Affiliations 

  • 1 School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: Sunil.Shrestha@monash.edu
  • 2 School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: Bhuvan.KC@monash.edu
  • 3 School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Pharmacy, Al Rafidain University College, 10001, Baghdad, Iraq. Electronic address: aliblebil@yahoo.com
  • 4 School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: Teoh.Siew.Li@monash.edu
J Pain, 2022 Feb 10.
PMID: 35151871 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.02.002

Abstract

This review aimed to critically evaluate the impact of pharmacist involvement in managing pain in cancer patients. Databases (including MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL) were searched with a broad search strategy for studies involving pharmacists and cancer pain management until February 10, 2021. The quality of studies and evidence were assessed using standardised tools and GRADE, respectively. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis. Sixty-four studies were included. Common interventions delivered by the pharmacists were medication review, patient education, adverse drug reactions (ADRs) detection and management, pharmacological recommendations (in dosing and pharmacotherapy choice), and pain assessment. A pooled analysis of three randomised control trials showed a significant reduction in pain intensity with a standardised mean difference (SMD) of 0.35 [95% confidence intervals (CI): -0.55, -0.16]. Pooled analyses from non-randomised studies of interventions also showed significant results in reducing ADRs with an odds ratio of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.79) and improvement in quality of life with SMD of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.29, 1.32). Thus, pharmacists significantly improve the clinical outcomes of cancer patients related to pain. This indicates the involvement of pharmacists directly or in collaboration with healthcare professionals in the oncology team is highly beneficial for the patients.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.