Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2019
Financial Strain and Physical and Emotional Quality of Life in Breast Cancer.
Few studies have examined the association between financial strain and quality of life outcomes in breast cancer. ⋯ The present investigation illustrates the importance of financial strain in breast cancer. Healthcare systems are encouraged to expand interdisciplinary palliative and supportive care services that have the expertise necessary to help financially strained patients navigate the cancer care continuum.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2019
Use of Cluster Analysis to Delineate Symptom Profiles in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Patient Population.
The Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDSs) are a set of rare heritable disorders of connective tissue, characterized by defects in the structure and synthesis of extracellular matrix elements that lead to a myriad of problems including joint hypermobility and skin abnormalities. Because EDS affects multiple organ systems, defining clear boundaries and recognizing overlapping clinical features shared by disease phenotypes is challenging. ⋯ The subgroups aligned with clinical observation of the heterogeneous nature of EDS, with overlapping symptoms between subtypes and a wide divergence in degree of symptoms within subtypes. This exploratory study helps characterize the various phenotypes and comorbidities of patients with EDS.
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Although medical cannabis (MC) policies continue to evolve around the world, the integration of MC into clinical practice remains highly debated within the medical community. ⋯ Clinical practices related to MC may be influenced by nonmedical factors, and this may be particularly prevailing in the field of chronic pain, suggesting that MC may be particularly contentious in this field.
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Many of our experiences in hospice and palliative care medicine are challenging. We support dying patients and their families as they struggle with the transition from life to death and continue to support those in mourning. Many times, in America, it is difficult to even appreciate a glimmer of spiritual grace as our patients die. ⋯ It spanned and interconnected many eclectic faith traditions, theologies, and philosophies, including Taoism, Greek mythology, distributed cognition, mathematics, and Tibetan Buddhism. It resonated strongly with Zen and Christian mysticism. Some of Bruno's being and transformation to nonbeing was obvious; some of it was inscrutable.
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Therapeutic Reviews aim to provide essential independent information for health professionals about drugs used in palliative and hospice care. Additional content is available via www.palliativedrugs.com. The series editors welcome feedback on the articles.