Publications by authors named "Loraine Gillespie"
Article Synopsis
- Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is commonly observed in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (aPC), but there is no standard method for screening it effectively.
- A study involved assessing patients with aPC through various dietary and nutritional tests, aiming to develop and validate a screening tool for PEI.
- Results showed that 64% of patients had PEI, identified by the new screening tool, which was associated with shorter survival rates; the tool proved feasible for clinical use, with high patient satisfaction.*
Background: Cancer patients are often malnourished pre-operatively. The present study aimed to establish whether current screening was appropriate for use in prehabilitation and investigate any association between nutritional risk, functionality and quality of life (QoL).
Methods: This cohort study used routinely collected data from September 2020 to August 2021 from patients in a Prehab4cancer programme.
Objective: An algorithm was designed aiming to provide consistency of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) dosing/titration across healthcare professionals in pancreaticobiliary cancers (PBCs). This prospective observational study aimed to validate this algorithm.
Methods: Consecutive patients with inoperable or postoperative PBC with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) symptoms, not taking PERT, or taking below the algorithm "starting dose," were eligible.
Recent publications regarding nutrition highlight the importance of eating and drinking for patients and their family/carer. This article focuses on the importance of nutrition and early nutritional intervention, giving guidance for nurses when caring for patients with palliative and end-of-life care needs when the focus of nutrition centres around symptom control and quality of life. Clear, sensitive communication, with agreed nutritional goals set with the patient and their family/carer, and regular review and adaptation throughout any 'cancer journey' are paramount in order to minimise anxiety and distress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutritional support is one of the most fundamental aspects of nursing practice. Evidence suggests that many patients are malnourished when admitted to hospital and this is a particular problem for patients with cancer (Whitman, 2000).
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