Strengths and Weaknesses of Cancer Pain Management in Italy: Findings from a Nationwide SIAARTI Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Despite guidelines, a large percentage of cancer patients continue to suffer from ineffectively treated pain. The authors undertook this survey to assess the strengths and weaknesses of cancer pain management in Italy. DESIGN: This was a prospectively administered survey. PARTICIPANTS: The participants were anesthesiologists of the Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI). INTERVENTION: A 58-item questionnaire covered the demographics and features of cancer pain management in the Italian context. RESULTS: The authors received responses from 611 pain therapists of 279 centers. Only 22% of physicians are exclusively pain therapists. Seventy-five percent are specialists in anesthesiology, intensive care, and pain medicine. Most pain centers are hospital or university facilities (78%). The strengths of cancer pain management in Italy are the careful opioid prescriptions, the use of strategies for the treatment of neuropathic pain, patient/healthcare provider partnerships, and breakthrough cancer pain management. Weaknesses to be addressed include poor adherence to guidelines, inadequate attention toward the patient's quality of life, insufficient use of minimally invasive techniques, lack of teamwork approaches, inappropriate timing of pain specialist engagement, and poor telemedicine use. CONCLUSIONS: Despite several strengths, further efforts are needed to improve the care of patients suffering from cancer pain in Italy.

COnsensus on Pediatric Pain in the Emergency Room: the COPPER project, issued by 17 Italian scientific societies.

In the pediatric setting, management of pain in the emergency department - and even in common care - is a challenging exercise, due to the complexity of the pediatric patient, poor specific training of many physicians, and scant resources.A joint effort of several Italian societies involved in pediatrics or in pain management has led to the definition of the PIPER group and the COPPER project. By applying a modified Delphi method, the COPPER project resulted in the definition of 10 fundamental statements. These may represent the basis for improving the correct management of children pain in the emergency department.