCT is a feasible and acceptable therapeutic method to reduce refractory breathlessness in palliative care patients.