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Tagami K, Chiu SW, Kosugi K, Ishiki H, Hiratsuka Y, Shimizu M, Mori M, Kubo E, Ikari T, Arakawa S, Eto T, Shimoda M, Hirayama H, Nishijima K, Ouchi K, Shimoi T, Shigeno T, Yamaguchi T, Miyashita M, Morita T, Inoue A, Satomi E. Cancer Pain Management in Patients Receiving Inpatient Specialized Palliative Care Services. J Pain Symptom Manage 2024; 67:27-38.e1. [PMID: 37730073 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Cancer pain is a common complication that is frequently undertreated in patients with cancer. OBJECTIVES This study is aimed at assessing the time needed to achieve cancer pain management goals through specialized palliative care (SPC). METHODS This was a multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study of inpatients with cancer pain who received SPC. Patients were continuously followed up until they considered cancer pain management successful, and we estimated this duration using the Kaplan-Meier method. We investigated the effectiveness of pain management using multiple patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and quantitative measures, including pain intensity change in the Brief Pain Inventory. A paired-sample t-test was used to compare the pain intensity at the beginning and end of the observation period. RESULTS Cancer pain management based on the PROs was achieved in 87.9% (385/438) of all cases. In 94.5% (364/385) of these cases, cancer pain management was achieved within 1 week, and the median time to pain management was 3 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 2-3). The mean worst pain intensity in the last 24 h at the start and end of observation were 6.9 ± 2.2 and 4.0 ± 2.3, respectively, with a difference of -2.9 (95% CI, -3.2 to -2.6; p < 0.01). Overall, 81.6% of the patients reported satisfaction with cancer pain management, and 62 adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION SPC achieved cancer pain management over a short period with a high level of patient satisfaction resulting in significant pain reduction and few documented adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Tagami
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.T., Y.H., T.I., A.I.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
| | - Shih-Wei Chiu
- Division of Biostatistics (S-W.C., M.S., T.Y.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Kosugi
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.K., E.K., T.E.), National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroto Ishiki
- Department of Palliative Medicine (H.I., S.A., E.S.), National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hiratsuka
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.T., Y.H., T.I., A.I.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan; Department of Palliative Medicine (Y.H.), Takeda General Hospital, Aizu Wakamatsu, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Masaki Shimizu
- Department of Palliative Care (M.S.), Kyoto-Katsura Hospital, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masanori Mori
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care (M.M., T.M.), Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Emi Kubo
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.K., E.K., T.E.), National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tomoo Ikari
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.T., Y.H., T.I., A.I.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Sayaka Arakawa
- Department of Palliative Medicine (H.I., S.A., E.S.), National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Eto
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.K., E.K., T.E.), National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Mayu Shimoda
- Division of Biostatistics (S-W.C., M.S., T.Y.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Hirayama
- Department of Palliative Nursing (H.H., T.S., M.M.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kaoru Nishijima
- Department of Palliative Care (K.N.), Kyowakai Medical Corporation, Daini Kyoritsu Hospital, Kawanishi, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kota Ouchi
- Department of Medical Oncology (K.O.), Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Shimoi
- Department of Medical Oncology (T.S.), National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Shigeno
- Department of Palliative Nursing (H.H., T.S., M.M.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Takuhiro Yamaguchi
- Division of Biostatistics (S-W.C., M.S., T.Y.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mitsunori Miyashita
- Department of Palliative Nursing (H.H., T.S., M.M.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Morita
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care (M.M., T.M.), Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan; Research Association for Community Health (T.M.), Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Akira Inoue
- Department of Palliative Medicine (K.T., Y.H., T.I., A.I.), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Eriko Satomi
- Department of Palliative Medicine (H.I., S.A., E.S.), National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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Mercadante S, Lo Cascio A, Casuccio A. Mortality rate and palliative sedation in an acute palliative care unit. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2023:spcare-2023-004669. [PMID: 38154922 DOI: 10.1136/spcare-2023-004669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
AIM To assess the mortality rate and the use of palliative sedation (PS) in an advanced long-standing acute palliative care unit (APCU) METHODS: The charts of patients who died and eventually received PS, consecutively admitted to the APCU for 4 years, were reviewed. Patients' characteristics and symptom intensity were recorded at admission, 3 days before death and the day before death (T0, T-3, T-end, respectively). For patients who were administered midazolam for PS, initial and final doses of drugs, as well as duration of PS until death, were recorded. RESULTS One hundred and forty-eight patients died in APCU (8.9%), and 45 of them (30.4%) received PS. Younger patients and those reporting high levels of dyspnoea at T-3 and T-end were more likely to be sedated (p=0.002, p=0.013 and 0.002, respectively). The mean duration of PS was 27.47 hours. Mean initial and final doses of midazolam were 35.45 mg/day (SD 19.7) and 45.57 mg/day (SD 20.6), respectively (p=0.001). CONCLUSION Mortality rate in APCU was very low. As a percentage of the number of deaths, PS rate was similar to that reported in other settings. PS does not seem to accelerate impending death.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessio Lo Cascio
- Pain Relief and Supportive Care, Private Hospital La Maddalena, Palermo, Italy
