Stability of Symptom Clusters in Patients With Breast Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

Context

Patients with breast cancer who undergo chemotherapy (CTX) experience between 10 and 32 concurrent symptoms. An evaluation of how these symptoms cluster together and how these symptom clusters change over time may provide insights into how to treat these multiple co-occurring symptoms.

Symptom Burden Clusters: A Challenge for Targeted Symptom Management. A Longitudinal Study Examining Symptom Burden Clusters in Breast Cancer

ContextAlthough there has been a growing interest in cancer symptom clusters, less is known about symptom burden clusters.ObjectivesTo explore clusters of burdensome symptoms over time, the impact on health status and quality of life, and coping capacity in patients with breast cancer.MethodsIn this longitudinal study, a sample of 206 patients completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Sense of Coherence scale, at diagnosis of primary or recurrent breast cancer, and at one-, three-, and six-month follow-ups.ResultsThree clusters of burdensome symptoms were identified: emotional symptom burden, gastrointestinal symptom burden, and unwellness symptom burden. Most burdensome were emotional symptoms, with worrying, feeling sad, and feeling nervous as the core or defining symptoms. Over time, additional symptoms escalated the emotional symptom burden. The gastrointestinal symptom burden, with “change in the way food tastes” as a core symptom, was more often associated with chemotherapy. Less stable over time, the unwellness symptom burden could be interpreted as short- and long-term side effects of hormonal therapy. Of these clusters, only the emotional symptom burden cluster significantly diminished health status and quality of life. Patients reporting lower coping capacity experienced higher levels of symptom burden.ConclusionThis study provides insights into symptom burden clusters over time. A challenging approach toward symptom management in clinical oncology is to target the burden of a symptom cluster and to recognize the need for individually designed interventions to ameliorate symptom burden in cancer patients.     

Stability of Symptom Clusters in Patients With Lung Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

Context

Patients with lung cancer who undergo chemotherapy (CTX) experience multiple symptoms. Evaluation of how these symptoms cluster together and how these symptom clusters change over time are salient questions in symptom clusters research.

Identification of Symptom Clusters in Patients With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers

ContextPatients with venous leg ulcers experience multiple symptoms, including pain, depression, and discomfort from lower leg inflammation and wound exudate. Some of these symptoms impair wound healing and decrease quality of life (QOL). The presence of co-occurring symptoms may have a negative effect on these outcomes. The identification of symptom clusters could potentially lead to improvements in symptom management and QOL.ObjectivesTo identify the prevalence and severity of common symptoms and the occurrence of symptom clusters in patients with venous leg ulcers.MethodsFor this secondary analysis, data on sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, venous history, ulcer and lower limb clinical characteristics, symptoms, treatments, healing, and QOL were analyzed from a sample of 318 patients with venous leg ulcers who were recruited from hospital outpatient and community nursing clinics for leg ulcers. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify symptom clusters.ResultsAlmost two-thirds (64%) of the patients experienced four or more concurrent symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were sleep disturbance (80%), pain (74%), and lower limb swelling (67%). Sixty percent of patients reported three or more symptoms at a moderate-to-severe level of intensity (e.g., 78% reported disturbed sleep frequently or always; the mean pain severity score was 49 of 100, SD 26.5). Exploratory factor analysis identified two symptom clusters: pain, depression, sleep disturbance, and fatigue; and swelling, inflammation, exudate, and fatigue.ConclusionTwo symptom clusters were identified in this sample of patients with venous leg ulcers. Further research is needed to verify these symptom clusters and to evaluate their effect on patient outcomes.     

卵巢癌患者的症状群与其生活质量的相关性

目的调查卵巢癌患者的症状群,并探讨症状群与其生活质量的相关性。方法便利抽样法选择2012年5-10月在山东省济南市某三级甲等医院妇科病房接受治疗的卵巢癌患者130例,采用安德森症状评估表(M.D.Anderson symptom inventory,MDASI)和卵巢癌治疗功能评估量表(the functional assessment of cancer therapy scale-ovarian,FACT-O)对其进行调查。结果卵巢癌患者有较高内部一致性的4个症状群分别为情感性症状、躯体性症状、胃肠道症状及治疗不良反应,其Cronbachα系数分别为0.838、0.632、0.715和0.613。患者生活质量评分均值为(96.78±17.13)分,与4个症状群均呈负相关(均P0.01)。其中情感性症状群、躯体性症状群及胃肠道症状群被纳入回归方程。结论卵巢癌患者存在情感性症状、躯体性症状、治疗不良反应及胃肠道症状四个主要症状群,其中情感性症状群、躯体性症状群、胃肠道症状群是生活质量的重要影响因素。因此,医护人员可以进行有针对性的治疗及心理疏导,以提高患者的生活质量。     

Symptom Interactions as Mechanisms Underlying Symptom Pairs and Clusters

PURPOSE: To present a summary of the potential shared or interactive mechanisms underlying an exemplar symptom pair: sleep disturbances and pain. ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT: Understanding of the multidimensional shared and interactive mechanisms underlying symptoms pairs and clusters has the potential to enhance symptom management. METHODS: Reviews of the literature were conducted to search for information on shared or interactive mechanisms underlying sleep disturbances and pain; minimal data were available. Relevant information about individual symptoms was outlined and categorized in areas often used to describe the multidimensional nature of symptoms, including the physiological, psychological, behavioral, and sociocultural domains. This information was examined for relationships and commonalities. CONCLUSIONS: Many potential shared and interactive mechanisms underlying the symptom pair of sleep disturbances and pain were identified. These results indicate the need for further work and theory development in this area. The symptom interactional framework is a beginning conceptual perspective designed to facilitate this work. Implications for interdisciplinary translational research designed to optimize symptom management are discussed.     

癌症患者的症状群调查研究

目的了解癌症患者疾病发展和治疗过程中的相关症状,探讨其症状群种类和数量.方法使用中文版安德森症状评估量表对155例住院癌症患者进行调查,采用探索性因子分析法统计症状群.结果癌症患者发生率高的症状依次是疲乏、口干、睡眠不安.严重程度症状依次为食欲下降、呕吐、疲乏和睡眠不安.Spearman相关分析显示,除气短与食欲下降、呕吐之间相关性无统计学意义(P>0.05)之外,其余各症状之间相关性均具有统计学意义且均存在正相关关系(P<0.05).探索性因子分析得出3个症状群,分别为疾病行为症状群、上消化道症状群、心理症状群.各症状群的Cronbach’sα系数分别为0.69、0.83、0.75.结论癌症患者存在多种症状群,对癌症患者应探索以症状群为基础的干预模式,以求能够产生更好的临床效果,提高癌症患者的生存质量.     

Stability and Impact of Symptom Clusters in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Dialysis

ContextPatients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis experience multiple concurrent symptoms. These symptoms cluster together and have negative impacts on patient outcomes. However, information on changes in symptom clusters over time is limited.ObjectivesThis longitudinal study examined the stability of symptom clusters and their impacts on health-related quality of life and functional status over a period of one year.MethodsEligibility criteria were patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease; had received dialysis consecutively for at least three months; and had given written informed consent. Dialysis Symptom Index, Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36, and Karnofsky Performance Status Scale were used to evaluate the impacts of symptom clusters and outcomes. Exploratory factor analyses and multiple regression analyses were used to determine symptom clusters and their associations with patient outcomes.ResultsAmong the 354 recruited patients, 271 completed the 12-month assessment. Four symptom clusters were identified across the three assessments, namely, uremic, gastrointestinal, skin, and emotional. Within each cluster, the specific symptoms were varied. The uremic symptom cluster accounted for the largest amount of variability. Across the three assessments, a higher uremic cluster factor score was associated with poorer physical well-being, whereas a higher emotional cluster factor score was consistently associated with poorer mental well-being.ConclusionSymptoms in patients on dialysis clustered in relatively stable patterns. The four symptom clusters identified had consistent negative effects on various aspects of patients' well-being. Our findings suggest the need for ongoing symptom assessment and early recognition of symptoms that may contribute to adverse patient outcomes.     

Consensus in Identification and Stability of Symptom Clusters Using Different Symptom Dimensions in Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Undergoing Induction Therapy

Context

An unresolved issue in symptom cluster (SC) research is that the numbers and types of SCs vary based on the multiple dimensions of the experienced symptoms that are used for SC identification.

