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The technical feasibility of a straightforward and cost-effective extension of the current 100 Gb/s Ethernet 40-km physical medium dependent (PMD) architecture for single-mode fiber to a higher speed of 400 Gb/s is demonstrated by means of simulations. A 16-wavelength configuration, each running at 25 Gb/s in non-return-to-zero modulation format and using plain direct detection is numerically analyzed and optimized. It is shown that error-free performance is achievable when a channel plan slightly shifted from the zero-dispersion wavelength of the transmission fiber and having a channel spacing of 400 GHz is utilized. However, to meet the power budget requirement in a fiber having an attenuation coefficient of 0.50 dB/km, a semiconductor optical pre-amplifier with a small-signal gain of 23 dB and transmitters having a minimum average output power of +2.9 dBm and an extinction ratio of 8 dB have to be employed. Based on the calculated design margins, the use of flexible active devices is suggested for span lengths shorter than 40 km. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this prospective, open-label study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol (TP) in the management of cancer pain. Methods: A 4 weeks' prospective study was carried out in 50 opioid-naive cancer patients with moderate-severe pain. Each patient initially received twice-daily doses of slow-release TP 50 mg. Doses were then managed to maintain adequate relief or dose-limiting toxicity, on the basis of the clinical response. The following parameters were recorded at weekly intervals for 4 weeks: pain and opioid-related adverse effects, quality of life measured with the Spitzer score, TP escalation index percent (TPEI%) and TP escalation index in mg (TPEImg), calculated at the end of the study, pain mechanisms, and PainDETECT at baseline. Results: Of 50 patients, 39 completed the entire study and 11 discontinued the treatment for different reasons. Pain intensity significantly decreased from baseline to all the week intervals (p < 0.0005), and adverse effects did not changed significantly, while quality of life improved. TP escalation indexes were low and no relationship was found with age, gender, and pain mechanisms. Conclusion: Tapentalol started in doses of 100 mg/day was well-tolerated and effective in opioid-naive patients with cancer pain, regardless of the pain mechanism. It can be considered as a flexible drug to be used in patients with moderate-severe pain. Limitations: This was an open-label study for exploratory purposes. Data should be confirmed in controlled studies with a larger number of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the outcomes and the conversion ratio of switching from oxycodone to methadone in advanced cancer patients admitted to an acute palliative care unit.Patients and Methods: A prospective study was carried out on a cohort of consecutive sample of patients receiving oxycodone, who were switched for different reasons mainly because of an inconvenient balance between analgesia and adverse effects. An initial conversion ratio between oxycodone and methadone was 3.3:1. Intensity of pain and symptoms associated with opioid therapy were recorded, and a distress score (DS) was also calculated as a sum of symptom intensity. A successful switching was considered when the intensity of pain and/or DS or the principal symptom requiring switching decreased at least of 33% of the value recorded before switching.Results: Nineteen out of 542 patients admitted to the unit in 1 year underwent a switching from oxycodone to methadone. Almost all substitutions were successful. The prevalent indication for opioid switching was uncontrolled pain and adverse effects (12 patients). No significant changes between the initial conversion ratio and final conversion ratio between the two opioids were found.Conclusion: Switching from oxycodone to methadone is a reliable method to improve the opioid response in advanced cancer patients. A ratio of 3.3 appears to be reliable, even at high doses. Further studies should be performed to confirm these results in other settings and with very high doses of oxycodone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite the favorable effects reported with opioid switching performed in a specialized unit in the short term, data on long-term basis are poor, particularly after discharging patients home or in other settings. Research design and methods: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients who were switched in an acute palliative care unit at a high volume of opioid switching. A consecutive sample of patients who underwent opioid substitution during admission in an acute palliative care unit were assessed for a period of 1 year. Patients were followed-up for 4 weeks after being discharged. Patients were contacted by phone or