Toma de decisiones para la adecuación del esfuerzo terapéutico al final de la vida en pacientes oncológicos del instituto Nacional de Cancerología de Colombia

Propósito: la adecuación del esfuerzo terapéutico es una decisión clínica basada en la evidencia que pretende evitar la futilidad médica. Se han señalado diferentes factores que pueden influir en esta toma de decisiones los cuales se relacionan con el paciente, el profesional médico que toma de las decisiones, barreras del sistema, cultura y economía, entre otros. El presente estudio pretende identificar aquellos factores que influyen en los médicos especialistas que laboran en la institución referente del cáncer en Colombia, a fin de planear acciones que mejoren el abordaje de la toma de decisiones con respecto a la adecuación del esfuerzo terapéutico en pacientes con cáncer. Metodología: diseño cualitativo basado en 13 entrevistas en profundidad a médicos especialistas del Instituto Nacional de Cancerología de Colombia. Resultados: participaron 3 mujeres y 10 hombres, con un promedio de edad de 36 años, 7 pertenecientes a la especialidad de oncología de adultos, 2 a oncohematología pediátrica, 1 a cuidados intensivos de adultos y 3 a cuidados intensivos pediátricos. Los factores hallados se agruparon en cuatro categorías: 1) conocimiento, 2) aspectos relacionados con la toma de decisiones, 3) quién decide, 4) tipo de decisión que se toma; a su vez, estas categorías se agruparon en temas que hacen alusión a los factores que influyen en la toma de decisiones de los especialistas para adecuar los esfuerzos terapéuticos. Conclusión: la adecuación de los esfuerzos terapéuticos es importante para evitar procedimientos médicos fútiles que prolonguen el sufrimiento. Se evidenciaron algunos factores que influyen en la toma de decisiones de los especialistas: falta de preparación de los profesionales de salud en el tema de toma de decisiones al final de la vida, uso reducido de escalas que permitan mejorar la información del pronóstico y desconocimiento sobre voluntades anticipadas; estos son algunos de aquellos factores que deben fortalecerse para generar acciones que mejoren el abordaje de esta temática.

Purpose: Adjusting therapeutic efforts is an evidence-based clinical decision that aims to avoid medical futility. Varied factors that can influence this decision-making have been pointed out, related to the patient, the medical professional who makes the decisions, system barriers, culture, and the economy, among others. The present study aims to identify those factors that help the specialists working in a cancer referral institution in Colombia to plan actions that improve the approach to decision-making regarding the adequacy of therapeutic efforts in cancer patients. Methodology: This qualitative design is based on 13 in-depth interviews with Colombia's National Cancer Institute specialists. Results: Three women and ten men participated, with an average age of 36 years; seven belonged to the specialty of adult oncology, two to pediatric oncohematology, one to adult intensive care, and three to pediatric intensive care. The factors found were grouped into four categories: 1) knowledge, 2) aspects related to decision-making, 3) the decision-maker, and 4) the type of decision made. These categories were clustered into themes that allude to the factors swaying specialists' decision-making to adjust therapeutic efforts. Conclusion: Adjusting therapeutic actions is vital to avoid futile medical procedures that prolong suffering. Some factors that influence the specialists' decision-making were noted: lack of preparation of health professionals on end-of-life decision-making, reduced use of scales to improve prognostic information, and ignorance about advance directives. These factors must be strengthened to improve the approach to this issue.

Introdução: a adequação do esforço terapêutico é uma decisão clínica baseada em evidências que pretende evitar a futilidade médica. Diferentes fatores que podem influenciar nessa tomada de decisão vêm sendo identificados e estão relacionados com o paciente, com o profissional médico que toma as decisões, com as barreiras do sistema, com a cultura e a economia, entre outros. Objetivo: este estudo pretende identificar aqueles fatores que influenciam os médicos especialistas que trabalham na instituição referente do câncer na Colômbia, a fim de propor ações que melhorem a abordagem da tomada de decisões a respeito da adequação do esforço terapêutico em pacientes com câncer. Metodologia: desenho qualitativo baseado em 13 entrevistas em profundidade com médicos especialistas do Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia da Colômbia. Resultados: participaram 3 mulheres e 10 homens, com média de idade de 36 anos - 7 pertencentes à especialidade de oncologia de adultos; 2, onco-hematologia pediátrica; 1, terapia intensiva de adultos e 3, terapia intensiva pediátrica. Os fatores achados foram agrupados em quatro categorias: 1) conhecimento; 2) aspectos relacionados com a tomada de decisões; 3) quem decide; 4) tipo de decisão tomada. Por sua vez, essas categorias foram agrupadas em temas que fazem alusão aos fatores que influenciam a toma de decisões dos especialistas para adequar os esforços terapêuticos. Conclusões: a adequação dos esforços terapêuticos é importante para evitar procedimentos médicos fúteis que prolonguem o sofrimento. Foram evidenciados alguns fatores que influenciam a tomada de decisões dos especialistas: falta de preparação dos profissionais de saúde no tema, uso reduzido de escalas que permitam melhorar a informação do prognóstico e desconhecimento sobre vontades antecipadas; estes são alguns dos fatores que devem ser fortalecidos para gerar ações que melhorem a abordagem da temática.

Perioperative Management of Painful Phantom Limb Syndrome: A Narrative Review and Clinical Management Proposal.

OBJECTIVE: Painful Phantom Limb Syndrome (PPLS) occurs in 50 to 80% of patients undergoing amputation, having a great impact on quality of life, productivity and psychosocial sphere. The objective of this review is to summarize the pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies, surgical optimization, and provide a multidisciplinary approach aimed at reducing the incidence of chronic pain associated with PPLS in patients undergoing limb amputation. METHODS: A narrative review was carried out using Medline, Pubmed, Proquest, LILACS and Cochrane, searching for articles between 2000 and 2021. Articles describing the epidemiology, pathophysiological considerations, and current treatments were selected after a screening process. RESULTS: A multidisciplinary and multimodal approach is required in PPLS, and should include the use of regional techniques, and adjuvants such as NSAIDs, ketamine, lidocaine and gabapentinoids. In addition, an evaluation and continuous management of risk factors for chronic pain in conjunction with the surgical team is necessary. CONCLUSION: The current literature does not support that a single technique is effective inthe prevention of PPLS. However, adequate acute pain control, rehabilitation and early restoration of the body scheme under a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach have shown benefit in the acute setting.

Intravenous lidocaine in cancer-related neuropathic pain: case series / Lidocaína endovenosa en dolor neuropático relacionado con cáncer: serie de casos

Abstract Introduction Administering systemic lidocaine has been shown to deliver effective analgesia for both cancer-related and non-cancer pain. Adverse effects and toxicity are rare with controlled administration. Objective To report the results obtained after the indication to manage with IV lidocaine infusion to control neuropathic pain fiares in 9 cancer patients. Methodology Observational, descriptive, case series-type study. A search was conducted in the files of the Pain and Palliative Care Service of the National Cancer Institute - Instituto Nacional de Cancerología - in Bogotá. Patients over 18 years old diagnosed with cancer, who experienced high intensity neuropathic pain and with the cognitive ability to rate their pain in a numerical analogue scale (NAS), without any absolute contraindications for the use of IV lidocaine were included; patients were assessed between September 27 and November 21, 2019. Results 9 patients experiencing a pain flare-up which was characterized as neuropathic were registered, of which 89 % had some improvement following the administration of an initial lidocaine bolus. After one hour, 60 % reported over 40% improvement in the initial NAS. After 24 hours all patients had experienced some improvement, with a reduction of 46% in the pain scale as compared to the baseline. Conclusions In this series of cases, the intravenous infusion of lidocaine as an option for the management of neuropathic pain flares seems to reduce pain intensity following the initial bolus administration.

Resumen Introducción Se ha encontrado que la administración de lidocaína sistémica proporciona analgesia efectiva tanto en el dolor relacionado con cáncer como en el dolor no oncológico; se ha evidenciado que los efectos adversos y la toxicidad son raros en administraciones controladas. Objetivo Informar los resultados obtenidos luego de indicar el manejo con infusión de lidocaína endovenosa para control de crisis de dolor neuropático en 9 pacientes con cáncer. Metodología Estudio observacional descriptivo tipo serie de casos. Se realizó una búsqueda en la bitácora del Servicio de Dolor y Cuidados Paliativos del Instituto Nacional de Cancerología de Bogotá. Se incluyeron pacientes mayores de 18 años diagnosticados con cáncer, que cursaban con dolor neuropático de alta intensidad, con la capacidad cognitiva de calificar su dolor en una escala numérica análoga (ENA), sin contraindicaciones absolutas para uso de lidocaína endovenosa y que fueron valorados entre el 27 de septiembre y el 21 de noviembre de 2019. Resultados Se registraron 9 pacientes con crisis de dolor caracterizado como neuropático, de los cuales el 89 % tuvo algún grado de mejoría luego de la administración del bolo inicial de lidocaína. Pasada una hora, en el 60 % se observó una mejoría de más del 40 % de la ENA inicial. A las 24 horas, todos los pacientes experimentaron alguna mejoría, logrando una disminución en la puntuación del dolor según la ENA del 46 % en relación con la inicial. Conclusión En esta serie de casos, la lidocaína en infusión endovenosa se muestra como una opción para el manejo de las crisis de dolor neuropático, pues reduce la intensidad del dolor después del paso del bolo inicial.

