Parenteral Hydration in Dying Patients With Cancer : A National Registry Study
(2024) In Journal of Pain and Symptom Management- Abstract
Context: Clinically assisted hydration during end-of-life care among patients with cancer is controversial; practice varies between clinical settings and countries, and there is a lack of evidence. Objectives: To examine whether breathlessness, respiratory secretion, or confusion correlates with receiving parenteral hydration during end of life, adjusted for sex, age, and place of death. Methods: The Swedish Register of Palliative Care database was used to collect data about the usage of parenteral hydration during the last day of life, and the occurrence of three symptoms during the last week. Adults dying from cancer during 2011–2021 in hospitals, in residential care homes, and within specialized palliative care were included.... (More)
Context: Clinically assisted hydration during end-of-life care among patients with cancer is controversial; practice varies between clinical settings and countries, and there is a lack of evidence. Objectives: To examine whether breathlessness, respiratory secretion, or confusion correlates with receiving parenteral hydration during end of life, adjusted for sex, age, and place of death. Methods: The Swedish Register of Palliative Care database was used to collect data about the usage of parenteral hydration during the last day of life, and the occurrence of three symptoms during the last week. Adults dying from cancer during 2011–2021 in hospitals, in residential care homes, and within specialized palliative care were included. Correlation between parenteral hydration and symptoms was examined using χ2-test and logistic regression. Results: A total of 147,488 patients were included in the study. Parenteral hydration was more often prescribed to younger persons, to men, and in acute hospitals (compared to other settings), p < 0.001 in all three comparisons. Patients with hematological malignancies (20%) and ovarian cancer (16%) were most likely to receive parenteral hydration, while those with brain tumors (6%) were least likely. The presence of all three analyzed symptoms during the last week (breathlessness, respiratory secretion, and confusion) were significantly correlated with having received parenteral hydration during the last day of life (p < 0.001). In the final logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, and place of death, the only symptom with remaining correlation to parenteral hydration was breathlessness (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.50–1.6). Conclusion: There is an association between parenteral hydration and increased breathlessness in patients with cancer. Provision of parenteral hydration is more prevalent in men, younger patients, and those with hematological malignancies or ovarian cancer, and most widespread in acute hospital settings.
(Less)
- author
- Martinsson, Lisa ; Strang, Peter ; Lundström, Staffan and Hedman, Christel LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- end-of-life care, Palliative care, parenteral hydration, symptoms
- in
- Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38342476
- scopus:85186338206
- ISSN
- 0885-3924
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.01.036
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 569f9b65-ea75-4faa-8009-56d9f925ba4f
- date added to LUP
- 2024-03-21 14:55:59
- date last changed
- 2024-04-18 15:21:49
@article{569f9b65-ea75-4faa-8009-56d9f925ba4f,
abstract = {{<p>Context: Clinically assisted hydration during end-of-life care among patients with cancer is controversial; practice varies between clinical settings and countries, and there is a lack of evidence. Objectives: To examine whether breathlessness, respiratory secretion, or confusion correlates with receiving parenteral hydration during end of life, adjusted for sex, age, and place of death. Methods: The Swedish Register of Palliative Care database was used to collect data about the usage of parenteral hydration during the last day of life, and the occurrence of three symptoms during the last week. Adults dying from cancer during 2011–2021 in hospitals, in residential care homes, and within specialized palliative care were included. Correlation between parenteral hydration and symptoms was examined using χ<sup>2</sup>-test and logistic regression. Results: A total of 147,488 patients were included in the study. Parenteral hydration was more often prescribed to younger persons, to men, and in acute hospitals (compared to other settings), p < 0.001 in all three comparisons. Patients with hematological malignancies (20%) and ovarian cancer (16%) were most likely to receive parenteral hydration, while those with brain tumors (6%) were least likely. The presence of all three analyzed symptoms during the last week (breathlessness, respiratory secretion, and confusion) were significantly correlated with having received parenteral hydration during the last day of life (p < 0.001). In the final logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, and place of death, the only symptom with remaining correlation to parenteral hydration was breathlessness (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.50–1.6). Conclusion: There is an association between parenteral hydration and increased breathlessness in patients with cancer. Provision of parenteral hydration is more prevalent in men, younger patients, and those with hematological malignancies or ovarian cancer, and most widespread in acute hospital settings.</p>}},
author = {{Martinsson, Lisa and Strang, Peter and Lundström, Staffan and Hedman, Christel}},
issn = {{0885-3924}},
keywords = {{end-of-life care; Palliative care; parenteral hydration; symptoms}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Pain and Symptom Management}},
title = {{Parenteral Hydration in Dying Patients With Cancer : A National Registry Study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.01.036}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.01.036}},
year = {{2024}},
}