Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Volume 39, Issue 4 , Pages 644-654 , April 2010

How Much Does It Cost a Specialist Palliative Care Unit to Manage Constipation in Patients Receiving Opioid Therapy?

  • Bee Wee, MB BCh, MRCGP, FRCP, MA Ed, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
    • Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
    • Harris Manchester College, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: Bee Wee, MB BCh, MRCGP, FRCP, MA Ed, PhD, Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LJ, United Kingdom.
    • ,
  • Astrid Adams, MBBS, BSc, Dip Pall Med, MRCP

      Affiliations

    • Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
    • Oxford Deanery, Oxford, United Kingdom
    • ,
  • Kate Thompson, BN, PgD Advanced Nursing, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
    • ,
  • Fran Percival, BPharm(Hons), MA, MRPharmS

      Affiliations

    • pH Associates, Marlow, United Kingdom
    • ,
  • Kate Burslem, BSc(Hons), MSc

      Affiliations

    • Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Taplow, United Kingdom
    • ,
  • Minesh Jobanputra, MB ChB

      Affiliations

    • Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Taplow, United Kingdom

,Accepted 28 September 2009.

References 

  1. Goodman M, Wilkinson S. Constipation management in palliative care: a survey of practices in the United Kingdom. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2005;29:238–244
  2. Sykes NP. The relationship between opioid use and laxative use in terminally ill cancer patients. Palliat Med. 1998;12:375–382
  3. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Control of pain in adults with cancer. Publication No. 106, November 2008. Available from http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/106/index.htmlAccessed February 27, 2010
  4. Clinical Knowledge Summaries (formerly PRODIGY). Palliative cancer care—constipation—management. Available from http://cks.library.nhs.uk/palliative_cancer_care_constipationAccessed September 19, 2008
  5. National Prescribing Centre. MeReC briefing: the use of strong opioids in palliative care. Issue No. 22, June 2003. Available from http://www.npc.co.uk/ebt/merec/pain/otherback/resources/merec_briefing_no22.pdfAccessed February 27, 2010
  6. Fife Palliative Care Guidelines Group. Available from http://www.fifeadtc.scot.nhs.uk/support/Control_of_Constipation_in_Patients_with_Cancer.pdfAccessed September 19, 2008
  7. Cambridge and Huntingdon Palliative Care Group. Fact sheet 12 on palliative care: constipation. Available from http://www.arthurrankhouse.nhs.uk/documents/Factsheets/Factsheet_12.pdf?2006;Accessed September 19, 2008
  8. Fallon MT, Hanks GW. Morphine, constipation and performance status in advanced cancer patients. Palliat Med. 1999;13:159–166
  9. Guest JF, Ruiz FJ, Greener MJ, Trotman IF. Palliative care treatment patterns and associated costs of healthcare resource use for specific advanced cancer patients in the UK. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2006;15:65–73
  10. Curtis L. Unit costs of health and social care. Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent; 2007;Available from http://www.pssru.ac.uk/uc/uc2007contents.htmAccessed September 19, 2008
  11. British National Formulary No. 55. London, UK: British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain; 2008;
  12. Duggan AK. The cost of constipation in morphine patients and the economic possibilities with tramadol. Br J Med Econ. 1995;9:21–29
  13. Frank L, Schmier J, Kleinman L, et al. Time and economic cost of constipation care in nursing homes. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2002;3:215–223
  14. Fallon M, Walsh J. The management of gastrointestinal symptoms. In:  Faull C,  Carter Y,  Woof R editor. Handbook of palliative care. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science; 1998;p. 134–156

 This study was carried out with the financial support of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in the form of payment for pH Associates, an independent research organization, to perform data collection and analysis; and an honorarium to the host organization and research group at Sir Michael Sobell House where this study was undertaken.

PII: S0885-3924(10)00080-1

doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.09.007

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Volume 39, Issue 4 , Pages 644-654 , April 2010

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution