Carlos Eduardo Paiva

Articles with short titles describing the results are cited more often

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate some features of article titles from open access journals and to assess the possible impact of these titles on predicting the number of article views and citations. METHODS: Research articles (n = 423, published in October 2008) from all Public Library of Science (PLoS) journals and from 12 Biomed Central (BMC) journals were evaluated. Publication metrics (views and citations) were analyzed in December 2011. The titles were classified according to their contents, namely methods-describing titles and results-describing titles. The number of title characters, title typology, the use of a question mark, reference to a specific geographical region, and the use of a colon or a hyphen separating different ideas within a sentence were analyzed to identify predictors of views and citations. A logistic regression model was used to identify independent title characteristics that could predict citation rates. RESULTS: Short-titled articles had higher viewing and citation rates than those with longer titles. Titles containing a question mark, containing a reference to a specific geographical region, and that used a colon or a hyphen were associated with a lower number of citations. Articles with results-describing titles were cited more often than those with methods-describing titles. After multivariate analysis, only a low number of characters and title typology remained as predictors of the number of citations. CONCLUSIONS: Some features of article titles can help predict the number of article views and citation counts. Short titles presenting results or conclusions were independently associated with higher citation counts. The findings presented here could be used by authors, reviewers, and editors to maximize the impact of articles in the scientific community.

Minimal clinically important differences in the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale in cancer patients: A prospective, multicenter study

The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) is widely used for symptom assessment in clinical and research settings. A sensitivity‐specificity approach was used to identify the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for improvement and deterioration for each of the 10 ESAS symptoms.

A critical analysis of test-retest reliability in instrument validation studies of cancer patients under palliative care: a systematic review

BackgroundPatient-reported outcome validation needs to achieve validity and reliability standards. Among reliability analysis parameters, test-retest reliability is an important psychometric property. Retested patients must be in a clinically stable condition. This is particularly problematic in palliative care (PC) settings because advanced cancer patients are prone to a faster rate of clinical deterioration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the methods by which multi-symptom and health-related qualities of life (HRQoL) based on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been validated in oncological PC settings with regards to test-retest reliability.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed (1966 to June 2013), EMBASE (1980 to June 2013), PsychInfo (1806 to June 2013), CINAHL (1980 to June 2013), and SCIELO (1998 to June 2013), and specific PRO databases was performed. Studies were included if they described a set of validation studies. Studies were included if they described a set of validation studies for an instrument developed to measure multi-symptom or multidimensional HRQoL in advanced cancer patients under PC. The COSMIN checklist was used to rate the methodological quality of the study designs.ResultsWe identified 89 validation studies from 746 potentially relevant articles. From those 89 articles, 31 measured test-retest reliability and were included in this review. Upon critical analysis of the overall quality of the criteria used to determine the test-retest reliability, 6 (19.4%), 17 (54.8%), and 8 (25.8%) of these articles were rated as good, fair, or poor, respectively, and no article was classified as excellent. Multi-symptom instruments were retested over a shortened interval when compared to the HRQoL instruments (median values 24 hours and 168 hours, respectively; p = 0.001). Validation studies that included objective confirmation of clinical stability in their design yielded better results for the test-retest analysis with regard to both pain and global HRQoL scores (p < 0.05). The quality of the statistical analysis and its description were of great concern.ConclusionTest-retest reliability has been infrequently and poorly evaluated. The confirmation of clinical stability was an important factor in our analysis, and we suggest that special attention be focused on clinical stability when designing a PRO validation study that includes advanced cancer patients under PC.

Early integration of palliative care facilitates the discontinuation of anticancer treatment in women with advanced breast or gynecologic cancers

OBJECTIVES To evaluate some health indicators in women with advanced breast or gynecological cancers (ABGCs) after discontinuation of active cancer treatment in function of the model of care received. METHODS This prospective study included patients who were discontinuing anticancer treatment to be followed up only with palliative care (PC). Patients who had been evaluated at least once in PC were categorized as the integrated care model (ICM); those who had not been consulted by the PC team before, as the traditional care model (TCM). Data were analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression model. RESULTS Among the 87 patients included in the study, 37 (42.5%) had been previously evaluated by the PC team (ICM). Patients who were followed up under an ICM exhibited better QoL (global health, p=0.02; emotional functioning, p=0.03; social functioning, p=0.01; insomnia, p=0.02) and less depression (p=0.01). The communication process had no issues in 73% of cases from the ICM group compared with 42% of cases from the TCM group (p=0.004). Patients who were not previously evaluated in PC received more chemotherapy in the last 6weeks of life compared to those who had already been evaluated (40% versus 5.9%, p=0.001). Early evaluation in PC was one of the independent prognostic factors of overall survival. CONCLUSION When followed up concurrently by a PC and clinical oncology team, patients reported better QoL and less depression, received less chemotherapy within the last 6weeks of life and survived longer than those followed up under a TCM.