Comparison of Fatigue,Pain, and Depression in Patients With Advanced Kidney Disease and Cancer—Symptom Burden and Clusters

Context

Although symptom clusters have been studied in the context of cancer, few data exist in chronic and end-stage kidney disease (CKD/ESKD) patients.

鼻咽癌同步放化疗患者症状群的纵向研究

目的 纵向探究鼻咽癌同步放化疗患者在不同诊疗时间症状群种类及变化,为延续性症状管理提供参考。方法 便利选取118例鼻咽癌同步放化疗患者,采用安德森症状评估量表（头部&颈部模块）在放疗2周末（T1）、放疗4周末（T2）、放疗6周末（T3）及放疗结束后1个月（T4）对患者进行评估,采用探索性因子分析法构建症状群。结果 共提取4个症状群,其中疲乏-睡眠-情感症状群、口腔黏膜症状群在T1-T4持续存在,发音-吞咽困难症状群存在于T2-T4,胃肠道症状群仅存在于T2-T3。不同时间点症状群严重程度差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 症状群的动态性不仅体现在严重程度的变化上,还体现在症状群出现时间及内部构成上。医护人员应重视鼻咽癌同步放化疗患者症状群的动态变化,采取更针对性的干预措施。     

Symptom Clusters in Women With Breast Cancer During the First 18 Months of Adjuvant Therapy

ContextWomen with breast cancer treated with aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy experience multiple concurrent symptoms or symptom clusters. Understanding of the symptom experience and identifying symptom clusters before and during AI therapy are important for the development of interventions to improve clinical outcomes.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to identify symptom clusters experienced by women with breast cancer treated with AI therapy from pre–adjuvant therapy up to 18 months of adjuvant therapy using a broad scope of symptoms assessment.MethodsForty-seven symptoms were evaluated in postmenopausal women with breast cancer (N = 354) who received AI therapy or chemotherapy followed by AI therapy. Symptoms were assessed at four semiannual time points with the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist, Patient's Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Profile of Mood States Tension/Anxiety and Fatigue/Inertia subscales. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted at each time point to identify symptom clusters.ResultsFour stable symptom clusters (i.e., musculoskeletal, vasomotor, urinary, sexual) and three relatively stable symptom clusters (i.e., psychological, neurocognitive, weight) were identified across the 18-month follow-up period. The gastrointestinal symptom cluster only appeared at after six months of adjuvant therapy (postchemotherapy).ConclusionThis study helps us to better understand the most common symptom clusters over the first 18 months of adjuvant therapy among postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer. It is critical for health care providers to know the symptom clusters commonly experienced by women receiving AI therapy with or without chemotherapy and manage them properly over time.     

乳腺癌术后患者的症状困扰及其与生活质量的相关性

目的探讨乳腺癌术后患者的症状困扰及其与生活质量的相关性,为进行有针对性的症状管理提供依据。方法于2010年1月至2011年1月以便利抽样法选取哈尔滨医科大学附属第一医院行乳腺癌手术的患者126例,采用症状困扰量表（the symptom distress scale,SDS）、欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织生活质量问卷（ European Organization for Researchand Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-C30）调查乳腺癌患者术后l周内的症状困扰和生活质量,进行多元逐步回归分析和Pearson相关分析。结果乳腺癌术后1周内患者普遍存在症状困扰（97．6％）,困扰程度最高的症状依次为外表的改变、对前景的担忧、手臂活动受限、胸壁紧张感、疼痛频率;年龄、疾病阶段、手术方式是症状困扰的影响因素;症状困扰与生活质量之间呈负相关（r=-0．31,P〈0．01）。结论护理过程中应重视疾病和治疗带给患者的症状困扰,对年轻、中晚期和乳房全切患者应给予更多关注,加强症状管理,进而提高乳腺癌术后患者的生活质量。     

Symptom Burden and Palliative Care Needs Among High-Risk Veterans With Multimorbidity

Context

Palliative care research has focused on patients with disease-specific conditions. However, older patients with multimorbidity may have unmet palliative care needs.