• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.270-277
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• 2014

Purpose: This is a retrospective study that investigated cancer patients' complaints of moderate or severe pain to analyze pain characteristics, pain relief interventions and their effects. Methods: The participants of this study were 363 patients who were hospitalized in the cancer ward for three to 30 days and scored 4 points or higher on the pain severity assessment. Results: The most frequent region of pain was the abdomen. The most frequent factor that exacerbated pain was movement. The most frequent pain alleviating factor was administration of analgesics. The most frequent pain type was breakthrough pain, and the most frequent non-pharmaceutical intervention for pain control was heat therapy. Among all, analgesics were routinely prescribed for 52.2% of the participants. Morphine sulfate was the most frequently used analgesic while Gabapentin was the most frequently used non-narcotic analgesic. At the time of discharge, 82.5% of the participants marked their pain intensity as 3 points or lower. Conclusion: For cancer patients complaining of moderate or severe pain, it is important to actively control pain from the beginning of admission. Thus, it is necessary to educate not only cancer patients using narcotic analgesic for pain control and their families but nurses about the effects and side-effects of drugs. Moreover, patients and their families need to learn how to assess and record pain at home to collect data that can be referred for future treatment.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.274-280
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• 1999

A variety of mechanism may generate pain resulting from injury to the central and peripheral nervous system. None of these mechanism is disease-specific, and several different pain mechanism may be simultaneously present in anyone patient, independent of diagnosis. Diagnosis of neuropathic pain is often easily made from information gathered on neurologic examination and from patient history. Although treatment of neuropathic pain may be difficult, optimum treatment can be achieved if the neurologist has a complete understanding of therapeutic options, the mainstay of which is pharmacotherapy. Selection of an appropriate rharmacologic agent is by trial and error since individual responses to different agents, doses, and serum levels are highly variable. An adequate trial for each agent tried is key to pharmacologic treatment of neuropathic pain. Tricyclic antidepressants are first-line agents, although other drugs, including anticonvulsants, local anesthetic antiarrhythmics, clonidine, opiates, and certain topical agents, also offer pain relief in some patient populations. The novel antidepressants venlafaxine and nefazodone are potentially useful new drugs that are better tolerated than tricyclic antidepressants. Also Gabapentine seems an interesting and promising drug for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Breakthrough cancer pain is a transient exacerbation of pain that occurs despite relatively well controlled background pain with around-the-clock analgesia. It is highly prevalent in patients with cancer pain, with an overall prevalence of 70~90%. Breakthrough cancer pain has several negative effects on quality of life, including a decrease in functional status and social relationship, and higher incidence of anxiety/depression. It also places a detrimental burden on their families, society, and the healthcare system. According to the pathogenic mechanism, breakthrough cancer pain is classified into two categories: idiopathic (or spontaneous) pain and incident pain. Episodes of breakthrough cancer pain have typical characteristics, including rapid onset (5~10 min), severe intensity, and short duration (30~60 min). However, there are some variations in timing and severity of pain among patients and episodes. Therefore, a thorough assessment of pain episodes is needed and management plan must be individualized to provide optimal treatment. Several immediate-release formulations such as oxycodone, morphine, and hydromorphone are widely used despite relatively slow onset of action. Recent studies have shown that transmucosal fentanyl preparations were effective for faster control of breakthrough pain. We hope to improve management of breakthrough cancer pain with more efficient analgesics in line with currently available evidence.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1993.04a
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• pp.77-77
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• 1993

