Insufficient pain control for patients with cancer and dementia during terminal cancer stages.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To estimate differences in pain control between patients with cancer and with or without dementia during terminal cancer stages 3 months or 1 month before cancer death.

Patients and methods

We conducted frequency matching cohort for age, sex, and year of death for both groups at a 1:4 ratio. The prescription prevalence, total cumulative dose, and average daily dose of opioids during the terminal cancer stages 3 months and 1 month before cancer death were estimated.

Results

Patients with cancer and dementia were prescribed lower amounts of opioids 3 months before death (57.5% vs. 73.9%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44-0.49) and 1 month before death (54.4% vs. 70.3%, respectively; adjusted OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.47-0.53)

SUBMITTER: Hsu WH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8661160 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature