scholarly journals Inpatient Hospice Palliative Care Unit and Palliative Consultation Service Enhance Comprehensive Quality of Life Outcomes in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 8992
Author(s):  
Li-Fang Chang ◽  
Li-Fen Wu ◽  
Chi-Kang Lin ◽  
Ching-Liang Ho ◽  
Yu-Chun Hung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Consultation Service ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Terminally Ill Cancer Patients ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Hospice Palliative Care

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of an inpatient hospice palliative care unit (PCU) and palliative consultation service (PCS) on comprehensive quality of life outcome (CoQoLo) among terminally ill cancer patients. This was a prospective longitudinal study. Terminally ill cancer patients who met the inclusion criteria and received PCU or PCS in a northern Taiwanese medical center were recruited. The CoQoLo Inventory was used to measure CoQoLo level pre- and seven days following hospice care between August 2018 and October 2019. A total of 90 patients completed the study. No significant differences were found in CoQoLo levels between the PCU and PCS groups pre- and seven days following care. However, the CoQoLo level of patients significantly improved seven days following care in both PCU and PCS groups, compared with pre-hospice care. Patients’ age, religious belief, marital status, closeness with family, palliative prognostic index (PPI), and symptom severity were significant concerning CoQoLo levels after adjusting for patients’ baseline characteristics. PCU and PCS showed no difference in CoQoLo levels, but both of them can improve CoQoLo among terminally ill cancer patients. These patients could receive PCU or PCS to achieve a good CoQoLo at the end-of-life stage.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Breakthrough Pain and Its Impact on Quality of Life in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 153473541985909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Gonella ◽  
Riccardo Sperlinga ◽  
Veronica Sciannameo ◽  
Valerio Dimonte ◽  
Sara Campagna
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Breakthrough Pain ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Severe Problem ◽  
Terminally Ill Cancer Patients ◽  
Time To Peak

Purpose. This study aimed to characterize breakthrough pain (BTP) and investigate its impact on quality-of-life (QoL) in terminally-ill cancer patients. Similarities and differences between high and low predictable BTP were also tested. Methods. Secondary analysis of a multicenter longitudinal observational study included 92 patients at their end-of-life. BTP was assessed with a short form of the Italian version of the Alberta Breakthrough Pain Assessment Tool. QoL was assessed with the Palliative Outcome Scale (0-40). Patients were stratified by self-reported BTP predictability into unpredictable BTP (never or rarely able to predict BTP) and predictable BTP (sometimes to always able to predict BTP). Results. In all, 665 BTP episodes were recorded (median 0.86 episodes/day). A median duration of 30 minutes and a median peak intensity score of 7 out of 10 were reported. Time to peak was <10 minutes, 10 to 30 minutes, and ≥30 minutes in 267 (41.1%), 259 (39.9%), and 30 (4.6%) of the episodes, respectively. Onset of relief occurred after a median of 30 minutes. Time to peak ( P < .001) and duration ( P = .046) of BTP was shorter in patients with predictable pain ( n = 31), who usually were younger than those with unpredictable pain ( P = .03). The mean (SD) QoL score was 14.6 (4.6). No difference in QoL between patients with predictable and unpredictable BTP was found ( P = .49). Conclusions. In terminally-ill cancer patients, BTP is a severe problem with a negative impact on QoL and has different characteristics according to its predictability.

Last days: A study of the quality of life of terminally ill cancer patients

1986 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
John N. Morris ◽  
Samy Suissa ◽  
Sylvia Sherwood ◽  
Susan M. Wright ◽  
David Greer
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

scholarly journals The Circadian Rhythm of Breakthrough Pain Episodes in Terminally-ill Cancer Patients

Cancers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Campagna ◽  
Riccardo Sperlinga ◽  
Antonella Milo ◽  
Simona Sannuto ◽  
Fabio Acquafredda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Breakthrough Pain ◽  
Rescue Therapy ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Terminally Ill Cancer Patients ◽  
Cosinor Analysis ◽  
Opioid Administration ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

Opioid therapy must be adjusted to the rhythm of a cancer patient’s pain to ensure adequate symptom control at the end of life (EOL). However, to-date no study has explored the rhythm of breakthrough pain (BTP) episodes in terminally-ill cancer patients. This prospective longitudinal study was aimed at verifying the existence of a circadian rhythm of BTP episodes in terminally-ill cancer patients. Consecutive adult cancer patients at their EOL treated with long-acting major opioids to control background pain (Numeric Rating Scale ≤ 3/10) were recruited from two Italian palliative care services. Using a personal diary, patients recorded the frequency and onset of BTP episodes and the analgesic rescue therapy taken for each episode over a 7-day period. Rhythms identified in BTP episodes were validated by Cosinor analysis. Overall, 101 patients were enrolled; nine died during the study period. A total of 665 BTP episodes were recorded (average of 7.2 episodes, mean square error 0.8) per patient, with 80.6% of episodes recorded between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. At Cosinor analysis, a circadian rhythm of BTP episodes was observed, with a Midline Estimating Statistics of the Rhythm (MESOR) of 1.5, a double amplitude of 1.8, and an acrophase at 12:30 p.m. (p < 0.001). Oral morphine was the most frequent analgesic rescue therapy employed. In terminally-ill cancer patients, BTP episodes follow a circadian rhythm; thus, tailoring the timing of opioid administration to this rhythm may prevent such episodes. This circadian rhythm of BTP episodes in terminally-ill cancer patients should be confirmed in larger samples.

Psychometric testing of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale–Mandarin version in Taiwanese cancer patients

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Woung-Ru Tang ◽  
Chen-Yi Kao
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Terminally Ill Cancer Patients ◽  
Spiritual Well Being

AbstractObjective:The spiritual well-being of terminally ill cancer patients is an important indicator of the quality of their lives and of the quality of hospice care, but no validated tools are available for assessing this indicator in Taiwan.Method:The present cross-sectional study validated the Spiritual Well-Being Scale–Mandarin version (SWBS–M) by testing its psychometric properties in 243 cancer patients from five teaching hospitals throughout Taiwan. Construct validity was tested by factor analysis and hypothesis testing. Patients' spiritual well-being and quality of life were assessed using the SWBS–M and the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQoL), respectively.Results:Overall, the SWBS–M had an internal consistency/reliability of 0.89. Exploratory factor analysis showed that the SWBS–M had an underlying two-factor structure, explaining 46.94% of the variance. SWBS–M scores correlated moderately with MQoL scores (r = 0.48, p < 0.01). Terminally ill cancer patients' spiritual well-being was inversely related to their average pain level during the previous 24 hours (r = –0.183, p = 0.006). Cancer patients' spiritual well-being also differed significantly with their experience of pain (t = –3.67, p < 0.001); terminally ill cancer patients with pain during the previous 24 hours had a lower sense of spiritual well-being than those without pain.Significance of results:Our findings support a two-factor model for the SWBS–M in terminally ill Taiwanese cancer patients. We recommend testing the psychometric properties of the SWBS–M in different patient populations to verify its factorial structure in other Asian countries.

Does awareness of terminal status influence survival and quality of life in terminally ill cancer patients?

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 2206-2213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seon-Young Kim ◽  
Jae-Min Kim ◽  
Sung-Wan Kim ◽  
Il-Seon Shin ◽  
Kyung-Yeol Bae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Terminally Ill Cancer Patients
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