Subject(s)
Naltrexone/analogs & derivatives , Narcotic Antagonists/therapeutic use , Pruritus/drug therapy , Pruritus/etiology , Aged , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications , Fatal Outcome , Female , Gallbladder Neoplasms/complications , Hepatitis C/complications , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Liver Neoplasms/complications , Male , Middle Aged , Naltrexone/therapeutic use , Pain Measurement , Quaternary Ammonium Compounds/therapeutic use , Terminal CareABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Perinatal palliative care is an area of increasing focus among clinicians supporting newborns and their families. Although not every newborn will survive the neonatal period, assuring their comfort and quality of life remains an imperative for their care providers. It can be challenging to administer medications such as opioids in a minimally invasive yet effective manner. OBJECTIVES: To describe the experience using intranasal (IN) fentanyl in the management of distress in a case series of 11 dying neonates. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was undertaken of 58 consecutive referrals of newborns and infants aged six months or younger between November 2006 and July 2010 to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Pediatric Palliative Care Service to determine how often IN fentanyl was used and review documented responses after the medication. RESULTS: Of 58 referrals, IN fentanyl was used in 11 patients, in all cases for concerns regarding respiratory distress. Chart documentation indicated that fentanyl was tolerated well, with no circumstances of drug-related apnea and no occurrences of chest wall rigidity. In most cases, labored breathing and restlessness settled after medication administration. The average time from administration of the last dose of fentanyl until death was 61 minutes. CONCLUSION: We found IN fentanyl, which can be administered in a variety of care settings, to be a minimally invasive means of palliating distress in dying newborns and infants. No adverse events related to its use were noted.
Subject(s)
Fentanyl/administration & dosage , Pain/diagnosis , Pain/drug therapy , Palliative Care/methods , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/diagnosis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/drug therapy , Terminal Care/methods , Administration, Intranasal , Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Male , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/complications , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This retrospective chart review assessed the efficacy, dose, and safety of methotrimeprazine in palliating end-of-life symptoms in children and infants. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 18 hospitalized pediatric patients who were treated with methotrimeprazine in their last two weeks of life. Data collected included age, diagnosis, symptoms, methotrimeprazine dose, route, efficacy, and any documented adverse effects. RESULTS: Patients' ages ranged from 16 days to 17 years. Underlying conditions included malignancies, trauma, and various neurodegenerative and congenital diseases. All patients (n = 18) were treated for symptoms of agitation, delirium, or restlessness. Most patients also experienced respiratory secretions/congestion (n = 15), pain (n = 13), and/ or dyspnea (n = 9). Less common symptoms included nausea/emesis (n = 5) and spasticity (n = 1). Methotrimeprazine dosages ranged from 0.02 mg/kg/dose to 0.5 mg/kg/dose. Routes of administration included intravenous (n = 13), oral/gastrostomy tube (n = 6), or subcutaneous (n = 4). Sedation (n = 6) was the only documented adverse effect, although when agitation was present, this was potentially an intended and perceived-to-be-beneficial effect. CONCLUSION: Methotrimeprazine, an old drug with diverse receptor activity and multiple routes of administration, appears to be an effective tool in treating complicated end-of-life symptoms in children and infants. This study provides a foundation for analysis with prospective and comparative trials, which may further quantify its benefit.
