Articles: palliative-care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Review Meta AnalysisContinuous sedation (CS) until death: mapping the literature by bibliometric analysis.
Sedation at the end of life, regardless of the nomenclature, is an increasingly debated practice at both clinical and bioethical levels. However, little is known about the characteristics and trends in scientific publications in this field of study. ⋯ This is the first bibliometric analysis on continuous sedation until death that can be used to inform future studies. Further research is needed to refine controversies on terminology and ethical acceptability of the practice, as well as conditions and modalities of its use.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2013
Review Meta AnalysisCongruence between preferred and actual place of death according to the presence of malignant or non-malignant disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Achieving congruence between preferred and actual place of death is increasingly being used as a quantifiable indicator of the effectiveness of palliative care services. Current secular trends indicate a reversal of the institutionalisation of death, but this has been more pronounced in patients with malignant disease. As such, this study was conducted to evaluate whether the preservation of autonomy has been addressed equitably for cancer and non-cancer populations. ⋯ These findings pose a significant challenge, as a 'good' death has been closely matched to achieving patients' wishes, including preferred place of death. Despite increasing awareness that those dying from chronic non-malignant diseases have extensive palliative care needs, much is still to be done to preserve their autonomy and reduce powerlessness in the face of death.
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Meta Analysis
Pediatric palliative care in Canada and the United States: a qualitative metasummary of the needs of patients and families.
Qualitative research is becoming more common in pediatric palliative care and end-of-life care. The present article systematically reviews and summarizes qualitative and survey-based research on pediatric palliative and end-of-life care pertaining to the needs of patients and their families. ⋯ The results of this metasummary highlight the needs of patients and families to be taken into consideration in the creation of high-quality pediatric palliative and end-of-life care services and guidelines.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2013
Review Case Reports Meta AnalysisDepression in terminally ill patients: dilemmas in diagnosis and treatment.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2013
Review Meta AnalysisConstipation in palliative care: what do we use as definitions and outcome measures?
Advances in the management of constipation in palliative care remain hindered by the lack of agreed-upon diagnostic criteria. ⋯ Constipation is a significant problem in palliative care; however, not having an agreed-upon definition limits research initiatives and the ability to apply these results clinically to people with constipation. Four domains are suggested as pivotal to the diagnosis: any life-long history of constipation (using the Rome Criteria), evaluation of physical changes that may cause or worsen constipation, the subjective sensation (such as feelings of incomplete defecation or bloating or fullness), and objective changes (such as frequency or consistency of stools).