Pain Management Strategies in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Narrative Review.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and progressive deterioration of the joints, which generates pain and stiffness. The origin of this pain is multifactorial, with inflammation, secondary osteoarthritis, as well as central and peripheral sensitization playing important roles in the development. Up to 90.4% of RA patients visit a health professional for severe pain, and despite new therapies and sophisticated treatments, there are a limited number of options for analgesic management. We conducted a narrative review using the Medline and Pubmed search engines for articles in English and Spanish between 2000 and 2021, with the keywords "pain," "rheumatoid arthritis," "non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" (NSAIDs), "opioids," "glucocorticoids," "disease modifying antirheumatic drugs" (DMARDs), "neuromodulators," "antidepressants," and "cannabinoids." The articles describing epidemiology, pathophysiological considerations and current treatments were selected after a screening process carried out by the authors. It was found that DMARDs are the fundamental basis of treatment, since the main mechanism of pain in this entity is inflammation. Nonetheless, a significant number of patients continue to have pain despite optimal treatment. The available evidence for pain management in RA is scarce, however, medications such as NSAIDs, topical capsaicin, weak opioids, and treatments such as joint infiltrations or surgical management, play an important role in its management. We believe more research efforts are needed to optimize analgesic treatment recommendations, however, based on the current existing evidence, we propose a stepwise algorithm in order to properly approach these cases.Key PointsRA is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, in which the main symptom is pain.Pain in RA is multifactorial, with inflammation, secondary osteoarthritis, as well as central and peripheral sensitization playing determining roles.DMARDs are the mainstay of RA treatment, although many patients continue to experience pain despite optimal management.Medications such as glucocorticoids, NSAIDs, topical capsaicin, and weak opioids are key elements when achieving analgesia in RA.Other pharmacological groups such as neuromodulators, antidepressants, muscle relaxants and cannabinoids currently do not have enough evidence to be recommended.

Análisis retrospectivo del uso de catéteres peritoneales no tunelizados para el manejo de la ascitis maligna refractaria: serie de casos / Retrospective analysis of the use of indwelling peritoneal catheters in the management of refractory malignant ascites: a case series

Introducción: El manejo de la ascitis maligna es un reto dada la refractariedad a la que generalmente nos enfrentamos. El objetivo de este estudio es mostrar los resultados de una serie de pacientes que fueron tratados por medio de catéter peritoneal permanente. Material y métodos: Revisamos los registros de 20 meses de un centro oncológico de referencia, en búsqueda de los pacientes a quienes se brindó tratamiento con catéteres peritoneales permanentes. Se analizaron las mediciones de la intensidad del dolor antes y después del procedimiento, así como la presencia de infecciones y complicaciones agudas. Se obtuvieron datos como el diagnóstico principal, la edad, el tiempo entre el procedimiento y el fallecimiento del paciente y el tipo de catéter utilizado. Resultados: El 82 % de los pacientes presentaron mejoría en la intensidad del dolor tras el procedimiento, y en ningún caso se presentaron infecciones o complicaciones agudas. El diagnóstico oncológico más frecuente asociado a la ascitis maligna fue cáncer de páncreas, seguido de cáncer de estómago y de colon. La media de edad fue de 47 años. La media de duración con el catéter hasta el deceso fue de 44,6 días. En el 100 % de los casos se utilizó catéter multiusos no tunelizado de 8 o 10 french (Fr). Otras variables no fueron susceptibles de evaluación por falta de datos en los registros. Discusión: El uso de catéteres peritoneales permanentes es una opción terapéutica válida para el manejo de la ascitis maligna refractaria. Los catéteres no tunelizados pueden ser una buena alternativa siempre que se realice un buen seguimiento tras el procedimiento. (AU)

Introduction: The management of malignant ascites is challenging given the refractoriness we generally face. The aim of this study was to show the results of a series of patients who were treated by placing an indwelling peritoneal catheter. Material and methods: We reviewed the records of 20 months at a referral cancer center, looking for patients who were treated with indwelling peritoneal catheters. Pain intensity measurements were analyzed before and after the procedure, as well as the presence of infections and acute complications. Data such as primary diagnosis, age, time between procedure and patient death, and type of catheter used were obtained. Results: In all, 82% of patients showed improvement in pain intensity after the procedure, and in no cases did infections or acute complications develop. The most frequent oncological diagnosis associated with malignant ascites was pancreatic cancer followed by stomach and colon cancer. Average age was 47 years. The average duration with the catheter in place until death was 44.6 days. An 8 or 10 French (Fr) multipurpose catheter was used in 100% of cases. Other variables could not be evaluated due to lack of data in the records. Discussion: The use of indwelling peritoneal catheters is a valid therapeutic option for the management of refractory malignant ascites; non-tunneled catheters may be a good alternative as long as adequate post-procedure follow-up is provided. (AU)