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Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy in Older Adults: Addressing Common Clinical Questions.
DeFilippis, EM, Nakagawa, S, Maurer, MS, Topkara, VK
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2019;(11):2410-2419
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To review the literature and summarize the evidence for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) use in older adults (aged >75 years), highlighting patient selection, day-to-day life with an LVAD, age-specific complications, and end-of-life considerations. DESIGN Contemporary review of current literature on LVAD therapy in older adults. RESULTS There is a paucity of data on LVAD use and outcomes in adults older than 75 years and even less commonly are such devices implanted in those older than 80 years. Candidates and recipients of this age often have multiple chronic conditions and extracardiac impairments, which can negatively affect their short-term outcomes and daily experience following LVAD implantation. Therefore, selection prior to implant should incorporate end-organ function, nutritional status, measures of frailty, neurocognitive status, and social support, among others, to determine the patient population most likely to benefit from such therapy. CONCLUSION When LVAD therapy is utilized in an older adult, the needs for multidisciplinary team management and expertise in palliative care are essential. More age-specific outcome data are required to help inform providers, patients, and caregivers. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2410-2419, 2019.
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Image-Guided Palliative Interventions.
Requarth, JA
The Surgical clinics of North America. 2019;(5):921-939
Abstract
This article reviews a few surgical palliative care procedures that can be performed by surgeons and interventional radiologists using image-guided techniques. Treatment of recurrent pleural effusions, gastrostomy feeding tube maintenance, percutaneous cholecystostomy, and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) with embolotherapy of bleeding stomal varices is discussed.
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Conservative management for patients with chronic kidney disease refusing dialysis.
Castro, MCM
Jornal brasileiro de nefrologia. 2019;(1):95-102
Abstract
Estimates suggest that 20-30% of the deaths of patients with chronic kidney disease with indication to undergo dialysis occur after refusal to continue dialysis, discontinuation of dialysis or inability to offer dialysis on account of local conditions. Contributing factors include aging, increased comorbidity associated with chronic kidney disease, and socioeconomic status. In several occasions nephrologists will intervene, but at times general practitioners or family physicians are on their own. Knowledge of the main etiologies of chronic kidney disease and the metabolic alterations and symptoms associated to end-stage renal disease is an important element in providing patients with good palliative care. This review aimed to familiarize members of multidisciplinary care teams with the metabolic alterations and symptoms arising from chronic kidney disease treated clinically without the aid of dialysis.
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Enhancing the decision-making process when considering artificial nutrition in advanced dementia care.
De, D, Thomas, C
International journal of palliative nursing. 2019;(5):216-223
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nutritional problems often manifest during late-stage dementia, and some families may request to instigate artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) therapies. In the US, an estimated one-third of nursing home patients with a severe cognitive impairment have artificial feeding tubes inserted. Fear that a relative could experience extreme hunger or thirst if they are not mechanically fed tends to be the main driver behind family's requests to implement artificial or enteral feeding methods. In contrast, artificial hydration is rarely given to older people with dementia in the UK and this practice of non-intervention tends to apply across all healthcare and hospice type environments. AIM: This literature review aims to evaluate the evidence to support the use and non-use of ANH. METHOD A literature review was undertaken to examine the evidence around ANH for patients with dementia to offer support to families or carers contemplating feeding choices. CONCLUSION This paper challenges the implementation of invasive ANH worldwide. It highlights how resorting to ANH does not necessarily lead to improvements in comfort, survival or wound healing. The risk of aspiration does not appear to significantly alter either.
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A hunger for hunger: a review of palliative therapies for cancer-associated anorexia.
Childs, DS, Jatoi, A
Annals of palliative medicine. 2019;(1):50-58
Abstract
Cancer-associated anorexia, or loss of appetite, is prevalent, distressing to patients and their families, and associated with poorer outcomes in patients with advanced cancer. A well-defined therapeutic strategy remains to be defined. We present here a review of appetite loss in cancer patients with a summary of how best to manage this symptom.
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Integration of palliative, supportive, and nutritional care to alleviate eating-related distress among advanced cancer patients with cachexia and their family members.
Amano, K, Baracos, VE, Hopkinson, JB
Critical reviews in oncology/hematology. 2019;:117-123
Abstract
Advanced cancer patients with cachexia and their families can suffer from eating-related distress. This complex entity encompasses patients' struggle to nourish themselves, emotional and social consequences of their inability to maintain food intake, and profound disturbance in family relationships. With evidence-based nutritional care, as well as symptom management to enable food intake, cachexia can be mitigated to some degree. In addition, patients and families require psychosocial support and education to understand and cope with this condition. Only by taking an integrated approach can health care teams alleviate eating-related distress, improve quality of life (QOL), reduce interpersonal conflicts, and alter perceptions of nutritional neglect for patients and families. However, few studies have investigated eating-related distress among patients and families. The aim of this narrative review is to describe what is known about eating-related distress and the roles of integrated palliative, supportive, and nutritional care in improving QOL of patients and families.
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Palliative Management of Gastric and Esophageal Cancer.
Halpern, AL, McCarter, MD
The Surgical clinics of North America. 2019;(3):555-569
Abstract
In patients with advanced esophageal or gastric cancer, it is highly likely that palliation of symptoms will become a focus of treatment. Dysphagia and obstruction are the most common complaints, and many of these patients can be treated with endoscopic interventions to alleviate symptoms. Bleeding, perforation, and nutritional issues are common problems. Attempts at palliation should be guided by thoughtful discussions regarding patients' goals of care. Owing to the high morbidity and mortality in patients with limited life expectancy, a strategy of working from the least invasive to the most invasive interventions should be guided by the patient's goals.
