An update: institutional quality improvement initiative for pain management for pediatric cancer inpatients, 2007-2010

Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenetics associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids in pediatric cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Advancing appropriate and adequate analgesic pharmacotherapy in pediatric patients with cancer is an area of clinical need. Few studies have been performed to evaluate the selection of an analgesic and appropriate dosing corresponding to analgesic effect among pediatric cancer patients. This review describes information related to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacogenomic (when applicable) considerations for analgesics that are commonly used to manage pain experienced by pediatric patients with cancer. Areas covered: Analgesics commonly used to treat pediatric patients with malignancy patterned after the World Health Organization's 'analgesic ladder' for cancer pain management. Expert opinion: Addressing pain management safely and effectively in pediatric patients with cancer will require advances in both drug development, to increase the armament of analgesics available for children, and our pharmacologic understanding of those analgesics in current use. However, performing the necessary types of studies to develop new analgesics, or gain knowledge of existing therapy, within a population that is relatively small, diverse, and who experience pain originating from a variety of sources, is a tremendous challenge.

Pain assessment and management in paediatric oncology: a cross-sectional audit

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To describe the pain assessment and management practices documented by health professionals within a tertiary-level Children's Cancer Centre and to evaluate how these practices were compared with international recommendations.

BACKGROUND

Children with cancer are vulnerable to pain due to the intensity of antineoplastic therapy. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that current pain management practices provided to paediatric oncology inpatients are of a high quality.

DESIGN

A single-site cross-sectional audit.

METHODS

A 24-hour period of documented pain-related care in randomly selected inpatients of an Australian tertiary-level Children's Cancer Centre was examined. The current pain management practices were audited over a two-month period resulting in 258 episodes of pain-related care being reviewed.

RESULTS

Pain related to medical treatment for cancer was common (n = 146/258, 57%) and persistent. The presence of pain was not consistently recorded by health professionals (n = 75/146, 51%). Pain was mild (n = 26/75, 35%) and opioids were the mainstay of pain management interventions (n = 63/112, 56%). Adjuvants were an important component of pain management (n = 47/112, 42%), and nonpharmacological methods of managing pain were under-represented in this audit (n = 38/146, 26%). According to the Pain Management Index, pain was appropriately managed for the majority of children (n = 65/76, 87%).

CONCLUSIONS

Pain management practices did not fully reflect the recommendations of contemporary paediatric pain management. Due to limitations in the documentation of children's pain, it was difficult to determine the effectiveness of pain management interventions.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study highlights the ongoing problem of pain for children receiving antineoplastic therapy. It is recommended that health professionals routinely screen for the presence of pain during hospitalisation and assess the efficacy of pain-related care.

Quality and safety in pediatric anesthesia

Health care quality and value are leading issues in medicine today for patients, health care professionals, and policy makers. Outcome, safety, and service-the components of quality-have been used to define value when placed in the context of cost. Health care organizations and professionals are faced with the challenge of improving quality while reducing health care related costs to improve value. Measurement of quality is essential for assessing what is effective and what is not when working toward improving quality and value. However, there are few tools currently for assessing quality of care, and clinicians often lack the resources and skills required to conduct quality improvement work. In this article, we provide a brief review of quality improvement as a discipline and describe these efforts within pediatric anesthesiology.

Do implementation strategies increase adherence to pain assessment in hospitals? A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Pain assessment and reassessment is an essential part of the treatment of hospitalised patients and must be integrated in pain management protocols. Yet nurses' adherence to pain assessment recommendations is problematic. We sought to review the comparative evidence for implementation strategies aiming to improve nurses' adherence to pain assessment recommendations in hospitalised patients.

DESIGN

Systematic review using the narrative method.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed (MEDLINE), CINAHL, Cochrane library and hand searching.

REVIEW METHODS

Studies published since 1990, reporting implementation strategies that aimed to improve nurses' adherence to pain assessment recommendations in hospitalised patients were included. According to the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care group (EPOC) classification system, strategies were categorized as directed at: health professionals, organizations, financing, or regulations. Given the heterogeneity in strategies, samples, outcomes and settings, evidence from the studies was synthesized using a narrative approach.

RESULTS

From 743 initial citations, 23 studies were included. They reported a variety of implementation strategies, but only directed at health professionals and/or organizations. In seven studies, a single strategy was applied (e.g. education or feedback). The remaining 16 studies used multifaceted approaches. The effectiveness of the implementation strategies varied. In all studies but one, adherence rates had improved after implementation compared to the before measurement, by 9% up to 49%. These effects were measured at different time points after completion of the implementation, ranging from 2 weeks to 6 months. Half of the reviewed studies reported an adherence rate of 80% or higher after implementation activities; other reported rates ranging from 24 to 80%. In two controlled studies the adherence to pain assessment recommendations increased significantly when feedback was provided compared to no feedback. Sustained effects were reported in three studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on this systematic review we conclude that implementation strategies to improve nurses' adherence to pain assessment recommendations vary but generally address professionals and organizational aspects. Educational and feedback strategies are often used and seem largely effective. Due to the heterogeneity of the implementation strategies it is not possible to recommend one preferred strategy. The level of evidence for strategies to improve pain assessment recommendations is limited however, as well-conducted studies are lacking.