Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2018
Is early integration of palliative care feasible and acceptable for advanced respiratory and gastrointestinal cancer patients? A phase 2 mixed-methods study.
There is evidence that early integration of palliative care improves quality of life, lowers spending and helps clarify preferences and goals for advanced cancer patients. Little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of early integration. ⋯ Early integration of palliative care in oncological setting seems feasible and well accepted by patients, relatives and, to a lesser extent, oncologists. Some difficulties emerged concerning patient information and inter-professional communication.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2018
Involvement of palliative care in euthanasia practice in a context of legalized euthanasia: A population-based mortality follow-back study.
In the international debate about assisted dying, it is commonly stated that euthanasia is incompatible with palliative care. In Belgium, where euthanasia was legalized in 2002, the Federation for Palliative Care Flanders has endorsed the viewpoint that euthanasia can be embedded in palliative care. ⋯ In Flanders, in a context of legalized euthanasia, euthanasia and palliative care do not seem to be contradictory practices. A substantial proportion of people who make a euthanasia request are seen by palliative care services, and for a majority of these, the request is granted.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2018
A retrospective audit on usage of Diatrizoate Meglumine (Gastrografin(®)) for intestinal obstruction or constipation in patients with advanced neoplasms.
Intestinal obstruction and constipation are common conditions in patients with advanced neoplasms. Diatrizoate Meglumine has been used in the management of both these conditions without good quality evidence of its effectiveness and safety. ⋯ Most clinicians used 50 mL of Diatrizoate Meglumine as a single dose and repeated imaging after 4-24 h. Diatrizoate Meglumine was well tolerated and may be effective in resolving intestinal obstruction and constipation in patients with advanced neoplasms. Quality controlled studies are needed to further guide the use of Diatrizoate Meglumine in intestinal obstruction and constipation in patients with advanced neoplasms.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2018
Predictors of patient-related benefit, burden and feeling safe in relation to hospital admissions in palliative care: A cross-sectional survey.
Research exploring patient experience of palliative care in the hospital setting has previously been limited to negative aspects of care. However, recent studies have shown that patients with palliative care needs experience benefits being in hospital. Little is known about how experiences of benefit and burden vary according to socio-demographic and illness-related factors and how these experiences influence patient preferences to return to hospital. ⋯ Deprivation, diagnosis, age and ethnicity influenced experiences of benefit and burden in hospital. 'Feeling safe' was a significant predictor for a preference to return to hospital. Further research is needed to understand why certain patient factors influence experiences of hospitalisation and how 'feeling safe' can be replicated in other care environments.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2018
Caregiver quality of life in advanced cancer: Qualitative results from a trial of early palliative care.
Early involvement of palliative care improves patient quality of life; however, quantitative studies have not yet demonstrated a similar effect for caregivers, for whom the construct of quality of life is less well developed. ⋯ Caregiver quality of life is influenced profoundly by the interaction with the patient and should be measured with specific questionnaires that include content related to confronting mortality and professional supports. This would improve delineation of quality of life for caregivers and allow greater sensitivity to change. Registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT01248624.