Paediatric palliative care in Aotearoa New Zealand-current state and future direction.

This paper seeks to explore the current state of paediatric palliative care in Aotearoa New Zealand. The low priority afforded to paediatric palliative care for more than two decades has had a significant impact on service provision, education and research within this specialty. As a result, provision of specialist paediatric palliative care to children with serious illness and their whānau (family, including extended family) is inequitable and vastly inadequate.

Gabapentin for Pain in Pediatric Palliative Care.

Objective: Gabapentin is commonly used to treat pain in children receiving pediatric palliative care. This study describes the real-world use of gabapentin and the associated benefits and adverse effects/events (AEs).

Methods: A prospective, multicenter cohort of standardized data collection after a clinical decision was made to use gabapentin for managing neuropathic or nociplastic pain in children attended on by a pediatric palliative care service.

International Standards for Pediatric Palliative Care: From IMPaCCT to GO-PPaCS.

Context: Since the publication of the IMPaCCT project in 2007, much effort has been made to develop new approaches to pediatric palliative care (PPC). Fifteen years later, it is time to redefine the standards in PPC.

Objectives: An international group of experts in PPC has revised the standards in PPC through the GO-PPaCS project (Global Overview - PPC Standards).

Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care-Pediatrics: Curriculum Use and Dissemination.

Context: The majority of seriously ill children do not have access to specialist pediatric palliative care (PPC) services nor to clinicians trained in primary PPC. The Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC)-Pediatrics curriculum and dissemination project was created in 2011 in response to this widespread education and training need. Since its implementation, EPEC-Pediatrics has evolved and has been disseminated worldwide.

Audit of Psychosocial and Palliative Care Support for Children Having Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants at the New Zealand National Allogeneic Transplant Centre.

Unlabelled: Psychosocial and palliative care support during stem cell transplants (SCT) is known to improve outcomes.

Aim: evaluate the support provided to children and families at the New Zealand National Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant unit (NATC).

Method: the psychosocial and palliative care support for children who received SCT between December 2012 and April 2018 was audited.

Subcutaneous or intravenous opioid administration by patient-controlled analgesia in cancer pain: a systematic literature review.

Context: Opioids administered by various routes are a mainstay of tumour-related pain management. Subcutaneous or intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with opioids is an appropriate and safe form of treatment for postoperative pain but studies on this form of administration are sparse in the setting of cancer pain despite widespread use.

Objective: To evaluate the published studies on opioids administered by subcutaneous and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for patients with cancer pain.

Palliative Care for Children in Hospital: Essential Roles.

Palliative care for children in pediatric hospitals is a vital part of the network of services supporting children with severe illness. This has been recognized, with a trend over the past decade for an increased number of pediatric palliative care (PPC) services established in pediatric hospitals. The inpatient team is in the unique position of influencing the early identification of children and their families, across the age and diagnostic spectrum, which could benefit from palliative care.

Dyspnea in Children with Life-Threatening and Life-Limiting Complex Chronic Conditions.

Background: Dyspnea is one of the most frequent symptoms in children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) requiring palliative care. Although it is a subject of high importance, there has been little research on dyspnea in critically ill children.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence and causes of dyspnea in children with CCC and to identify the current state of research on the measurements, treatments, and the evaluation of therapeutic interventions.

Characteristics influencing location of death for children with life-limiting illness.

Objective: To determine whether demographic and diagnostic characteristics were associated with location of death in a series of children with life-limiting illnesses.

Design: A population-level case series was carried out by reviewing mortality records. Sociodemographic characteristics, diagnosis and referral to paediatric palliative care (PPC) were analysed for association with location of death.

International multiprofessional course in pediatric palliative care: benefits and challenges.

Background: The "International Paediatric Palliative Care Course" (IPPCC) was held for the second time in Germany. The goals of the course were to impart knowledge and skills, to share experience and network, and to improve multiprofessional work.

Methods: Design, content, and rationale for the course were described.

Pediatric palliative care provision around the world: a systematic review.

Pediatric palliative care is recommended by many organizations. Yet, there is no information available on the progress that has been made in providing this care or the gaps that still exist in provision around the world. We conducted a systematic review to address this gap in knowledge.

Post-marketing safety monitoring of a new group B meningococcal vaccine in New Zealand, 2004-2006.

New Zealand introduced a new outer membrane vesicle vaccine in 2004 to combat an epidemic of group B meningococcal disease. An Independent Safety Monitoring Board oversaw intensive safety monitoring, which included hospital surveillance, health professional reporting (passive and active) and mortality monitoring. With over three million doses administered to individuals aged under 20 years, the monitoring results provide consistent evidence supporting the vaccine's safety.

Vincristine for the treatment of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome: recent New Zealand case experience.

Aims: To present a case series showing efficacious use of vincristine in treating Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS).

Methods: The case notes of four children treated for KMS by the authors with corticosteroids and vincristine were reviewed. Specific attention was paid to the efficacy and adverse effects of each therapeutic agent.

Opioid rotation in children with cancer.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the therapeutic value of opioid rotation in a large pediatric oncology center. The details for opioid prescriptions, over the course of a year, were obtained from the medical records of children with cancer who had a rotation of opioid during their admission. Twenty-two children or 14% of children on opioid therapy underwent 30 opioid rotations.

The symptoms of dying children.

The purpose of this study was to examine the symptom prevalence, characteristics, and distress of children dying in hospital. Symptoms during the last week of life were obtained from the medical records. Symptoms and their characteristics during the last day of life were determined by nurse interview.