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Mercadante S, Bruera E. Acute palliative care units: characteristics, activities and outcomes - scoping review. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2023; 13:386-392. [PMID: 36653151 DOI: 10.1136/spcare-2022-004088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Acute palliative care units (APCUs) are lacking in most cancer hospitals and even when palliative care units are present, they are predominantly based on a traditional hospice-like model for patients with short life expectancy. This scoping review examined the papers assessing the activities of APCU. Data from literature regarding APCU characteristics, activities and outcomes have shown important differences among different countries.In comparison with existing data on traditional hospices, APCU provided a whole range of palliative care interventions, from an early treatment of pain and symptoms at time diagnosis and during the oncological treatment, up to the advanced stage of disease when they may favour the transition to the best supportive care or palliative care only, also indicating the best palliative care service that may fits the clinical and social condition of individuals. Large differences in the characteristics of such units, including hospital stay and mortality, have been evidenced, in some cases resembling those of a traditional hospice. It likely that in some countries such units supply the lack of other palliative care services.Further studies on APCUs are needed, even on other outcome processes, to provide a more precise identification among the palliative care settings, which should not interchangeable, but complimentary to offer the full range of activities to be activated according to the different needs of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiano Mercadante
- Main regional center for pain relief and supportive/palliative care, La Maddalena Cancer center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Eduardo Bruera
- Department of supportive care, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas, USA
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Sousa BR, Dias Moreira T, Pires P. Palliative Care in a Specialized Palliative Cancer Care Unit in Portugal: A Complex Reality. Cureus 2023; 15:e37930. [PMID: 37220447 PMCID: PMC10200128 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.37930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The goal of palliative care (PC) is to improve the quality of life of patients and their families through the involvement of a multidisciplinary team. PC improves symptom control and end-of-life care. Despite the fact that the benefits of PC have long been acknowledged, Portugal's demands are currently unmet. The majority of patients have been identified as having a high level of complexity and are referred for symptom management and end-of-life care. Study aim The study aimed to analyze the sociodemographic, disease and hospitalization characteristics of the patients admitted to a specialized PC unit. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective, single-center study of palliative care patients admitted to a Portuguese oncology institute's acute palliative care unit during a three-month period. Patients' information such as social demographics, clinical data, patient and family member's psychological, social, nutritional and spiritual counseling and knowledge on diagnosis and therapy objectives were collected from physician's records and analyzed using SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows). Results A total of 41 patients were included, with a mean age of 66.4 years. Spouses were the primary caregivers. There was no indication for targeted therapy in any of the patients. Prior to hospitalization, 58.5% did not receive follow-up by PC. The most frequently reported symptoms were pain (75.6%), tiredness (68.3%), anorexia (61%) and emotional distress (58.5%). Patients were referred to counseling for psychological (43.3%), spiritual (19.5%), nutritional (58.5%) and social services (34.1%). During hospitalization, 75% of patients died; out of which, 70.9% were not previously followed up on by the PC team. Conclusion PC patients are complex, with multiple clinical-psychological-social-spiritual issues, and their management in non-PC wards can be challenging. Since the use of a multidisciplinary approach can improve patients' and families' quality of life, it is critical to train, expand and integrate the PC teams into the existing teams, allowing patients a better quality of life until they pass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz R Sousa
- Internal Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, PRT
| | - Teresa Dias Moreira
- Palliative Care, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, Oporto, PRT
| | - Pedro Pires
- Internal Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, PRT
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Mercadante S, Grassi Y, Cascio AL, Restivo V, Casuccio A. Characteristics of Untreated Cancer Patients Admitted to an Acute Supportive/Palliative Care Unit. J Pain Symptom Manage 2023; 65:e677-e682. [PMID: 36709007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGRUND The characteristics of patients who had never received anticancer treatments at admission of an acute supportive palliative care unit (ASPCU) have never been explored. MEASURES From a consecutive sample of 422 advanced cancer patients, 62 patients with no previous anticancer therapy were selected and compared with a random sample of patients who had received anticancer treatments. Age, gender, primary tumor, Karnofsky status, characteristics of admission, the level of education, economic status, awareness of disease, the presence of cachexia, and comorbidities and palliative prognostic score, symptom intensity, opioid drugs used at admission, reasons for admission to APSCU were recorded in both groups. At time of discharge, ESAS and analgesic drugs used were recorded again. Discharge modalities were also recorded. One month after the end of recruitment period (the last patient enrollment), a follow-up was performed by phone contacts with relatives to assess survival at three months after discharge. OUTCOMES Patients without previous anticancer therapy (14.7%) were mainly admitted to ASPCU for a low Karnofsky level and high symptom burden, often waiting for or needing a histological diagnosis to make a decision for the next therapeutic steps. This group of patients were older (P<0.0005), more frequently males (P=0.007), and had more comorbidities (P<0.0005) in comparison with treated patients. Twenty-four per cent of these patients started chemotherapy subsequently. Treatment-naive patients had a higher level of symptom burden, which was less responsive to a comprehensive palliative and more frequently died within three months in comparison with treated patients. DISCUSSION Treatment-naive patients showed a higher level of symptom burden, which was less responsive to a comprehensive palliative treatment. In addition they more frequently died within three months in comparison with treated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiano Mercadante
- Main regional center for Pain relief and palliative care Unit, La Maddalena Cancer Center (S.M., Y.G., A.L.C., V.R.), Palermo, Italy.
| | - Yasmine Grassi
- Main regional center for Pain relief and palliative care Unit, La Maddalena Cancer Center (S.M., Y.G., A.L.C., V.R.), Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessio Lo Cascio
- Main regional center for Pain relief and palliative care Unit, La Maddalena Cancer Center (S.M., Y.G., A.L.C., V.R.), Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Restivo
- Main regional center for Pain relief and palliative care Unit, La Maddalena Cancer Center (S.M., Y.G., A.L.C., V.R.), Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Casuccio
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE) (A.C.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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