ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of tailored cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on depression and anxiety symptoms present in Mexican terminal cancer patients. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design was used across individuals. Nine patients participated in the study, each receiving four to six therapy sessions. The effect size of the intervention range (NAP and Tau indexes) in the nine patients indicates that CBT intervention resulted in weak to moderate impact for anxiety and depression symptoms in this population. The overall standardized mean difference is also moderate, with a reduction of 0.54 and 0.76 standard deviations in depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. This study provides initial evidence to support a positive effect from CBT on patients with terminal cancer and with mood disorders when facing their impending death.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/complications , Anxiety/therapy , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Depression/complications , Depression/therapy , Neoplasms/complications , Terminal Care/methods , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Mexico , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/psychology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Continuous palliative sedation (PS) is currently titrated based on clinical observation; however, it is often unclear if patients are still aware of their suffering. The aim of this prospective study is to characterize the level of consciousness in patients undergoing PS using Bispectral Index (BIS) monitoring. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients with refractory symptoms requiring PS. We documented the level of sedation using Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) and BIS at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h during the first day of PS and examined their degree of association. Intravenous midazolam or propofol was titrated according to the sedation level. RESULTS: Twenty patients on PS were recruited and had BIS continuous monitoring. Delirium was the most frequent reason for PS (n = 15, 75%). The median time of sedation was 24.5 h (interquartile range 6-46). The average time to achieve the desired sedation level was 6 h, and dose titration was required in 80% of the cases. At baseline, 14 (70%) patients were considered to be awake according to RSS (i.e., 1-3) and 19 (95%) were awake according to BIS (i.e., >60%). This proportion decreased to 31 and 56% at 4 h, 27% and 53 at 6 h, and 22 and 33% at 24 h. RS and BIS had moderate correlation (rho = -0.58 to -0.65); however, a small proportion of patients were found to be awake by BIS (i.e., ≥60%) despite clinical observation (i.e., RSS 4-6) indicating otherwise. CONCLUSIONS: The BIS is a noninvasive, bedside, real-time continuous monitoring method that may facilitate the objective assessment of level of consciousness and dose titration in patients undergoing PS.
Subject(s)
Cancer Pain/therapy , Conscious Sedation/methods , Electroencephalography/methods , Monitoring, Physiologic/methods , Neoplasms/therapy , Palliative Care/methods , Adult , Aged , Awareness/drug effects , Consciousness/drug effects , Delirium/chemically induced , Female , Humans , Hypnotics and Sedatives/administration & dosage , Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects , Male , Midazolam/administration & dosage , Midazolam/adverse effects , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/pathology , Pilot Projects , Propofol/administration & dosage , Propofol/adverse effects , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Abstract Under the national plan for addressing cancer, prevention and detection play important roles. However, the cost of treatments and late diagnosis represent a significant burden on health services. At the National Cancer Institute, more than half of patients present with tumors in advanced stages, and approximately 10% of patients seen for the first time exhibit terminal-stage malignancies, where there are no feasible cancer treatment options, and the patients are instead admitted to the hospital exclusively for palliative symptomatic management. In 2010, the National Cancer Plan began implementing a model of integrative management of palliative care in oncology that has gradually come to include symptomatic palliative care, involving ambulatory, distant and hospitalized management of patients with cancer, in its final stages and, more recently, in earlier stages.
Resumen En el marco del plan nacional para abordar el cáncer, la prevención y la detección juegan un papel importante. Sin embargo, el costo de tratamientos y diagnóstico tardío representan una carga significativa en los servicios de salud. En el Instituto Nacional del Cáncer, más de la mitad de los pacientes presentan tumores en etapas avanzadas, y aproximadamente10% de los pacientes que acuden a consulta por primera vez presentan malignidades en etapa terminal, donde no hay opciones factibles para de tratamiento del cáncer; en su lugar, los pacientes son admitidos en el hospital exclusivamente para manejo sintomático paliativo. En 2010, el Plan Nacional del Cáncer comenzó a implementar un modelo de gestión integral de los cuidados paliativos en oncología que ha logrado gradualmente incluir cuidados sintomáticos paliativos, incluyendo manejo ambulatorio, distante y hospitalizado de los pacientes con cáncer en fase final y, más recientemente, en las primeras fases.
Subject(s)
Humans , Palliative Care/organization & administration , Cancer Care Facilities/organization & administration , Academies and Institutes/organization & administration , Hospitals, Public/organization & administration , Medical Oncology/organization & administration , Terminal Care/organization & administration , Patient Education as Topic , Retrospective Studies , Delayed Diagnosis , Pain Management , Analgesics/therapeutic use , Mexico , Models, Theoretical , Neoplasms/therapy , Neoplasms/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Introduction: research on life quality of cancer patients allows giving the attention back to the patient and his/her needs. Materials and Methods: FACT-G survey was performed to 77 terminal cancer patients on the Palliative Care and Pain Relief unit from Iquique's General Hospital. Results: physical welfare was evaluated with a 21.22 out of a maximum of 28, social/familiar welfare had a 12.57 over 28, emotional welfare was 16 over 24 and functional welfare had 17.33 over 28. Final score, which represents the sum of the four prior divisions, with a scale from 0 to 108, was 67.62 percent of the maximum score. Conclusions: performance of life quality surveys is feasible for cancer patients, and allows us to make specific interventions on the patient and his/her close ones to improve his/her life quality.
Introducción: los estudios de calidad de vida en pacientes oncológicos permiten devolver la atención al paciente y a sus necesidades. Material y Método: se realiza la encuesta FACT-G (Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment) a 77 pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer terminal pertenecientes al policlínico de cuidados paliativos y alivio del dolor del Hospital Ernesto Torres Galdames de Iquique. Resultados: el bienestar físico fue evaluado con 21,22 sobre un máximo de 28, el bienestar Social/Familiar obtuvo 12,57 de 28; el bienestar emocional obtuvo 16 sobre 24; el bienestar funcional obtuvo 17,33 sobre 28. El Score final, que representa la suma de las cuatro divisiones anteriores, con una escala de 0 a 108, fue de 67, que representa el 62 por ciento del puntaje máximo. Conclusiones: es factible la realización de encuestas de calidad de vida en pacientes con cáncer, las cuales nos permiten realizar intervenciones puntuales sobre el paciente y sus cercanos que mejoren su calidad de vida.