Systematic Expansion Of The Clinical Evidence Base In Opioid Prescribing For Refractory Dyspnoea At The End Of Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$414,535.00
Summary
Morphine can relieve breathlessness in the palliative setting. But many important questions remain. What is the best dose, should the dose change over time, do different medications provide the same relief, and how common is dyspnoea in the general population? This three part project will extend our knowledge to answer these questions. Population data will provide critical background to plan best care for future palliative patients distressed by breathlessness.
Does Palliative Chemotherapy Improve Symptoms In Women With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$521,878.00
Summary
This is a study in women who have relapsed ovarian cancer, and who are about to start further chemotherapy. Subjects will answer questions about their quality of life in order to measure any improvement in their symptoms and well being in response to palliative treatment. The study will relate subjects own reporting of improvement with their actual clinical response. The aim of this study is to develop an optimal palliative chemotherapy regime for use in future clinical trials.
Evaluating Novel Methods For Delivering Non-pharmacological Interventions For Dyspnoea In Cancer Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$506,036.00
Summary
Dyspnoea, or breathlessness, can be a common and distressing problem for people with lung cancer. This study aims to test the effectiveness of a patient education program which includes breathing exercises and psychosocial support for helping patients with lung cancer to control their dyspnoea. The education program is novel in that it applies best available evidence about methods for providing information and support for people with cancer to enhance the effectiveness of the intervention. The s ....Dyspnoea, or breathlessness, can be a common and distressing problem for people with lung cancer. This study aims to test the effectiveness of a patient education program which includes breathing exercises and psychosocial support for helping patients with lung cancer to control their dyspnoea. The education program is novel in that it applies best available evidence about methods for providing information and support for people with cancer to enhance the effectiveness of the intervention. The study will test whether the intervention reduces a patients' feelings of breathlessness, improves their ability to function, and minimises their emotional distress. The intervention being evaluated in this study has been developed so that it can be readily incorporated into routine clinical practice. The study will also examine the effectiveness of this intervention over time, to identify which patients may benefit from this approach and at what times the intervention may be of most use. The information gained from this study will provide more specific guidance to practitioners for targeting intervention approaches to each individual patient's needs.Read moreRead less
Randomised Double-blind Controlled Trial Of Oxygen Versus Air To Palliate Intractable End-of-life Dyspnoea When Pa02 >55
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,318.00
Summary
Shortness of breath at the end-of-life is one of the most feared symptoms. Unlike most other symptoms, it worsens as death approaches. Despite the fact that more than 50,000 Australian will die an expected death in the next year, of whom the majority will have breathlessness toward the end-of-life, we know little about how best to treat this symptom. Oxygen is frequently introduced but we have not identified whether it is more effective than medical air, and, if it is more effective, which patie ....Shortness of breath at the end-of-life is one of the most feared symptoms. Unlike most other symptoms, it worsens as death approaches. Despite the fact that more than 50,000 Australian will die an expected death in the next year, of whom the majority will have breathlessness toward the end-of-life, we know little about how best to treat this symptom. Oxygen is frequently introduced but we have not identified whether it is more effective than medical air, and, if it is more effective, which patients would most benefit from it. Because of this lack of evidence, oxygen is only funded in Australia in community settings for people who have severely low oxygen levels in their blood. Palliative oxygen is provided on a compassionate basis at times but this is on an ad hoc basis and does not ensure equitable access for people at the end of life who experience shortness of breath. This multi-centre study will compare oxygen and air, with neither the participant nor caring clinicians knowing which treatment they will receive. After careful explanation, volunteers who agree to participate will be asked to use the oxygen machine for at least 15 hours each day for 7 days and fill out a diary twice each day. Five centres across Australia are planning to enroll 240 participants in this study. Outcomes will include whether the sensation of breathlessness has improved, the overall quality of life while being treated, the ability to perform activities of daily living and any side effects experienced. This study is eagerly awaited by clinicians and health planners not only in Australia but in North America and Europe. This study will provide data in a long-standing international debate about the role of oxygen in people with relatively normal levels of oxygen in their blood who suffer from shortness of breath at the end-of-life.Read moreRead less