Validation of a Supportive and Palliative Care Indicator Tool Among Patients Hospitalized Due to Heart Failure.

Background: Palliative care, including symptom alleviation and advance-care planning, is relevant for patients with heart failure (HF). The Supportive and Palliative Care Indicator Tool (SPICT) is a tool for identifying patients who may benefit from palliative-care assistance but has not been validated in patients hospitalized due to HF.

Methods And Results: Clinical backgrounds, symptom burdens and outcomes were evaluated using the SPICT as assessed on admission in consecutive hospitalized patients with HF.

Comprehensive symptom assessment using Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale in hospitalized heart failure patients.

Aims: Patients with heart failure (HF) may have variable unrecognized symptom burdens. We sought to investigate the details, determinants, and prognostic significance of symptom burden in hospitalized patients with HF.

Methods And Results: We prospectively evaluated consecutive hospitalized patients with HF as primary diagnosis at our institution using the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) both on admission and at discharge.

Prevalence, Temporal Change, and Determinants of Anxiety and Depression in Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Anxiety and depression may be under-recognized in patients with heart failure (HF). We therefore investigated the prevalence and temporal change of these symptoms in hospitalized patients with HF.

Methods And Results: We prospectively evaluated consecutive hospitalized patients with HF using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) on admission and at discharge.

[Cell-Free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy for Malignant Intractable Ascites from Colorectal Cancer].

Malignant intractable ascites worsens not only patient symptoms but also their daily activities. It often leads to a patient discontinuing or postponing chemotherapy. In the present study, we introduced cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy(CART)for malignant intractable ascites from colorectal cancer.

[Case of transient paralysis and paresthesia after epidural blood patch].

A 47-year-old woman with postdural puncture headache suffered from transient paralysis and paresthesia immediately after the epidural blood patch. After one and a half hour, these symptoms disappeared spontaneously. We suspect that the spinal cord or spinal nerve root was transiently pressed by the viscous blood mass, because blood sampling maneuver took a few minutes.