Browse Items · Pediatric Palliative Care Library

Neuropathic cancer pain: prevalence, severity, analgesics and impact from the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative-Computerised Symptom Assessment study

BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain causes greater pain intensity and worse quality of life than nociceptive pain. There are no published data that confirm this in the cancer population. AIM: We hypothesised that patients with neuropathic cancer pain had…

The effects of the Palliative Medicine Consultation on the DNR status of African Americans in a safety-net hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of palliative medicine consultation on completion of advance directives/do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders by racial/ethnic minorities., METHOD: A sample of 1999 seriously ill African American and Hispanic…

Case study: the Interact Home Telehealth Project

Two home telehealth technologies (the Intel Health Guide and the Apple iPad) were trialled by four clinical services of the Hunter New England Local Health District. The iPad was selected by the Paediatric Palliative Care Service, the Stroke Service…

Integrating oncology and palliative home care in Italy: the experience of the "L'Aquila per la Vita" Home Care Unit

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of a home care program, closely integrated with a medical oncology department. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The charts, prospectively recorded, of all the patients treated at home by the "L'Aquila per la Vita" Home Care Unit…

Care for patients in the last months of life: the Belgian Sentinel Network Monitoring End-of-Life Care study

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies monitoring end-of-life care are lacking. This study describes involvement of caregivers, access to specialist palliative care, treatment goals (cure, life-prolonging, or palliation), and content of end-of-life…

Effects of a palliative care intervention on clinical outcomes in patients with advanced cancer: the Project ENABLE II randomized controlled trial

CONTEXT: There are few randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of palliative care interventions to improve the care of patients with advanced cancer. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of a nursing-led intervention on quality of life,…

Long term posttraumatic growth after breast cancer: prevalence, predictors and relationships with psychological health

This study evaluated the prevalence and predictors of long term posttraumatic growth (PTG) after breast cancer, and relationships of PTG with psychological health in a random sample of 307 currently disease-free women 5-15 years after diagnosis. This…

Comfort of general internists and general pediatricians in providing care for young adults with chronic illnesses of childhood

BACKGROUND: As an increasing number of patients with chronic conditions of childhood survive to adulthood, experts recommend that young adults with chronic conditions transfer from child-focused to adult-focused primary care. Little, however, is…

Health care resource utilization in adults with congenital heart disease

The number of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) is increasing. However, rates of health care resource utilization in this population are unknown. The objectives of this study were to describe the use of general health care resources in…

Influence of pain treatment by epidural fentanyl and bupivacaine on homing of opioid-containing leukocytes to surgical wounds

Endogenous opioids released from leukocytes extravasating into injured tissue can interact with peripheral opioid receptors to inhibit nociception. Animal studies have shown that the homing of opioid-producing leukocytes to the injured site is…

Tags: 2007, Adjuvants, Aged, Analgesia, Analgesics, Anesthesia, Anesthesia/immunology/pharmacology, Anesthetics, Backlog, beta-Endorphin/drug effects/immunology/metabolism, Biomarkers of Pain, Brain, Behavior, And Immunity, Bupivacaine/immunology/therapeutic use, Cell Movement/drug effects/immunology, Enkephalin, Epidural, Female, Fentanyl/immunology/therapeutic use, Heurich M, Humans, Journal Article, Kopf A, Lenzner M, Leukocytes/drug effects/immunology/metabolism, Local/immunology/therapeutic use, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Methionine/drug effects/immunology/metabolism, Middle Aged, Morciniec P, Mousa SA, Nociceptors/drug effects/immunology, Opioid/immunology/therapeutic use, Pain, Patient-Controlled, Pirinitramide/therapeutic use, Postganglionic/drug effects/immunology, Postoperative/immunology/prevention & control, Stein C, Subcutaneous Tissue/immunology, Sympathetic Fibers, Welte M, Wound Healing/drug effects/immunology

Coping, self-efficacy and psychiatric history in patients with both chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of coping style and self-efficacy to functional impairment in a group of patients with both chronic widespread pain (CWP) and chronic fatigue, as well as the possible mediating role of psychiatric diagnosis.…

Changing mortality in congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to characterize temporal trends in all-cause mortality in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). BACKGROUND: Historically, most deaths in patients with CHD occurred in early childhood. Notable advances have since…

An international/multicentre report on patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) over the age of 40 years

BACKGROUND: The lifespan of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is increasing significantly. The objective of this international pilot study was to study the characteristics of these long-term survivors. METHODS: Four centres with large CF clinics…

