Evaluation of Symptoms, Complications and Side Effects of Adding Medications Continuously To Subcutaneous Infusion (Hypodermoclysis) In Home Care Hospice Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Background: Terminal patients are often unable to swallow and need medications to control symptoms. In these cases medications are administered continuously and subcutaneously by a syringe driver. A syringe driver is an expensive and sophisticated equipment to operate. Hypodermoclysis is a useful and easy alternative used in the homecare setting for hydration. Objectives: To assess the level of symptoms control by the administration of morphine, metoclopramide and midazolam by hypodermoclysis versus by a syringe driver. To assess the complications and side effects of infusing these medications continuously by hypodermoclysis versus by a syringe driver. Methods: Patients in the homecare setting who meet the criteria for parentral infusion and suffer: pain, vomit/nausea and/or agitation will be recruited for the study. A double blind crossover methodology will be used. Each patient will serve as both intervention and control, and both patient and medical staff will be blinded to the medication route administration. A research nurse will administer the medications. Crossover will take place 48 hours thereafter. A research assistant will conduct evaluation of symptoms and side effects for a period of 4 days. A sample size of 27 patients will be included in the study (calculated for a significance level of 95% and power of 80%).

Conditions
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Home Infusion Therapy, Infusion Pumps

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: syringe driver


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients in the home care unit that need medication/s continuously subcutaneously with symptoms level of 6 or higher on a visual analogue scale (VAS) for that symptom. Exclusion Criteria: Patients and caregivers that refuse to participate. Every occasion when the infusion period will be less than 48 hours. Every occasion when the patient and/or main care giver are not able to provide reliable information by the judgment of the medical staff person or research worker. Patients that will need other medications subcutaneously that are not included in the study during their study treatment period.
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Device: syringe driver|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| level of symptoms control |  |  | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| complications and side effects |  |  | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Hypodermoclysis, Evaluation of Symptoms