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Purpose: To determine if video-based educational intervention compared to the standard verbal guidelines, provided to caregivers on home-based palliative care could enhance the quality of life (QoL) in advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Methods: The study employed a prospective, two-arm parallel-group, randomized controlled trial design. Investigators prepared a real-world demonstrational video of ten minutes duration regarding home-based care for family caregivers, with voice-over in Odia language (Eastern India). The contents of the video addressed the management of common problems in palliative care among HNC patients. This study included 180 participants, 90 patient & caregiver dyads randomized to interventional (video-based education) or control (verbal instruction) groups. Patients' QoL was measured at baseline and 3 weeks follow-up using EORTC QLQ C30. Data were analyzed descriptively, and the Chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, T-test, spearman correlation, and multiple hierarchical regression analyses were employed for statistical analysis, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Seventy participant dyads completed the planned two assessments: baseline and at the end of 3rd week (Intervention = 37; Control = 33). The intervention group showed a significant improvement in the patient's health-related QoL, physical, emotional, and social functioning. Symptom burden reduction was observed for pain, nausea, and fatigue. A significant increase in the change in QoL with the video-based education group (VBE) compared to the verbal instruction (VI) group after adjusting for age, gender, physical functioning, and pain symptomology (adjusted R2 = 0.402) was noted. Conclusion: VBE intervention using smart-phone may offer caregivers a viable means of enhancing self-management while improving patients' QoL within the socio-cultural challenges for home-based palliative care in India. Further research on training caregivers using digital interventions and home-based visits is recommended. Trial registration number: CTRI/2021/06/034473 [Registered on: 30/06/2021]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life-threatening bleeding although uncommon in palliative care is associated with significant distress among patients and family. The current guidelines emphasize the need for identification of a patient with early signs of bleeding and providing assurance and comfort care to patients and family in case of an event. There is very little known about the role of high dose of tranexamic acid, a lysine analog in controlling the bleeding irrespective of the underlying pathophysiology of the bleed. Tranexamic acid is known to competitively block the lysine-binding site of plasminogen and thus inhibit the activation of plasminogen to plasmin and at high-concentration tranexamic acid noncompetitively blocks plasmin, thus inhibiting the dissolution and degradation of fibrin clots by plasmin. Here, we discuss two case studies of patients who presented with massive bleed from the tumor site. With a high dose of continuous intravenous infusion of tranexamic acid, there was a complete arrest of the bleed with a reduction in the requirement for blood transfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with advanced malignancy often experience symptoms of disease and treatment that contribute to distress and diminish their quality of life. Most of these patients present to the emergency department thus raising its importance in providing such care especially at the end of life situation. An approach that is aimed at controlling these symptoms, whether or not undergoing curative therapy, is a key feature of high-quality patient-centered care. This paper explores the potential role of palliative medicine in the emergency room and how early integration with emergency care can help improve the quality of life of patients and thus achieve better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vagal sensory neuropathy or vagal hypersensitivity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic cough. Earlier reports have shown gabapentin to be effective in sensory laryngeal neuropathy and symptom conditions that have a proven neural origin. We present a case report of a patient with chronic refractory cough due to a soft tissue mass in the lung that caused compression of the mediastinal structures. The patient was successfully treated with gabapentin with reduction in the cough intensity, duration, and frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]