약물 내성 (tolerance) 및 의존성 (dependence)은 그 약물이 지니고 있는 여러 가지 약리작용과 관련되어 형성된다. 약물의 반복투여 후, 나타나는 작용이 처음의 반응 (response) 보다 감소되어 나타나는 현상 즉, 내성과, 이와는 반대로 약물반복 투여 후 나타나는 작용이 처음의 반응보다 점점 증가하는 역내성 (reverse tolerance 또는 sensitization) 측정에 있어서 약물에 따라 적절한 검색 방법을 설명한다. 의존성에 있어서 약물 섭취 결과 mood가 변하거나 도취감 또는 만족감을 일으키게 되면 그 감각을 재 경험하고 싶다는 욕구가 일어나게 되는 정신적 의존성(psychic dependence)과, 약물을 반복 투여하다가 갑자기 투여를 중단 했을때 여러가지 생리학적인 또는 행동적인 변화가 급격히 증가하여 금단증상을 나타내는 신체적 의존성 (physical dependence) 측정 방법을 제시한다. 내성과 의존성은 근본적으로 다르지만 대부분의 경우 내성이 형성되면 의존성이 형성된다. 여기서는 주로 morphine과 psychostimulants를 투여한 후 나타나는 약리작용에 대한 내성과 opioids (마약성 진통제)의 의존성 평가 방법에 대한 model을 설명하고자 한다 진통성 내성(analgesic tolerance)에 있어서 진통제의 진통력은 진통력 측정 방법(tail pinch, paw-withdrawal, tail flick, tail-withdrawal, hot plate, writhing, etc)에 따라 차이가 있기 때문에 각각의 진통제의 정합한 내성 측정 방법을 결정할 필요가 있다. 역내성 (roversetolerance)은 cocaine, amphetamine, opioids둥의 만성투여에서 일어난다. 이들 역내성을 측정하는 한 방법으로 자발운동을 측정하는데 locomotor activity cage나 tilting cage를 이용한다. 정신적 의존성(psychic dependence)은 약물 섭취 욕구를 이용한 CPP (conditioned place preference)법을 소개한다. 신체적 의존성 (physical dependence)은 opioids를 만성적으로 투여한 후 naloxone으로 precipitation하여 나타난 여러 가지 금단증상을 측정하고 몇몇 평가 model을 제시한다.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2017

Purpose: Adequate control of breakthrough pain is essential for patients with cancer. Managing breakthrough pain mainly depends on understanding the concept of breakthrough pain and the proper usage of rescue medication by physicians. This study aims to assess the attitudes and practice patterns of palliative physicians in managing breakthrough pain for patients in Korea. Methods: This study was based on data from the 2014 breakthrough cancer pain survey conducted by the Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care. One hundred physicians participated in the online survey. Among total 33 self-reported questionnaires, twelve items were selected in this analysis. Results: Rapid onset of action is the main influencing factor in selecting rescue opioids. Oral oxycodone (65%) and parenteral morphine (27%) are commonly used. A few physicians (3%) prefer to use transmucosal fentanyl. The percentage of physicians prescribing oral oxycodone due to its rapid onset of action is just 21.5%, whereas the percentage of physicians using parenteral morphine is 81.5%. Two thirds of respondents (66%) answered that breakthrough pain is not well controlled with rescue medications. Conclusion: There is a gap between the needs of physicians in terms of the perceived difficulties of managing breakthrough cancer pain and their practice patterns selecting rescue medications.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2003

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify the current status of symptom and pain control in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Methods : The study population consisted of 66 cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and the data was collected by chart audit and using questionnaire from 19 clinicians in an university hospital during the period of August 7 to 24, 2001. The degree of symptom, analgesics type, dose, administration route, and pain control method of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy was investigated. The collected data were analyzed by frequency, percent, mean, and SD using SPSS $PC^+$ program. Results : The number of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy was 66, male 35 (53.0%), female was 31 (47.0%). The largest of age group was $61{\sim}69$(34.8%) years old. Most frequent cancer site was stomach 19 case (28.8%), cole-rectal 17 case (25.8%), urinary 11 case (16.7%) in the respective order. The most common stage of cancer was stage 3, 14 case (29.2%). The most frequent duration of diagnosis was under 3 month, 25 (37.9%). The frequent symptom of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy was marasmus ($2.4193{\pm}1.2220$), pain ($1.9333{\pm}1.2194$), sleep disorders ($1.7142{\pm}1.0384$), personality change ($1.5806{\pm}0.8971$) in the respective order. 3) The analgesics used for pai control were narcotic analgesics 66.2% and nonnarcotic analgesics 33.8%. Pain control method were regular basis+as needed 47.4%, as needed 31.6%, regular basis 21.0% in order. Administration route were oral 50.7%, injection 41.8%, patch 7.5% in order. Conclusion : The most frequent symptom of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy were marasmus and pain. The frequent analgesics was narcotic analgesics but 21% of the clinician regularly prescribed analgesics for pain control. Thus this prescription was insufficient for pain control. Administration route that were used more oral or injection than patch. Based on this evidence, it seemed that more active practice and education about evaluation and pain control of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy are needed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.506-516
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• 2018

