The efficacy of prophylactic prochlorperazine injections at the initiation of opioid injections in preventing opioid-induced nausea and vomiting among patients with end-stage cancer

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Avoiding the incompatibility of peripheral parenteral nutrition solution and midazolam injection for intravenous sedation

OBJECTIVES: We have observed white turbidity when a midazolam injection is administered from a lateral tube during the administration of a peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) solution. The aim of the current study was to determine how to avoid compound changes when co-administering a midazolam injection and a PPN solution. METHODS: Midazolam solutions were prepared by diluting a midazolam injection with a 5% glucose intravenous infusion. We examined the formulation of the midazolam injection and a PPN solution at the concentrations used in a clinical setting for changes in appearance, pH, and midazolam content in test tubes and during administration conditions. RESULTS: With a 1/4.8 dilution of midazolam in undiluted solution, clouding occurred. A strong correlation was revealed between the midazolam content as measured through high-performance liquid chromatography and the mixture’s midazolam concentration (R(2)=0.9918). The capture rate of midazolam infused with PPN solution was 91.0% at a 1/6 dilution, whereas it decreased to <90% at a 1/4.8 dilution. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the administration of a midazolam injection solution diluted by ≥6-fold with glucose solution or saline from a side tube during the administration of a PPN solution did not cause changes in composition

Molecular-targeted therapy for advanced anaplastic thyroid cancer combined with nutritional support

Management of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is often difficult because of its aggressive characteristics. Molecular-targeted therapy was recently introduced as an alternative therapeutic strategy for ATC; lenvatinib is a molecular-targeted agent that is currently indicated only in Japan for the treatment of ATC. Here we report the case of an 86-year-old Japanese woman with ATC who was treated with lenvatinib at our hospital and exhibited a remarkable response. Computed tomography showed tumor shrinkage by day 8 and stable disease until day 32. She maintained activities of daily living (ADLs) until shortly before her death. The patient’s resting energy expenditure and body composition were analyzed at the time of admission. Potential toxicity risk of lenvatinib was evaluated based on these data. Enteral nutrition for oral intake was supplied to compensate for her lack of dietary intake and to improve metabolism for the purpose of suppressing lenvatinib toxicity. She also engaged in physical rehabilitation to avoid developing sarcopenia, which is thought to be a risk factor of molecular-targeted therapy toxicity, and to maintain her activity level. We emphasize the importance of a team approach for providing an appropriate treatment regimen to maintain ADLs, which includes nutritional support, physical rehabilitation, and aggressive therapy with lenvatinib

Effect of fat emulsion administration on blood coagulation in terminal lung cancer patients

Objectives: Patients with cancer, especially those with lung cancer, are at high risk of developing thrombosis. Intralipos® infusion 20% is contraindicated for thrombosis, and there is no consensus on whether it can be safely used in cases of advanced cancer. We conducted a retrospective observational study to elucidate the impact of fat emulsion administration on blood coagulation in patients with terminal lung cancer. Methods: The subjects were patients with terminal lung cancer in the Department of Surgery and Palliative Medicine, Fujita Health University Nanakuri Memorial Hospital between January 2016 and December 2019. We compared changes in their blood coagulation profile before hospitalization and one month later. Results: There were a total of 213 patients with lung cancer—139 who were administered fat emulsion and 74 who were not—with no significant differences in baseline characteristics. In the fat emulsion administration group (n=27), the prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), respectively, were 1.17±0.26 (mean±standard deviation) and 30.5±5.0 s at hospitalization and 1.16±0.12 and 31.2±4.2 s one month later with no significant differences. In the non-administration group (n=6), the PT-INR and APTT, respectively, were 1.44±0.43 and 30.6±5.2 s before hospitalization and 1.28±0.18 and 33.0±7.5 s one month later with no significant differences. Conclusions: We did not identify any changes in PT-INR and APTT after fat emulsion administration in patients with terminal lung cancer. There were also no new cases of thrombosis, suggesting that fat emulsions were administered safely in patients with terminal lung cancer