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Supportive therapy in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: Often forgotten but important.
Jin, XF, Spampatti, MP, Spitzweg, C, Auernhammer, CJ
Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders. 2018;(2):145-158
Abstract
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a group of rare and heterogeneous malignancies that can develop in various organs. A significant number of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) is functionally active and presents with symptoms related to the secretion of biologically active substances, leading to the development of distinct clinical syndromes. There are various therapeutic approaches for GEP-NETs, including curative surgery, palliative surgery, local-ablative and loco-regional therapies as well as systemic therapeutic options including peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, cytotoxic therapy, and molecularly targeted therapies. Specific supportive therapy of patients with NETs includes management or prevention of hormone-related clinical syndromes and paraneoplastic states. Supportive therapy plays a key role in NET treatment. Supportive therapy includes debulking surgery and interventional radiologic techniques to reduce tumour bulk or load, as well as systemic medical treatment options to manage or prevent hypersecretion syndromes and treatment-related side effects. Supportive therapies are a type of of comprehensive treatment addressing the patient as a whole person throughout the process of NET treatment. Therefore, supportive therapy also encompasses psychosocial support, expert nursing, nutritional support and management of cancer related pain.
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Challenges in end-of-life dementia care.
Fetherston, AA, Rowley, G, Allan, CL
Evidence-based mental health. 2018;(3):107-111
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Abstract
Dementia is a chronic, progressive disease that is now much more widely recognised and treated. Patients with dementia may require palliative care when they reach the end stage of their illness, or they may have mild-moderate cognitive symptoms comorbid with a life-limiting illness. The variety of presentations necessitates a highly individual approach to care planning, and patients should be encouraged to set their own goals and contribute to advanced care planning where possible. Assessment and management of distressing symptoms at the end of life can be greatly helped by a detailed knowledge of the individuals' prior wishes, interdisciplinary communication and recognition of changes in presentation that may result from new symptoms, for example, onset of pain, nutritional deficits and infection. To navigate complexity at the end of life, open communication that involves patients and families in decisions, and is responsive to their needs is vital and can vastly improve subjective experiences. Complex ethical dilemmas may pervade both the illness of dementia and provision of palliative care; we consider how ethical issues (eg, providing care under restraint) influence complex decisions relating to resuscitation, artificial nutrition and treatment refusal in order to optimise quality of life.
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Stent placement versus surgical palliation for adults with malignant gastric outlet obstruction.
Upchurch, E, Ragusa, M, Cirocchi, R
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2018;(5):CD012506
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Malignant gastric outlet obstruction is the clinical and pathological consequence of cancerous disease causing a mechanical obstruction to gastric emptying. It usually occurs when malignancy is at an advanced stage; therefore, people have a limited life expectancy. It is of paramount importance to restore oral intake to improve quality of life for the person in a manner that has a minimal risk of complications and a short recovery period. OBJECTIVES To assess the benefits and harms of endoscopic stent placement versus surgical palliation for people with symptomatic malignant gastric outlet obstruction. SEARCH METHODS In May 2018 we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase and Ovid CINAHL. We screened reference lists from included studies and review articles. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials comparing stent placement with surgical palliation for people with gastric outlet obstruction secondary to malignant disease. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently extracted study data. We calculated the risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for binary outcomes, mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% CI for continuous outcomes and the hazard ratio (HR) for time-to-event outcomes. We performed meta-analyses where meaningful. We assessed the quality of evidence using GRADE criteria. MAIN RESULTS We identified three randomised controlled trials with 84 participants. Forty-one participants underwent surgical palliation and 43 participants underwent duodenal stent placement. There may have been little or no difference in the technical success of the procedure (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.09; low-quality evidence), or whether the time to resumption of oral intake was quicker for participants who had undergone duodenal stent placement (MD -3.07 days, 95% CI -4.76 to -1.39; low-quality evidence).Due to very low-quality evidence, we were uncertain whether surgical palliation improved all-cause mortality and median survival postintervention.The time to recurrence of obstructive symptoms may have increased slightly following duodenal stenting (RR 5.08, 95% CI 0.96 to 26.74; moderate-quality evidence).Due to very low-quality evidence, we were uncertain whether surgical palliation improved serious and minor adverse events. The heterogeneity for adverse events was moderately high (serious adverse events: Chi² = 1.71; minor adverse events: Chi² = 3.08), reflecting the differences in definitions used and therefore, may have impacted the outcomes. The need for reintervention may have increased following duodenal stenting (RR 4.71, 95% CI 1.36 to 16.30; very low-quality evidence).The length of hospital stay may have been shorter (by approximately 4 to 10 days) following stenting (MD -6.70 days, 95% CI -9.41 to -3.98; moderate-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS The use of duodenal stent placement in malignant gastric outlet obstruction has the benefits of a quicker resumption of oral intake and a reduced inpatient hospital stay; however, this is balanced by an increase in the recurrence of symptoms and the need for further intervention.It is impossible to draw further conclusions on these and the other measured outcomes, primarily due to the low number of eligible studies and small number of participants which resulted in low-quality evidence. It was not possible to analyse the impact on quality of life each intervention had for these participants.