This study was conducted to identify pain intensity and factors affecting pain intensity in patients with advanced cancer. Data were collected between June 1 and September 30, 2016 using a questionnaire. The sample size was 221 patients with advanced cancer who were admitted to the oncology department or who visited the outpatient of the general hospital. Data were evaluated by descriptive and Pearson's correlation analyses, one way ANOVA, t-tests and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The mean scores of pain intensity of cancer patients were 4.23 (${\pm}1.68$) based on the average daily pain intensity. Factors influencing pain intensity were illness perception (${\beta}=.27$, p<.001), pain opioid analgesics beliefs (${\beta}=.24$, p<.001), education (middle school, ${\beta}=.24$, p=.001), economic status (${\geq_-}400$, ${\beta}=.20$, p=.001), gender (female, ${\beta}=.14$, p=.017), pain management education (${\beta}=-.14$ p=.020) and diagnosis (Pancreatic Ca, ${\beta}=.14$, p=.020). It explained 28%. Overall, the results of this study revealed that illness perception and pain opioid analgesics beliefs were important factors influencing pain intensity, but that the most important influencing factor was illness perception. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop pain management strategies that include not only pain management knowledge and pain opioid analgesics beliefs, but also illness perception.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients in the hospice units. Method : The convenient sample of this study consisted of 58 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university-affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. Result : The results of this study were as follows : 1) The mean age of the participants was approximately 57 years. Regarding diagnosis, stomach cancer showed the highest frequency (24.1%), followed by lung cancer (17.2%) and rectal cancer (13.8%). Regarding motivation for admission to the hospice unit, the majority of the participants indicated pain control (67.2%), followed by spiritual care (39.7%), and symptom relief (27.6%). 2) The mean pain level measured by VAS was 5.13 (${\pm}2.61$). Regarding pain type, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (53.4%), followed by multiple pain (20.7%), intestinal pain (17.3%), and neurogenic (5.2%) and superficial pain (3.4%). 3) Regarding the factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (P<0.01) and the opioid use (P<0.01). Conclusion, In summary, the higher the level of pain the terminally ill cancer patents had the higher the depression level as well as the opioid use. Thus, health care professionals need to continuously provide holistic care for them to die comfortably.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2008

진행된 암환자에서 피로는 70% 이상이 경험하게 되는 흔한 증상이며 삶의 질을 저하시키는 주된 요인이다. 피로에 대한 선별검사는 "피곤하거나 지친감이 있나요?"라는 단순한 질문으로 가능하며 이미 개발된 평가도구를 사용하여 평가할 수 있다. 동반 질환이나 피로의 원인을 알기 위한 병력청취와 검사실 검사가 필요할 수 있으며 결과에 따라 가역적 인자를 치료하는 과정이 우선되어야 한다. 적절한 약물치료를 시행하여 증상을 호전시킬 수 있으며 이중 methylphenidate는 암 연관 피로를 호전시키고 마약성 진통제에 의한 진정에 효과가 입증되었다. 환자의 여명에 따라 부신 피질 호르몬제도 사용할 수 있고, 운동 및 환자의 교육과 영양관리 또한 중요하다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.232-238
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• 1996

The physical dependence potency of DA-5018, a non-narcotic analgesic agent, was tested in mice dosed with 0.5 and 4 mg/kg/day for 2 months and daily increasing doses of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mg/kg over 10 days. Physical dependence was assessed taking natural withdrawal induced morphine-type abstinence (jumping, falling, biting or backward locomotion, rearing etc.) as well as barbiturates-type abstinence (body weight reduction, convulsion, ataxia etc.) into consideration. The results were compared with those after the same daily increasing doses of morphine. DA-5018 did not show evidence of physical dependence liability or abuse potential as measured by morphine-type or barbiturate-type abstinence signs following daily increasing or 2-month repeated administration. On the other hand, daily increasing doses of morphine produced physical dependence and the dependent state disappeared about 6 hours after the start of withdrawal signs. In the single dose suppression test, a single dose of morphine completely suppressed natural withdrawal signs that appeared in morphine-dependent animals. Therefore, these results indicate that DA-5018 does not have abuse potential and physical dependence liability.