ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3214-1188
Current Organisation
University of Nottingham
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 09-2007
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 27-02-2009
Abstract: Breathlessness is common in advanced disease and can have a devastating impact on patients and carers. Research on the management of breathlessness is challenging. There are relatively few studies, and many studies are limited by inadequate power or design. This paper represents a consensus statement of the National Cancer Research Institute Palliative Care Breathlessness Subgroup. The aims of this paper are to facilitate the design of adequately powered multi-centre interventional studies in breathlessness, to suggest a standardised, rational approach to breathlessness research and to aid future ‘between study’ comparisons. Discussion of the physiology of breathlessness is included.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 10-06-2016
DOI: 10.1136/BMJSPCARE-2015-001037
Abstract: Loss of appetite is prevalent in palliative care and distressing for patients and families. Therapies include corticosteroids or progestogens. This study explores the net effect of dexamethasone on anorexia. Prospective data were collected when dexamethasone was started for anorexia as part of routine care. The National Cancer Institute's Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (NCICTCAE) Likert scales assessed severity of anorexia and immediate and short-term harms at 2 time points: baseline and 7 days. This study (41 sites, 8 countries) collected data (July 2013 to July 2014) from 114 patients (mean age 71 (SD 11), 96% with cancer). Median Australian-modified Karnofsky Performance Scale was 50% (range 20-70). Mean baseline NCICTCAE anorexia score was 2.7 (SD 0.6 median 3). 6 patients died by day 7. Of 108 evaluable patients, 74 (68.5% 95% CI 59.0% to 76.7%) reported ≥1 reduction anorexia scores by day 7, of whom 30 were 0. Mean dexamethasone dose on day 7 was 4.1 mg/day (SD 3.4 median 4 range 0-46 mg). 24 patients reported ≥1 harms (32.4% CI 22.6% to 44.1% insomnia n=10, depression n=7, euphoria n=7 and hyperglycaemia n=7). Of 24 patients with no benefit, 10 reported ≥1 harms. This study shows positive and negative effects of 7 days of dexamethasone as an appetite stimulant in patients with advanced life-limiting illnesses. Identifying clinicodemographic characteristics of people most at risk of harms with no benefit is a crucial next step. Longer term follow-up will help to understand longer term and cumulative harms.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPAINSYMMAN.2014.09.018
Abstract: The challenges of palliative care clinical trial recruitment are well documented. The aim of the study was to review tested strategies to improve recruitment to trials of people with a range of conditions who may access palliative care services but are not explicitly stated to be "palliative." This was a systematic review with narrative description. The Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL electronic databases were searched (English January 2002 to February 2014) for quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the effect of recruitment strategies on accrual to clinical trials of people with organ failure and cancer. Titles, abstracts, and retrieved articles were screened by two researchers and categorized by recruitment challenge: 1) patients with reduced cognition, 2) those requiring emergency treatment, and 3) willingness of patients and clinical staff to contribute to trials. Of 549 articles identified, 15 were included. Thirteen reported RCTs and two papers reported three quasi-experimental studies. Five were cluster RCTs of recruiting sites/institutions. One was a randomized cluster, crossover, feasibility study. Seven studies recruited patients with cancer. Others included patients with dementia, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, frail elderly, and bereaved carers. Some interventions improved recruitment: memory aid, contact before arrival, cluster consent, "opt out" consent. Others either reduced recruitment (formal mental capacity assessment) or made no difference (advance research directive a variety of educational, supportive, and advertising interventions). Successful strategies from other disciplines could be considered by palliative care researchers. Tailored, efficient, evidence-based strategies must be developed, acknowledging that strategies with face validity are not necessarily the most effective.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 2018
Abstract: Haloperidol is widely prescribed as an antiemetic in patients receiving palliative care, but there is limited evidence to support and refine its use. To explore the immediate and short-term net clinical effects of haloperidol when treating nausea and/or vomiting in palliative care patients. A prospective, multicenter, consecutive case series. Twenty-two sites, five countries: consultative, ambulatory, and inpatient services. When haloperidol was started in routine care as an antiemetic, data were collected at three time points: baseline 48 hours (benefits) day seven (harms). Clinical effects were assessed using the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE). Data were collected (May 2014-March 2016) from 150 patients: 61% male 86% with cancer mean age 72 (standard deviation 11) years and median Australian-modified Karnofsky Performance Scale 50 (range 10-90). At baseline, nausea was moderate (88 62%) or severe (11 8%) 145 patients reported vomiting, with a baseline NCI CTCAE vomiting score of 1.0. The median (range) dose of haloperidol was 1.5 mg/24 hours (0.5-5 mg/24 hours) given orally or parenterally. Five patients (3%) died before further data collection. At 48 hours, 114 patients (79%) had complete resolution of their nausea and vomiting, with greater benefit seen in the resolution of nausea than vomiting. At day seven, 37 (26%) patients had a total of 62 mild/moderate harms including constipation 25 (40%) dry mouth 13 (21%) and somnolence 12 (19%). Haloperidol as an antiemetic provided rapid net clinical benefit with low-grade, short-term harms.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-02-2012
Publisher: European Respiratory Society (ERS)
Date: 04-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2010
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 09-2005
DOI: 10.1191/0269216305PM1054OA
Abstract: The Research Network of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) performed a survey of 3030 cancer patients from 143 palliative care centres in 21 European countries. The survey addressed pain intensity and the use of non-opioid analgesics, adjuvant analgesics and opioids. Patients were treated with analgesics corresponding to the WHO pain ladder step I (n / 855), step II (n / 509) and step III (n / 1589). The investigators assessed 32% of the patients as having moderate or severe pain. In general there were small differences between pain intensities across different countries. Cancer primary sites and the presence of metastasis had only minor influences on pain intensity. The most frequently used nonopioid analgesics were NSAIDs (26%) and paracetamol (23%). Adjuvant analgesics or coanalgesics used by / 1% of the patients were corticosteroids (39%), tricylic antidepressants (11%), gabapentin (5%), bisphosphonates (4%), clonazepam (2%), carbamazepine (4%) and phenytoin (2%). The use of non-opioid analgesics and co-analgesics varied widely between countries. Opioids administered for mild to moderate pain were codeine (8%), tramadol (8%), dextropropoxyphene (5%) and dihydrocodeine (2%). Morphine was the most frequently used opioid for moderate to severe pain (oral normal release morphine: 21% oral sustained-release morphine: 19% iv or sc morphine: 10%). Other opioids for moderate to severe pain were transdermal fentanyl (14%), oxycodone (4%), methadone (2%), diamorphine (2%) and hydromorphone (1%). We observed large variations in the use of opioids across countries. Finally, we observed that only a minority of the patients who used morphine needed very high doses.
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Andrew Wilcock.