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BMC Palliative Care
Published in: BMC Palliative Care 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Palliative sedation for terminally ill cancer patients in a tertiary cancer center in Shanghai, China

Authors: Xiaoli Gu, Wenwu Cheng, Menglei Chen, Minghui Liu, Zhe Zhang

Published in: BMC Palliative Care | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

There are a number of studies dedicated to characteristics of sedation, but these studies are mostly bound to western country practices. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of patients who suffered from cancer and who had been sedated until their death in Shanghai, China.

Methods

Retrospective medical data of 244 terminally ill cancer patients including 82 sedated patients were collected. Data collected included demographic characteristics, disease-related characteristics and details of the sedation.

Results

In sedated cases, patients and/or caregivers gave the consent to start palliative sedation due to unmanageable symptoms. On average, sedation was performed 24.65(±1.78)hours before death. Agitated delirium and dyspnea were the most frequent indications for palliative sedation. There was no significant difference in survival time from admission till death between sedated and non-sedated patients (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Palliative sedation is effective for reducing terminally ill cancer patients’ suffering without hastening death. Prospective research is needed to determine the optimal conditions for Chinese patients including indications, decision making process, informed consent, cultural and ethical issues, type of sedation and drugs.
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Metadata
Title
Palliative sedation for terminally ill cancer patients in a tertiary cancer center in Shanghai, China
Authors
Xiaoli Gu
Wenwu Cheng
Menglei Chen
Minghui Liu
Zhe Zhang
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Palliative Care / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1472-684X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-015-0002-6

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