Journal of palliative medicine
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Comparative Study
Effects of Hemodialysis on the Symptom Burden of Terminally Ill and Nonterminally Ill End-Stage Renal Disease Patients.
No study has compared the effects of hemodialysis on the symptom burden of terminally ill and nonterminally ill end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. ⋯ The effects of hemodialysis on symptom burden were different between ESRD patients with different disease states. Hemodialysis predicted lower symptom severity only in nonterminally ill ESRD patients. Apart from dialysis, care providers should revisit the palliative approach for treating terminally ill ESRD patients to improve their quality of life.
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Internationally, use of lidocaine infusions to treat cancer pain varies by center. Existing systematic reviews do not adequately inform use of lidocaine in cancer pain. ⋯ Based on the current available evidence, lidocaine infusion could be considered in refractory cancer pain where agents with level 1 evidence are ineffective. Further research is necessary to understand the protocol and population in which lidocaine may improve cancer pain and capitalize on the promising opportunities identified.
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Most seriously ill older adults visit the emergency department (ED) near the end of life, yet no feasible method exists to empower them to formulate their care goals in this setting. ⋯ An intervention to empower seriously ill older adults to understand the importance of future care planning in the ED was developed, and they found it acceptable.