title: Delirium as a contributing factor to "crescendo" pain: three case reports.
abstract: Cancer patients occasionally experience periods of rapidly escalating pain--"crescendo" pain--that may present a challenge in assessment and management. Although these episodes are often associated with progressive neoplasm, any of a variety of other processes may be involved. Delirium is a potentially treatable and frequently unrecognized factor. We present three patients who illustrate this relationship between delirium and a crescendo pattern of cancer pain.
authors.affiliation: Pain Service, Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Breitbart
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Portenoy
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000503:physiopathology; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine