Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2018
Personalized Pain Goal as an Outcome Measure in Routine Cancer Pain Assessment.
There is currently no universally accepted outcome measure in cancer pain management. The personalized pain goal (PPG) has been shown to be a relevant outcome measure. We examined its use in routine outpatient practice and compared it with the clinically important difference (CID, ≥2 points or 30%), a pain outcome measure frequently used in several clinical studies. ⋯ PPG was successfully completed in the vast majority of patients, suggesting its feasibility as a pain outcome measure in routine clinical practice. Higher baseline pain intensity, depression, opioid dose, and number of adjuvant analgesics were independent predictors of poor pain relief. Further research is needed to further evaluate its clinical importance in cancer pain management.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2018
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Observational StudyPalliative Sedation in Terminal Cancer Patients Admitted to Hospice or Home Care Programs: Does the Setting Matter? Results From a National Multicenter Observational Study.
Few studies regarding palliative sedation (PS) have been carried out in home care (HC) setting. A comparison of PS rate and practices between hospice (HS) and HC is also lacking. ⋯ Our results show feasibility of PS in HC and HS and suggest setting differences in rates, indications, and practice of PS, possibly related to patients' selection or care organization.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2018
Comparative Study Observational StudyComparison of Opioid Prescribing Among Cancer and Noncancer Patients Aged 18-64: Analysis Using Administrative Data.
Opioid prescribing has been increasingly scrutinized among noncancer patients. As an unintended consequence, opioids may be underprescribed for cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to compare trends in opioid prescribing in younger adults with and without cancer. ⋯ Secular trends in opioid prescribing affect cancer and noncancer patients similarly. Further research is required to assess the potential impact on symptom management.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2018
Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telehealth Program in a Rural Palliative Care Population: TapCloud for Palliative Care.
The impact of telehealth and remote patient monitoring has not been well established in palliative care populations in rural communities. ⋯ This is one of the first articles to describe a telehealth palliative care program and to demonstrate acceptability, feasibility, and usability as well as describe symptom outcomes and hospice transitions.