A Pilot Study Addressing the Impact of Religious Practice on Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy

The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate whether religious practice can modify quality of life (QoL) in BC patients during chemotherapy. QoL and religion practice questionnaire (RPQ) scores were evaluated in a sample of BC patients in different moments. Before chemotherapy initiation, women with lower physical and social functional scores displayed higher RPQ scores. On the other hand, low RPQ patients worsened some QoL scores over time. Body image acceptance was positively correlated with religious practice and specifically praying activity. This preliminary study suggests the importance of religion in coping with cancer chemotherapy.

Personalized symptom goals and response in patients with advanced cancer

Improving symptoms is a major goal of cancer medicine; however, symptom response is often based on group differences and not individualized. In the current study, the authors examined the personalized symptom goal (PSG) for 10 common symptoms in patients with advanced cancer, and identified the factors associated with PSG response.

The Brazilian Version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) Is a Feasible, Valid and Reliable Instrument for the Measurement of Symptoms in Advanced Cancer Patients

Purposes To develop and validate a Portuguese version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) in Brazilian patients with advanced cancer. Methods The ESAS was translated and then back translated into Portuguese in accordance with international guidelines. The final version was approved by an Expert Committee after pilot testing on 24 advanced cancer patients. Subsequently, we evaluated the time to complete the assessment, the number of unanswered items, internal consistency, convergent validity, and known-group validity in a sample of 249 advanced cancer patients who completed the ESAS along with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). A total of 90 clinically stable patients were retested after 4 to 96 hours (test-retest reliability), and 80 patients answered the ESAS after 21 (±7) days to measure scale responsiveness using an anchor-based method. Results The ESAS was completed in a mean time of only 2.2 minutes. The internal consistency was good (Cronbachs alpha = 0.861), and the removal of single items did not change the overall alpha value. For convergent validity, Spearman’s correlation coefficients between the ESAS symptom scores and the corresponding EORTC QLQ-C30 and ESS symptom scores ranged between 0.520 (95% CI = 0.424–0.605) and 0.814 (95% CI = 0.760–0.856), indicating moderate to strong correlations. Test-retest reliability values were considered adequate, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.758 (95% CI = 0.627–0.843) to 0.939 (95% CI = 0.905–0.960). Conclusions ESAS is a feasible, valid and reliable multi-symptom assessment instrument for use in Brazil.

Acute symptomatic complications among patients with advanced cancer admitted to acute palliative care units: A prospective observational study

Background: Limited information is available on the symptomatic complications that occur in the last days of life. Aim: We documented the frequency, clinical course, and survival for 25 symptomatic complications among patients admitted to acute palliative care units. Design: Prospective longitudinal observational study. Measurements: Their attending physician completed a daily structured assessment of symptomatic complications from admission to discharge or death. Setting/participants: We enrolled consecutive advanced cancer patients admitted to acute palliative care units at MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA, and Barretos Cancer Hospital, Brazil. Results: A total of 352 patients were enrolled (MD Anderson Cancer Center = 151, Barretos Cancer Hospital = 201). Delirium, pneumonia, and bowel obstruction were the most common complications, occurring in 43%, 20%, and 16% of patients on admission, and 70%, 46%, and 35% during the entire acute palliative care unit stay, respectively. Symptomatic improvement for delirium (36/246, 15%), pneumonia (52/161, 32%), and bowel obstruction (41/124, 33%) was low. Survival analysis revealed that delirium (p < 0.001), pneumonia (p = 0.003), peritonitis (p = 0.03), metabolic acidosis (p < 0.001), and upper gastrointestinal bleed (p = 0.03) were associated with worse survival. Greater number of symptomatic complications on admission was also associated with poorer survival (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Symptomatic complications were common in cancer patients admitted to acute palliative care units, often do not resolve completely, and were associated with a poor prognosis despite active medical management.

