Impact of early access to a palliative/supportive care intervention on pain management in patients with cancer
Annals of Oncology, 05/09/2012
Bandieri E et al. – Results of multivariate analysis have shown that early access to a palliative/supportive care (ePSC) integrated with primary oncologic care was an independent factor associated with a 31% reduced risk of suffering from severe pain. An ePSC team provides the most effective standard of analgesic therapy for cancer pain.
Methods- A multicentre cross–sectional study in 32 Italian Hospitals has included 1450 patients, receiving analgesic therapy for cancer pain: 602 with access to primary specialist alone (standard care, SC) and 848 with early access to a palliative/supportive care (ePSC) team, concomitant with primary oncology care.
- Statistically significant differences in the analgesic drug administration according to care model have been evident: non–opioids were more frequently used in SC (9.5% versus 2%; P < 0.001), while strong opioids in ePSC group (80% versus 63%; P < 0.001).
- The number of patients with severe pain was lower in ePSC compared with SC group (31% versus 17%; P < 0.001).
- Results of multivariate analysis have shown that ePSC integrated with primary oncologic care (relative risk 0.69; 95% confidence interval 0.48–0.99; P = 0.045) was an independent factor associated with a 31% reduced risk of suffering from severe pain.
