SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2012
Drug therapy for symptoms associated with anxiety in adult palliative care patients.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Guideline for Medication Management of Distressing Symptoms in Older Patients Receiving End-of-Life Palliative Care.Journal of evidence-based medicine · 2026Guideline
- Drug therapy for symptoms associated with anxiety in adult palliative care patients.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- 'Worried to death': the assessment and management of anxiety in patients with advanced life-limiting disease, a national survey of palliative medicine physicians.BMC palliative care · 2017Article
- Attitudes Toward Use of Benzodiazepines among U.S. Hospice Clinicians: Survey and Review of the Literature.Journal of palliative medicine · 2016Review
- Psychopharmacology in cancer.Current psychiatry reports · 2015Review
- Palliative care psychiatry: update on an emerging dimension of psychiatric practice.Current psychiatry reports · 2013Review
Corrections and comments
- Updated by
- Update of
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThis is an update of the review published on 'Drug therapy for anxiety in adult palliative care patients' in Issue 1, 2004 of The Cochrane Library. Anxiety is common in palliative care patients. It can be a natural response to impending death, but it may represent a clinically significant issue in its own right. It may also result from pain, or other untreated or poorly managed symptoms. When anxiety is severe or distressing drug therapy may be considered in addition to supportive care.
objectivesThis review aimed to identify and evaluate randomised controlled trials examining the effectiveness of drug therapy for symptoms of anxiety in adult palliative care patients. SEARCH
methodsWe searched the following sources: CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 2), MEDLINE (1966 to 2012), EMBASE (1980 to 2012), CINAHL (1982 to 2012), PsycLit (1974 to 2000) and PsycInfo (1990 to 2012) for literature pertaining to this topic published in any language using a detailed search strategy. SELECTION CRITERIA: We sought prospective, randomised trials, with or without blinding, involving the use of drug therapy for the treatment of symptoms of anxiety in adult palliative care patients. Pharmacological agents included 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, anxiolytic agents, antiepileptic agents, antidepressive agents, antipsychotic agents, benzodiazepines, butyrophenones, phenothiazines, antihistamines, barbiturates, sedative hypnotics, antiepileptic drugs and beta-blockers. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We identified and excluded six studies using the original search strategy, with a further two studies being identified and excluded for this 2012 update. We therefore identified a total of eight potential studies but none met the criteria for inclusion in this review. MAIN
resultsNo data were available to enable an assessment to be made of the effectiveness of drugs to treat symptoms of anxiety in palliative care patients. AUTHORS'
conclusionsThere remains insufficient evidence to draw a conclusion about the effectiveness of drug therapy for symptoms of anxiety in adult palliative care patients. To date no studies have been found that meet the inclusion criteria for this review. Prospective controlled clinical trials are required in order to establish the benefits and harms of drug therapy for the treatment of anxiety in palliative care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
23076905What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.