Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

CONTEXT: Limited data existed on the efficacy and safety of novel antiepileptic drugs (pregabalin and gabapentin) in treating pruritus. OBJECTIVES: To assess their role in managing either acute or chronic pruritus. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for relevant randomized controlled trials. Pooled odd ratio (OR) with 95% CI were performed using RevMan5.4 and R4...

BACKGROUND: Suffering at the end-of-life (EOL) can impact the perception of a "good death" and ultimately affect bereavement for families of children with cancer. Palliative radiation (pXRT) is a tool that can address pain, mitigate suffering and improve quality of life. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review of pediatric oncology patients who died over an 11-year period was completed. Descriptive analysis and non-parametric tests to compare groups were used...

CONTEXT: Seriously ill patients, such as those who experience critical illness, and their families experience a variety of poor outcomes, including financial hardship. However, little is known about the ways in which these seriously ill patients and their families experience financial hardship. OBJECTIVE: To examine seriously ill patients' and families' experiences of financial hardship and perspectives on addressing these concerns during and after critical illness...

CONTEXT: More than half of new cancer cases occurred in older adults. Older patients with cancer are particularly at risk of physical, psycho-existential or socio-familial suffering as defined by the concept of Serious Health-related Suffering (SHS). OBJECTIVES: To assess the direct and indirect effects of physical, psycho-existential and socio-familial dimensions of suffering on cancer treatability, supportive care needs and 12-month mortality in older patients with cancer...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Music therapy, aromatherapy and massage therapy are widely used in palliative care in patients near end-of-life with the aim to reduce symptom burden and improve quality of life (QoL). Recent research shows an increase in popularity and use of complementary and integrative medicine however a more thorough evidence base about their usefulness is required. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the available evidence on the use of music therapy, aromatherapy and massage therapy in palliative and hospice care and summarize findings...

CONTEXT: Parent-clinician communication is essential for high-quality end-of-life (EOL) care in children with cancer. However, it is unknown how parent-clinician communication affects parents' experience in the first two years after their child's death. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between communication and prolonged grief among parents whose child died from cancer and to explore the mediation effect of preparation for EOL care. METHODS: We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of parents of children who died from cancer in the prior 6-24 months...

BACKGROUND: Palliative care is increasingly recognized as an important aspect of heart failure (HF) management, but data on gender differences regarding palliative care needs are scarce. METHODS: We retrospectively studied patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of HF who received an initial palliative care consultation in the Mount Sinai Health System. From electronic health records, we extracted patient information, diagnostic codes, and the palliative care consult assessment which included the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS)...

Dyspnea, the subjective sensation of breathlessness, is a distressing and potentially traumatic symptom.1 Dyspnea associated with mechanical ventilation may contribute to intensive care unit (ICU) associated post-traumatic stress disorder and impaired quality of life2 Dyspnea is both difficult to alleviate and a cause of significant distress to patients, their loved ones, and care providers3 People living with neuromuscular disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or myasthenia gravis (MG), often rely on a ventilator at late stages of illness due to complications of progressive respiratory muscle weakness and paralysis4 When unable to wean from the ventilator, conversations turn towards goals of care and release from the ventilator for comfort and end of life (EOL)...

CONTEXT: Patients receiving inpatient palliative care often face physical and psychological uncertainties during transitions out of the hospital. Family caregivers often take on responsibilities to ensure patient safety, quality of care, and extend palliative care principles, but often without support or training, potentially compromising their health and well-being. OBJECTIVES: This study tested an eight-week intervention using video visits between palliative care nurse interventionists and caregivers to assess changes in caregiver outcomes and patient quality of life...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Bereaved care partner surveys typically focus on the experience with care in the final days of life. We sought to develop and pilot a novel bereaved care partner survey to understand experiences with ALS supportive care provided throughout the illness and identify opportunities for quality improvement. METHODS: We developed the survey using a multisite, interdisciplinary consensus process consisting of ALS and palliative care clinicians and patient advocates...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

CONTEXT: Medications may become inappropriate for patients in the last phase of life and may even compromise their quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To find consensus on recommendations regarding deprescribing of medications for adult patients with a life expectancy of six months or less. METHODS: Experts working in palliative care or other relevant disciplines were asked to participate in this international Delphi study. Existing tools for deprescribing of medication in the last phase of life were integrated in a list of 42 recommendations regarding potential deprescription of various medication types...

CONTEXT: Home-Based Palliative Care (HPC) interventions have emerged as a promising approach to deliver patient-centered care in familiar surroundings, aligning with patients' preferences and improving quality of life (QOL). OBJECTIVES: This review aimed to systematically assess the impact of HPC interventions on symptom management, QOL, healthcare resource utilization and place of death among patients with severe, progressive illnesses requiring end-of-life care...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Pain is a challenging multifaceted symptom reported by most cancer patients. This systematic review aims to explore applications of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) in predicting pain-related outcomes and pain management in cancer. METHODS: A comprehensive search of Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science databases was conducted using terms: "Cancer", "Pain", "Pain Management", "Analgesics", "Artificial Intelligence", "Machine Learning", and "Neural Networks" published up to September 7, 2023...

CONTEXT: Withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies (WDLST) in young individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an overwhelming situation often made more stressful by socioeconomic factors that shape health outcomes. Identifying these factors is crucial to developing equitable and goal-concordant care for patients and families. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify predictors of WDLST in young patients with TBI. We hypothesized uninsured payment method, race, and co-morbid status are associated with WDLST...

CONTEXT: Limited data exists about care received by children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) in the final years of their disease and end-of-life (EOL). OBJECTIVE: To examine hospital performance on EOL quality measures and to describe healthcare services during the last two years of life for children with CCCs who died in-hospital. METHODS: Retrospective automated electronic health record review of children with ≥1 CCC ICD-10 diagnosis code, who died inpatient between October 2020-March 2023 at a single quaternary U...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

In 2014 the California legislature passed Senate Bill 1004 (SB 1004) that was designed to expand access to specialty palliative care for individuals served by California's Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal) Managed Care Plans (MCPs). The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) operationalized the legislation by developing minimum requirements for palliative care programs that all MCPs must meet or exceed7 . Quality and utilization data specific to California's Medicaid population are needed for stakeholders to identify care deficiencies and disparities, describe the end of life experience and utilization patterns of MCP members, compare these patterns to Medicare beneficiaries or other populations, and set appropriate targets to help monitor progress...

CONTEXT: People with late-stage Alzheimer's diseases and related dementias (ADRD) have high risk for post-acute complications and readmission; however, minimal research describes hospital transitional care. OBJECTIVE: Within the context of the ongoing ADRD-PC clinical trial, the purpose of this study was to describe the content and quality of transitional care of people with ADRD. METHODS: Descriptive mixed methods using data from a retrospective chart review and interviews with palliative care social workers and a nurse providing transitional care in the ADRD-PC clinical trial...