Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Informal carers and peer support in pulmonary rehabilitation: an underutilized resource?
Purpose of review The aim of this review is to discuss the recent literature relating to the involvement of informal carers and peer support in pulmonary rehabilitation. Recent findings Informal carers and peer support have been identified by both patients and healthcare workers as a crucial component in the care of those with chronic respiratory disease at home. Pulmonary rehabilitation, a cornerstone in the management of patients with breathlessness, is limited in its clinical effectiveness by poor referral, uptake and completion rates. Engagement of informal carers and support from peers may help maximize the utili...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Supportive and palliative care for people with chronic respiratory disease and frailty
Purpose of review Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome associated with increased risk of poor outcomes. It is estimated that at least one in five people with chronic respiratory disease is also living with frailty. In this review, we consider recent advances in how frailty can be recognized, and its associated impact on people with chronic respiratory disease. We then discuss advances in supportive and palliative care for those with both chronic respiratory disease and frailty. Recent findings The interconnectedness of chronic respiratory disease and frailty is being better understood. An increasing number of factor...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Supportive and palliative care of adults with respiratory problems experiencing structural vulnerability from homelessness, prison or other criminal justice system involvement
Purpose of review This review seeks to identify the current prevalence of potentially life-limiting respiratory conditions among those who have experienced homelessness, incarceration or had criminal justice involvement, and current developments in, and barriers to, delivery of supportive and palliative respiratory care to these populations. These structurally vulnerable populations are known to be growing, their health behaviours more risky, and their morbidity and mortality higher, with evidence of accelerated ageing. Recent findings Most studies identified investigated prevalence of respiratory conditions, which we...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Supportive and palliative care for people with respiratory problems and preexisting serious mental illness
Purpose of review People living with serious mental illness are at a higher risk of developing respiratory problems that can lead to increased morbidity and early mortality. This review aimed to identify recent advances in care provision for people with respiratory problems and preexisting serious mental illness to ease symptom burden and reduce the risk of premature mortality. Recent findings Intervention-based studies in this area are scarce. The evidence reviewed originated from observational studies. Concluding comments from the synthesis suggest there are specific needs for proactive screening of respiratory func...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Affective traits, states, and breathlessness
Purpose of review Breathlessness is a prevalent and aversive symptom in various conditions and closely related to affect. Here, we review recent literature from the previous 18 months examining the interactions between affective traits and states with breathlessness. Recent findings Available studies used various qualitative, quantitative, and experimental research designs in diverse samples of patients with breathlessness and in healthy individuals. Most studies clearly demonstrated that nonspecific forms of negative affective personality traits such as anxiety and depression, disease or symptom-specific forms such a...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Morphine for the symptomatic reduction of chronic breathlessness: the case for controlled release
Purpose of review Clinicians who seek to reduce the symptomatic burden of chronic breathlessness by initiating regular low-dose morphine has the choice of immediate or sustained-release formulations – which will be better for this often frail population, and which has the more robust evidence to inform its prescription? Both formulations can be used. Recent findings For chronic breathlessness, three factors consistently favour the use of regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine over immediate-release formulations: (1)Pharmacokinetics in steady state demonstrates lower peak and higher trough concentrations than...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Use of short-acting opioids in the management of breathlessness: an evidence-based review
Purpose of review To provide an evidence-based review on the use of short-acting opioids for management of breathlessness in patients with advanced diseases. Recent findings We identified 28 randomized controlled trials that examined the effect of short-acting opioids on breathlessness under three study settings: as a prophylactic dose given prior to exertion; as a rescue dose for treatment of breathlessness at rest or episodic breathlessness; or as a scheduled medication for overall reduction of breathlessness. These trials varied widely in regard to patient population (opioid naive or tolerant), opioid (formulation,...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Heart, lungs, and muscle interplay in worsening activity-related breathlessness in advanced cardiopulmonary disease
Purpose of review Activity-related breathlessness is a key determinant of poor quality of life in patients with advanced cardiorespiratory disease. Accordingly, palliative care has assumed a prominent role in their care. The severity of breathlessness depends on a complex combination of negative cardiopulmonary interactions and increased afferent stimulation from systemic sources. We review recent data exposing the seeds and consequences of these abnormalities in combined heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recent findings The drive to breathe increases (‘excessive breathing’) secondary...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Editorial: Respiratory problems
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care)
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Magnus Ekström and Morag Farquhar Source Type: research

Editorial introductions
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care)
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 13, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: EDITORIAL INTRODUCTIONS Source Type: research

From cachexia to obesity: the role of host metabolism in cancer immunotherapy: Erratum
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care)
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 5, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: ERRATUM Source Type: research

New therapeutic strategies for combatting gastrointestinal toxicity
Purpose of review An overwhelming majority of chemotherapy agents are known to cause gastrointestinal mucositis, an unwanted side effect of cancer treatment, for which no effective treatment currently exists. The pathological processes underlying the development of gastrointestinal mucositis are many and varied, with multiple pathways thought to be involved in initiation of inflammation and apoptosis. Physiological and or biochemical-based deficiencies, such as vitamin D deficiency and gut microbiome density and population, are also thought to have an impact on mucositis severity. Recent findings Recent studies invest...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 5, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

Innate lymphoid cells in treatment-induced gastrointestinal pathogenesis
Purpose of review Tissue injury often occurs as collateral damage after chemotherapy and radiotherapy and is associated with significant comorbidity and mortality. The arsenal of options to prevent tissue injury other than dose reduction is limited, and treatment is mostly aimed at symptom relief and prevention of complications, such as bacterial translocation and malnourishment. Novel approaches directed at prevention and early repair of damaged tissues are highly anticipated. Recent findings Innate lymphoid cells (ILC) are important in tissue homeostasis and wound healing. Most knowledge of ILC is based on studies i...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 5, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

Pitfalls and novel experimental approaches to optimize microbial interventions for chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal mucositis
Purpose of review There is a growing number of studies implicating gut dysbiosis in mucositis development. However, few studies have shed light on the causal relationship limiting translational potential. Here, we detail the key supportive evidence for microbial involvement, candidate mechanisms by which the microbiome may contribute to mucositis and emerging approaches to model host–microbe interactions with clinical relevance and translational potential. Recent findings Synthesis of existing clinical data demonstrate that modulating the microbiome drastically alters the development and severity of mucositis, provi...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 5, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

Does circadian rhythm influence gastrointestinal toxicity?
Purpose of review The current review outlines the existing research on the impact of circadian rhythm on gastrointestinal toxicity associated with cancer treatment and explores clinical evidence for utilizing circadian-based approaches in addressing gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mucositis, and hepatotoxicity. Recent findings Recent evidence highlights circadian control of gastrointestinal physiology of appetite, digestion, nutrient absorption, and cellular proliferation in the digestive system. In addition, animal models support the mechanistic rationale of using chronotherapy (a type o...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 5, 2020 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research