Does palliative care improve quality? A survey of bereaved family members

Palliative care is the interdisciplinary specialty that aims to relieve suffering and improve the quality of care for patients with serious illness and their families. Although palliative care programs are becoming increasingly prevalent in U.S.…

Factors associated with congruence between preferred and actual place of death

Congruence between preferred and actual place of death may be an essential component in terminal care. Most patients prefer a home death, but many patients do not die in their preferred location. Specialized (physician, hospice, and palliative) home…

Effect of palliative oxygen versus room air in relief of breathlessness in patients with refractory dyspnoea: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Palliative oxygen therapy is widely used for treatment of dyspnoea in individuals with life-limiting illness who are ineligible for long-term oxygen therapy. We assessed the effectiveness of oxygen compared with room air delivered by…

International comparison study on the primary concerns of terminally ill cancer patients in short-term life review interviews among Japanese, Koreans, and Americans

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the primary concerns of terminally ill cancer patients in a Short-Term Life Review among Japanese, Koreans, and Americans to develop intervention programs to be tailored to patients in other…

Psychological distress in cancer patients assessed with an expert rating scale

The purpose of this study was to investigate psychosocial stress in a large sample of cancer patients using an expert rating scale. Specific aims were to analyse the relevance of setting variables (type of clinic, contact initiative, therapy) and…

A communication strategy and brochure for relatives of patients dying in the ICU

BACKGROUND: There is a need for close communication with relatives of patients dying in the intensive care unit (ICU). We evaluated a format that included a proactive end-of-life conference and a brochure to see whether it could lessen the effects of…

Early palliative care for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer have a substantial symptom burden and may receive aggressive care at the end of life. We examined the effect of introducing palliative care early after diagnosis on patient-reported…

End-of-life practices in the Netherlands under the Euthanasia Act

BACKGROUND: In 2002, an act regulating the ending of life by a physician at the request of a patient with unbearable suffering came into effect in the Netherlands. In 2005, we performed a follow-up study of euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and…

Using drugs to end life without an explicit request of the patient

A small proportion of deaths result from the use of drugs with the intention to hasten death without an explicit request of the patient. Additional insight into its characteristics is needed for evaluating this practice. In the Netherlands in 2001,…

Adjustment to chronic pain: the role of pain acceptance, coping strategies, and pain-related cognitions

BACKGROUND: Previous research has found that acceptance of pain is more successful than coping variables in predicting adjustment to pain. PURPOSE: To compare the influence of acceptance, pain-related cognitions and coping in adjustment to chronic…

End of living: maintaining a lifeworld during terminal illness

The narrative responses of 32 people with AIDS or cancer with survival prognoses of 6 months to a year to monthly interview questions about their daily lives were analysed with a team-based qualitative methodology. Two groups emerged: (a) a…

A short form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory

A short form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-SF) is described. A sample of 1351 adults who had completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) in previous studies provided the basis for item selection. The resulting 10-item form…

Impact of an inpatient palliative care team: a randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care improves care and reduces costs for hospitalized patients with life-limiting illnesses. There have been no multicenter randomized trials examining impact on patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and subsequent health…

Tags: 2008, Advance Directives/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data], Advance Directives/statistics & Numerical Data, Aged, Backlog, Beane J, Blum M, Conner D, Cooperative Behavior, Critical Illness/ep [Epidemiology], Critical Illness/epidemiology, Critical Illness/psychology, Critical Illness/px [psychology], Critical Illness/rehabilitation, Critical Illness/rh [Rehabilitation], Della PR, DNAR, DNAR Outcomes, Gade G, Hospice Care/ut [Utilization], Hospice Care/utilization, Hospitalization, Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Journal Article, Journal of Palliative Medicine, Liberson M, McGrady K, Palliative Care/methods, Palliative Care/mt [methods], Patient Care Team, Patient Satisfaction, Prospective Studies, Quality Of Life/psychology, Quality Of Life/px [psychology], Richardson RH, Survival Rate, Venohr I, Williams MP

The economic and clinical impact of an inpatient palliative care consultation service: a multifaceted approach

BACKGROUND: While there has been a rapid increase of inpatient palliative care (PC) programs, the financial and clinical benefits have not been well established. OBJECTIVE: Determine the effect of an inpatient PC consultation service on costs and…

Determinants of do-not-resuscitate orders in palliative home care.