Impact of a physical activity program on the anxiety, depression, occupational stress and burnout syndrome of nursing professionals

Objective to assess the effects of a workplace physical activity (WPA) program on levels of anxiety, depression, burnout, occupational stress and self-perception of health and work-related quality of life of a nursing team in a palliative care unit. Methods the WPA was conducted five days per week, lasting ten minutes, during three consecutive months. Twenty-one nursing professionals were evaluated before and after the intervention, with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Maslch Burnout Inventory, and the Job Stress Scale. The changes in self-perceived health and work-related quality of life were measured using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results the WPA did not yield significant results on the levels of anxiety, depression, burnout or occupational stress. However, after the intervention, participants reported improved perceptions of bodily pain and feeling of fatigue at work. Conclusion the WPA did not lead to beneficial effects on occupational stress and psychological variables, but it was well accepted by the nursing professionals, who reported improvement in perceptions of health and work-related quality of life.OBJETIVO: evaluar los efectos de un programa de actividad fisica en el lugar de trabajo (AFT) en los niveles de ansiedad, depresion, agotamiento, estres ocupacional y autopercepcion de la salud y la calidad de vida relacionada con el trabajo de un equipo de enfermeria en una unidad de cuidados paliativos. METODOS: el programa AFT se llevo a cabo durante cinco dias a la semana, con una duracion de diez minutos, durante tres meses consecutivos. Veintiun profesionales de enfermeria fueron evaluados antes y despues de la intervencion, con Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, el Inventario Maslch Burnout y la Job Stress Scale. Los cambios en la percepcion de la salud y la calidad de vida relacionada con el trabajo se midieron utilizando un cuestionario semi-estructurado. RESULTADOS: el programa AFT no dio resultados significativos en los niveles de ansiedad, depresion, agotamiento o estres laboral. Sin embargo, despues de la intervencion, los participantes informaron una mejor percepcion del dolor corporal y de la sensacion de fatiga en el trabajo. CONCLUSION: el programa AFT no condujo a efectos beneficiosos sobre el estres laboral y las variables psicologicas, pero fue bien aceptada por los profesionales de enfermeria, quienes reportaron mejoria en la percepcion de la salud y la calidad de vida relacionada con el trabajoOBJECTIVE: to assess the effects of a workplace physical activity (WPA) program on levels of anxiety, depression, burnout, occupational stress and self-perception of health and work-related quality of life of a nursing team in a palliative care unit. METHODS: the WPA was conducted five days per week, lasting ten minutes, during three consecutive months. Twenty-one nursing professionals were evaluated before and after the intervention, with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Maslch Burnout Inventory, and the Job Stress Scale. The changes in self-perceived health and work-related quality of life were measured using a semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS: the WPA did not yield significant results on the levels of anxiety, depression, burnout or occupational stress. However, after the intervention, participants reported improved perceptions of bodily pain and feeling of fatigue at work. CONCLUSION: the WPA did not lead to beneficial effects on occupational stress and psychological variables, but it was well accepted by the nursing professionals, who reported improvement in perceptions of health and work-related quality of life.

“Oh, yeah, I’m getting closer to god”: spirituality and religiousness of family caregivers of cancer patients undergoing palliative care

PurposeWithin the cancer palliative care setting, where both patients and family caregivers (FCs) undergo a transition from the end of curative treatment to palliative therapy, spirituality and religiousness (S/R) may be a strategy to help the patients and FCs better cope with the disease, in addition to exerting a positive impact on symptoms, particularly emotional symptoms. The present study aimed to understand how S/R influence FCs of cancer patients undergoing palliative care.MethodsThis study was an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study. The qualitative approach to the data was based on Bardin’s content analysis technique. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ-32) was used in the description of the results. Thirty FCs of individuals with advanced cancer undergoing palliative care were included.ResultsAnalysis of the FCs’ narratives indicated that the FCs considered that religiousness and faith in God or a Supreme Being provide them with the strength to cope with the suffering associated with the care of relatives with advanced cancer. Many FCs emphasized that talking about God was somehow comforting and made them feel at peace with themselves. Four categories were identified in the FCs’ narratives: (1) increase in faith and closeness to God becomes stronger, (2) rethink life issues, (3) negative interference in the extrinsic religiosity, and (4) quest for religiousness to gain strength or support. A conceptual framework was developed.ConclusionsThe results of the present study indicated that S/R are a coping strategy frequently used by FCs of individuals with advanced cancer. The perceptions of the FCs interviewed in the present study corresponded to the four distinct categories related to spirituality and religiousness.