View clinical trials related to Terminal Illness.
Filter by:This is an observational study of medical marijuana manufactured and dispensed by Ilera and given as standard treatment for a variety of approved serious medical conditions as defined by individual state law. All patients who are receiving one of the four formulations (Dream, Soothe, Shine and Ease) of medical marijuana will be provided a study flyer and asked to contact the study team via phone or email. Once the study team confirms eligibility, the study team will meet the subject face-to-face most likely at their dispensary (or other mutually agreeable location) and obtain informed consent, and assent when appropriate. Initial baseline demographic information, medical history and medication inventory will be completed. Also, since it is possible that the Investigators will enroll subjects across the region, Investigators anticipate the need to seek consent over the phone for many patients. This will be done via Skype, Go to Meeting, Facetime or similar platforms so that the Investigators can have a face to face interaction with the potential subjects. Regardless of where this discussion takes place (i.e., in person or via the web), all reasonable safeguards to ensure patient privacy will be taken. Patients or their legally authorized representative (LAR) will be given sufficient (i.e., up to several hours/days) to make a decision to participate in this study. Study staff will fax or email the consent form for their signature and no study procedures will begin until the signed consent form is received by the study team. The subjects or their LARs will be instructed on obtaining the blood samples. Blood draws will be completed in the subjects' home after one of their standard doses is taken.
Significant pain is a common condition in dying patients. Continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) of opioids is the cornerstone in treatment of pain in this last phase of life. Although morphine is the most frequent used opioid in this respect, burdensome adverse effects, like delirium and allodynia/hyperalgesia, can occur in dying patients, due to accumulation of morphine metabolites in decreasing renal function. Oxycodone seems preferable in this situation, as central effects of circulating metabolites of oxycodone are negligible. However, studies of sufficient quality investigating the clinical effect of this hypothesis are lacking at the moment. This study investigates whether there is a difference in occurrence of delirium and allodynia/hyperalgesia between oxycodone and morphine. Residents of hospices and somatic or psychogeriatric (PG) wards of nursing homes in the Netherlands, who are eligible for start of CSCI of an opioid for the treatment of pain in the terminal phase of life, are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives CSCI of oxycodone and the other group CSCI of morphine. 117 patients per group are needed. Occurrence of delirium and allodynia/hyperalgesia is assessed three times a week until death of the participant. Quality of dying, as perceived by the patient's relatives, is assessed in an interview with a relative after death.