We are thrilled to share some exciting news from NSWOCs from our community! A new paper has just been published, shedding light on the complex and challenging condition of peripheral artery disease, with a special focus on chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and the associated pain management in elderly patients.
The paper, titled "Management of Pain in People Living With Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia: An Umbrella Review", delves into the multifaceted nature of peripheral artery disease and the chronic ischemic pain that often accompanies CLTI. The authors highlight the urgent need for accessible, effective, and safe strategies to manage this debilitating condition and present a rigorous review of existing literature to inform best practices for interdisciplinary care.
Abstract: Peripheral artery disease is a complex health condition. It is associated with atherosclerotic occlusive lesions in the arteries limiting normal blood flow, mostly involving the lower extremities, leading to chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Chronic unrelenting ischemic leg pain can be debilitating and distressing, contributing to poor health-related quality of life. Comprehensive management of pain associated with CLTI requires multimodal approaches that draw on a range of strategies and specialist treatments delivered by an interdisciplinary team across various health care settings. We recognized a significant gap in evidence-based strategies that are accessible, appropriate, acceptable, effective, and safe for the elderly with CLTI- associated pain. We therefore conducted an umbrella review or overview of multiple existing reviews that employ a rigorous and transparent method to comprehensively identify and synthesize relevant literature including systematic, scoping, and narrative reviews. The purpose of this umbrella review was to aggregate and compare various management options to inform best practices and quality indicators for the management of ischemic pain in older patients with peripheral artery disease.
Authors:
Kevin Woo, PhD, RN, NSWOC(C), WOCC(C), Queen’s University, University Health Network, Kingston, Ontario.
Christine Murphy, PhD, RN, NSWOC(C), WOCC(C), The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario.
Emily Gregg, MSc, RN, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.
Joshua Moralejo, MScCH, RN, NSWOC(C), WOCC(C), University Health Network, Kingston, Ontario.
Kimberly LeBlanc, PhD, RN, NSWOC(C), WOCC(C), Wound, Ostomy and Continence Institute, Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC), Ottawa, Ontario.
Tim Brandys, MD, MEd, FRCSC, FACS, The Ottawa Hospital,Ottawa, Ontario.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the authors on this important contribution to the field and encourage all of you to check out this insightful and valuable work. Download the paper below!