Effectiveness of a clinical intervention in improving pain control in outpatients with cancer treated by radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of a multicomponent clinical intervention to reduce pain in outpatients with cancer.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive either a clinical intervention including an information session, the use of a pain diary, and the possibility to contact a physician to adjust the pain medication, or the usual treatment of pain by the staff radiation oncologist. All patients reported their average and worst pain levels at baseline and 2 and 3 weeks after the start of the intervention.


RESULTS
The study groups were similar with respect to their baseline characteristics and pain levels at randomization. After 3 weeks, the average and worst pain experienced by patients randomized to the clinical intervention group was significantly inferior to the average pain experienced by patients in the control group (2.9/10 vs. 4.4/10 and 4.2/10 vs. 5.5/10, respectively). Results showed that the experimental group patients decreased their pain levels more than the control group patients did over time.


CONCLUSIONS
An intervention including patient education, a pain diary, and defining a procedure for therapeutic adjustments can be effective to improve pain relief in outpatients with cancer.
Vallières
Isabelle
I
Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Quebec City, Canada. isabelle.vallieres@mail.chuq.qc.ca
Aubin
Michèle
M
Blondeau
Lucie
L
Simard
Serge
S
Giguère
Anik
A
D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010353:Patient Education as Topic
D000700:Analgesics