Early Palliative Care in Advanced Oncologic and Non-Oncologic Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review of Literature.

Background: To assess the role of early palliative care in patients with advanced oncologic and non-oncologic chronic diseases.

Methods: A qualitative systematic review of literature was performed. All the randomized phase III trials comparing early, simultaneous palliative care and standard care in patients with advanced oncologic and non-oncologic diseases were considered eligible and included into the analysis.

High opioid dosage rapid detoxification of cancer patient in palliative care with the Raffaeli model.

Background: Chronic opioid administration can induce adverse drug-dependent events and tolerance and/or hyperalgesia development. Opioid rotation is the treatment option in this case; however, it can expose patients to long periods of ineffectiveness and/or development of withdrawal syndrome, overdose, or adverse events. To overcome this issue, a method of rapid detoxification from opioids has been developed.

Qualitative pain classification in hospice and pain therapy unit.

In this study, we investigated patient's meaning attribution to pain in hospice and pain therapy unit, using a qualitative approach: narrative-based medicine. The data presented here were related to patients (n = 17) hospitalized in Rimini Hospice (Italy). These data were compared to those of patients (n = 21) with noncancer pain (control sample).

Death representation of caregivers in hospice.

In this study, we investigated caregiver's death representation in hospice. The results presented here are a further analysis of the data collected in our previous study, concerning the evaluation of the caregiver in hospice. The data analysis of 24 caregivers of patients hospitalized in Rimini Hospice (Italy) underlined that caregivers avoiding death representation of the patient admitted to hospice had fewer protective factors (52.

Ziconotide: A rapid detoxification protocol for the conversion from intrathecal morphine--the Raffaeli Detoxification Model.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and the safety of our rapid detoxificationprotocol in preventing signs and symptoms of withdrawal and pain severity.

Design: Prospective, open-label case series study.

Settings: Public primary care at the Pain and Palliative Care Unit of the Infermi Hospital of Rimini, Italy.

Caregiver evaluation in hospice: application of a semi-structured interview.

In this study we report the results of construction and administration of a semi-structured interview for the evaluation of caregivers in hospice. The results presented here are related to interviews (n = 25) that were administered at Rimini Hospice. According to the interview coding system, it was possible to identify thematic areas of the interviews where the caregiver's distress was mainly concentrated.

Illness awareness in hospice: application of a semi-structured interview.

This study describes the results of a semi-structured interview to assess the illness awareness of cancer patients in Hospice. The results of this study are based on the interviews made in Rimini and Savignano sul Rubicone Hospices (n = 51). Psychologists evaluated illness awareness of the participants interviewed independently from the code system that is provided for the interview.

Illness awareness of patients in hospice: psychological evaluation and perception of family members and medical staff.

Background: Despite the widespread belief that patients should be given full information about their disease and prognosis, they actually they know very little. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the awareness of 100 patients (from the Hospices of Rimini and Savignano-Rubicone) about their diagnoses and prognoses. It is also investigated staff and relatives perceptions of patients' awareness.

Clinical benefit of gemcitabine-cisplatin in advanced non-small cell lung cancer elderly patients.

Background: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy seems to improve the control of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-related symptoms, but assessment of symptomatic gain in these patients is often difficult. This study was designed to test a method for the assessment of clinical benefit in elderly advanced NSCLC patients, after weekly cisplatin-gemcitabine chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Evaluation of clinical benefit was the primary end-point.