Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
Improving Outcomes Measurement in Palliative Care: The Lasting Impact of Randy Curtis and his Collaborators.
Palliative care research is deeply challenging for many reasons, not the least of which is the conceptual and operational difficulty of measuring outcomes within a seriously ill population such as critically ill patients and their family members. This manuscript describes how Randy Curtis and his network of collaborators successfully confronted some of the most vexing outcomes measurement problems in the field, and by so doing, have enhanced clinical care and research alike. Beginning with a discussion of the clinical challenges of measurement in palliative care, we then discuss a selection of the novel measures developed by Randy and his collaborators and conclude with a look toward the future evolution of these concepts. Randy and his foundational work, including both successes as well as the occasional near miss, have enriched and advanced the field as well as (immeasurably) impacted the work of so many others-including this manuscript's authors.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
Review Meta AnalysisThe therapeutic potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies for symptom control in patients diagnosed with serious illness: a systematic review.
People affected by serious illness usually experience suffering in its various dimensions, not only in the physical but also in the psychosocial and spiritual aspects. The interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies as a potential new therapeutic modality has increased since evidence suggests a significant impact of their use on the outcomes of patients with serious illness. ⋯ The evaluated evidence suggests positive effects of psychedelic-assisted therapies for symptom control in patients diagnosed with serious illness, especially regarding symptoms of psychological and spiritual nature.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
Behaviours of patients who take their strong opioids as unmeasured 'sips'.
Some patients take their strong opioid painkillers as unmeasured sips. ⋯ This is the first published study exploring the behavior of patients who take their strong analgesia as unmeasured sips. Knowing that patients who sip are likely to be taking an incorrect dose, and the reasons behind sipping may help clinicians to help these patients to manage their pain better.