visited at the outpatient clinic 4 weeks after discharge. Epidemiological data, pain mechanisms, reason for switching, number of opioid substitutions during admission, drugs, doses and routes of administration, opioid treatment at discharge, pain intensity, distress score (DS) calculated as a sum of symptom intensity, were recorded after 2 weeks (T2) and 4 weeks (T4). A total of 76 patients underwent an opioid substitution in the period taken into consideration. Seventeen patients were excluded as they died in the unit or underwent an alternative procedure after unsuccessful opioid trials. A total of 50 patients were consecutively assessed and discharged after performing an opioid switching. The mean age was 63 (±11) years, and 29 were males. Of the 31 patients, 29 patients were switched during admission once and twice or more, respectively. In all, 32 patients had a complete assessment at T2 and T4. In 13 patients the switching was definitive, as they maintained the same drug and the same dose. Other patients required the same changes to opioid therapy, including doses and drugs. Only a minority of patients worsened their pain and/or symptom control in the subsequent assessments after discharge. Conclusions: Opioid switching performed in acute pain relief and palliative care is an effective method of improving the balance between analgesia and adverse effects, even for prolonged periods of time, following discharge to another setting of care. However, for different reasons, some of patients may lose this benefit. Additional studies using different models of care should be performed in order to gather further information about the long-term outcome of opioid switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) in patients receiving methadone therapy are lacking. Whether methadone produces tolerance to other opioids, other opioids should be less effective when administered as a BTcP medication.Aim: The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the efficacy of fentanyl buccal tablets (FBT) for the treatment of BTcP in patients who receive methadone as a background analgesic.Patients and Methods: A prospective study was carried out for a period of 1 year in a consecutive sample of 13 advanced cancer patients admitted to an acute pain relief and palliative care unit-patients who were receiving stable doses of oral methadone for their background analgesia. The dose of FBT was 100 μg for patients who were receiving 12 mg of oral methadone. For higher doses of methadone, proportional doses of FBT were given. For each episode, trained nurses collected changes in pain intensity (on numerical scale 0-10) and emerging problems when called for pain increases considered to be severe in intensity by patients) (T0) and 15 min after FBT administration (T15).Results: The mean age was 58.1 (SD 9.9), and nine patients were males. Sixty-four events were treated with FBT (4.9 ± 3.1 for each patient, on average). Patients were receiving mean doses of oral methadone of 68 mg (range 15-240). In the majority of events, a decrease in pain intensity >33% and >50% was observed (n = 20 and n = 26, respectively), 15 min after the administration of FBT. Data on ten episodes were unavailable. Nine events were unsuccessfully treated. In all the patients, the level of adverse effects after FBT administration was mild and undistinguishable from that associated with basal opioid analgesia.Conclusion: FBT was effective as breakthrough pain medication in patients receiving methadone for their background analgesia, confirming that this group of patients are not inevitably resistant to other opioids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to describe the clinical activity and medical intervention of an acute model of palliative care unit (APC), as well as the reimbursement procedures and economic viability. A sample of 504 patients admitted at an APC in 1 year was surveyed. Indications for admission, pain and symptom intensity, analgesic treatments, procedures, instrumental examinations and modalities of discharge were recorded. For each patient, tariff for reimbursement was calculated according to the existent disease related grouping (DRG) system. The mean age was 62 years, and 246 patients were males. The mean hospital stay was 5.4 days. Pain control was the most frequent indication for admission. All patients had laboratory tests and several instrumental examinations. Almost all patients were prescribed one or more opioids at significant doses, and different routes of administration, as well as medication as needed. 