Journal of palliative medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Subcutaneous Lidocaine for Cancer-Related Pain.
Background: Intravenous lidocaine infusions have been shown to be effective for cancer related pain, but access is restricted to acute care settings. If able to be shown to be safe and effective, the subcutaneous route could expand access to residential hospices or patients' homes. Objectives: This randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, 2 × 2 crossover trial evaluated the effectiveness, safety, toxicity, and impact on quality of life of a limited duration subcutaneous lidocaine infusion (SCLI) for chronic cancer pain. Methods: Patients with the life expectancy of three months or more, who were experiencing cancer-related pain with a worst severity of at least 4 on a 0-10 scale despite a trial of at least one opioid and appropriate adjuvant analgesic, received two subcutaneous infusions at least a week apart; lidocaine 10 mg/kg over 5.5 hours and saline placebo. ⋯ One of these subjects experienced a drop in worst pain score and the other experienced a reduction in opioid dose. Conclusions: A weight-based subcutaneous infusion of lidocaine does not achieve sufficiently predictable blood levels for determining lidocaine responsiveness. This study does not allow any conclusion to be drawn on whether or not lidocaine would have been more effective had it been titrated to higher blood levels.
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Background: Fetal malformations are diagnosed prenatally in nearly 3% of pregnancies, and ∼1.2% are major malformations. After prenatal diagnosis, it is imperative to consider families' values and to support their decision-making process. Prenatal palliative care is a growing field mainly based on family conferences. ⋯ Five main themes and 18 categories emerged from the charts and are described in detail. A model of follow-up in prenatal palliative care is proposed based on the themes and categories identified. Conclusions: This analysis may guide health professionals who seek to better identify family needs and values and organize follow-up during prenatal palliative care.
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Background: Over the past two decades, the number of hospitals with palliative care has increased significantly. Objective: This study analyzes the availability of palliative care in U. S. hospitals and examines the variation by hospital characteristics, community-level socioeconomic demographics, health care markets, and geographic characteristics. ⋯ Conclusion: This study demonstrates that availability of palliative care in U. S. hospitals is determined by where patients live and the type of hospital to which they are admitted. Equitable and reliable availability to quality palliative care must improve across the nation.
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Background: Recent and preprohibition studies show that patients with serious illness might benefit from psychedelic-assisted therapies for a range of symptoms, physical, psychosocial, and existential. Objective: To explore the potential roles and research priorities of these therapies in patients with serious illness. Design, Setting, and Participants: Qualitative study based on semistructured interviews with 17 experts in serious illness care and/or psychedelic research from the United States and Canada. Measurements: The interview guide elicited participants' perspectives on (1) the potential roles of psychedelic-assisted therapies in this setting, (2) research priorities relevant to this population, and (3) the potential for integrating psychedelic-assisted therapies into existing delivery models of serious illness care. We used thematic analysis until thematic saturation. Results: Domain I: Participants had polar views on the therapeutic potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies, ranging from strong beliefs in their medical utility to reluctance about their use in this patient population. ⋯ Participants also articulated potential roles extending beyond traditional medical diagnosis. Domain III: Participants emphasized essential safety and efficacy guidelines relevant to the integration of these therapies into existing models of care. Conclusion: This qualitative study highlights issues and priorities for research on psychedelic-assisted therapies in patients with serious illness and proposes a conceptual framework for integrating these therapies into existing delivery models of serious illness care.