OVERVIEW: Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders allow home care clients to communicate their own wishes over medical treatment decisions, helping to preserve their dignity and autonomy. To date, little is known about DNR orders in palliative home care.…

Impact of writing "comfort measures only" orders in a community teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVES: We compared end-of-life care for patients with and without orders for "comfort measures only" (CMO) and evaluated whether standards for palliative medicine were met., DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 40 patients, 20 with…

Advance directives and do-not-resuscitate orders in patients with cancer with metastatic spinal cord compression: advanced care planning implications.

OBJECTIVES: Communication about end-of-life decisions is crucial. Although patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) have a median survival time of 3 to 6 months, few data are available concerning the presence of advance directives and…

Sibling death and death fear in relation to depressive symptomatology in older adults

Previously overlooked factors in elders' depressive symptomatology were examined, including death fear, sibling death, and sibling closeness. Participants were 150 elders (61 men, 89 women) aged 65-97 years with at least one sibling. Measures were…

Development and preliminary validation of the 'Mind the Gap' scale to assess satisfaction with transitional health care among adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

BACKGROUND: To develop a scale to assess satisfaction with transitional health care among adolescents with a chronic illness and their parents. METHODS: The 'Mind the Gap' scale was developed using evidence from a previous needs assessment, in three…

The experiences of Chinese family members of terminally ill patients - a qualitative study

AIM: To describe and understand the experiences of Chinese family members of terminally ill patients during the end of life process in a palliative care unit. BACKGROUND: Palliative care aims to provide care to dying patients and their family…

Melatonin treatment in individuals with intellectual disability and chronic insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND: While several small-number or open-label studies suggest that melatonin improves sleep in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) with chronic sleep disturbance, a larger randomized control trial is necessary to validate these…

Beta-endorphin, Met-enkephalin and corresponding opioid receptors within synovium of patients with joint trauma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE: Intra-articularly applied opioid agonists or antagonists modulate pain after knee surgery and in chronic arthritis. Therefore, the expression of beta-endorphin (END), Met-enkephalin (ENK), and mu and delta opioid receptors (ORs) within…

Toward optimal end-of-life care for patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: insights from a multicentre study

BACKGROUND: Understanding patients' needs and perspectives is fundamental to improving end-of-life (EOL) care. However, little is known of what quality care means to patients who have advanced lung disease. OBJECTIVES: To describe ratings of…

The triad that matters: palliative medicine, code status, and health care costs.

INTRODUCTION: Delayed discussion of a patient's code status can lead to shortsighted care plans that increase hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs., METHODS: Retrospective study compared intensive care unit (ICU) patients who accepted verses…

Tags: 2010, 80 And Over, Aged, Backlog, Celso BG, Code status, Critical Illness/ec [Economics], Critical Illness/ep [Epidemiology], Direct Service Costs/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data], DNAR, DNAR Outcomes, Emergency Service, Equipment and Supplies, Female, Health Care Cost, Hospice, Hospital Costs/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data], Hospital/ec [Economics], Hospital/ut [Utilization], Humans, Intensive Care/ec [Economics], Intensive Care/ut [Utilization], Journal Article, Laboratories, Length of Stay/ec [Economics], Length of Stay/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data], Male, Meenrajan S, Middle Aged, Operative/ec [Economics], palliation, Palliative Care/ec [economics], Palliative Care/ut [Utilization], Patient Admission, Radiology Department, Respiratory Care Units/ec [Economics], Retrospective Studies, Surgical Procedures, The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, United States/ep [Epidemiology]

Emotion regulation in patients with rheumatic diseases: validity and responsiveness of the Emotional Approach Coping Scale (EAC)

BACKGROUND: Chronic rheumatic diseases are painful conditions which are not entirely controllable and can place high emotional demands on individuals. Increasing evidence has shown that emotion regulation in terms of actively processing and…

Paradoxes in advance care planning: the complex relationship of oncology patients, their physicians, and advance medical directives.

PURPOSE: Many seriously ill patients with cancer do not discuss prognosis or advance directives (ADs), which may lead to inappropriate and/or unwanted aggressive care at the end of life. Ten years ago, patients with cancer said they would not like to…

Efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam versus phenytoin after supratentorial neurosurgery

BACKGROUND: Antiepileptic drugs are routinely given after craniotomy. Though phenytoin (PHT) is still the most commonly used agent, levetiracetam (LEV) is increasingly administered for this purpose. This retrospective study compared the use of LEV…

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