59 patients received blood cell transfusions and 34 interventional procedures. Only 40 patients died in the unit, 11 of them being sedated at the end of life. Treatment efficacy was considered optimal and mild in 264 and 226 patients respectively. A mean of 3019 euros for admission was reimbursed by the Health Care System. APCs are of paramount importance within an oncological department, as they provide effective and intensive treatments during the entire course of disease, providing a simultaneous and integrated approach. Our findings also suggest both a cost and quality incentive for oncological departments to develop APC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Advanced cancer patients with refractory ascites do not often respond to dietary sodium restriction and diuretics. While paracentesis is effective, the condition invariably recurs, necessitating repeated procedures. A continuous peritoneal drainage by an indwelling catheter has been reported to be hugely beneficial symptomatically, avoiding the hazards and disadvantages of multiple repeated procedures and direct and indirect costs.Materials and Methods: Forty patients with advanced cancer patients admitted to an acute pain relief and palliative care unit, who presented symptomatic ascites, were recruited for continuous drainage of peritoneal fluid. A central venous catheter set for Seldinger technique was used. Technical failure was defined as an unsuccessful drainage of fluid through the catheter. Immediate and late complications, including hypotension, haemorrhage, tube blockage, dislodgment and sepsis were recorded. Record of daily drainage during admission were noted. At time of discharge, patients were asked to rate their global symptom burden as improved, unchanged or worsened. The follow-up was performed with frequent phone contacts or day-hospital admission in case of problems.Results: The mean patients' age was 68 years, and 21 were men. Patients were receiving unsuccessfully a mean dose of furosemide of 32 mg/day. The technique was not painful and was easily accepted by patients. Insertion was technically successful in almost all patients. Mean admission time was 5.5 days (range 2-14), and the mean drained volume during admission was 8,499 ml (range 800-20,700), 2,850 ml (300-4,200) being drained on the first 24 h. No immediate complications were recorded. Six patients died during admission. The mean survival was 38.9 days (range 1-120). Of the 34 patients who were discharged home, 22 patients stated that symptom burden had improved, while in 10 patients symptom burden did not change or worsened, probably due to the advanced status of diseases and multiple contributing factors. Five, two, and one patients required skin sutures at 1, 2 and 3 months, respectively. About one third of patients had mechanical problems, some of them requiring a catheter replacement. No infection was recorded.Conclusion: In conclusion, a permanent peritoneal catheter was a valuable method to remove abdominal fluids and reduce symptom burden attributable to ascites and was also easy to use at home. Complication rate was acceptable and balanced by the benefits of the technique which avoided frequent paracentesis and associated complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of supplemental doses of opioids is commonly suggested to manage breakthrough pain. A comparative study of intravenous morphine (IV-MO) and oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) given in doses proportional to the basal opioid regimen was performed in 25 cancer patients receiving stable opioid doses. For each episode, when it occurred and 15 and 30 min after the treatment, pain intensity and opioid-related symptoms were recorded. Fifty-three couples of breakthrough events, each treated with IV-MO and OTFC, were recorded. In episodes treated with IV-MO, pain intensity decreased from a mean of 6.9 to 3.3 and to 1.7 at T1 and T2, respectively. In episodes treated with OTFC, pain intensity decreased from a mean of 6.9 to 4.1 and to 2.4 at T1 and T2, respectively. Statistical differences between the two treatments were found at T1 (P=0.013), but not at T2 (P=0.059). Adverse effects were comparable and were not significantly related with the IV-MO and OTFC doses. Intravenous morphine and OTFC in doses proportional to the scheduled daily dose of opioids were both safe and effective, IV-MO having a shorter onset than OTFC. Future comparative studies with appropriate design should compare titration methods and proportional methods of OTFC dosing.British Journal of Cancer (2007) 96, 1828–1833. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603811 www.bjcancer.com Published online 22 May 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have shown that an oxycodone/naloxone combination (ratio 2:1) provides analgesia and less constipation in non-cancer patients receiving relatively low doses of this formulation. A case report of a cancer patient who was receiving increasing doses of oxycodone with an unexpected declining analgesia is presented. The substitution with the same doses (240 mg/day) of regular controlled-release oxycodone was effective in regaining adequate analgesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]