Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24760679›Full record

SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2014

Medically assisted nutrition for adult palliative care patients.

Phillip Good, Russell Richard, William Syrmis, Sue Jenkins-Marsh, Jane Stephens

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) expert opinion/guidance on the use of clinically assisted nutrition in patients with advanced cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
    Guideline
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Medically assisted hydration for adult palliative care patients.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014
    Pooled it
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Healthcare Professionals' Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Toward Providing Artificial Nutrition and Hydration for Patients With Terminal Cancer.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Perception of need for nutritional support in advanced cancer patients with cachexia: a survey in palliative care settings.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2018
    Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Cachexia: a nutritional syndrome?Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2015
    Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Phillip GoodPalliative Care, St Vincent's Private Hospital Brisbane, Mater Health Services, and Mater Research Institute - The University of Queensland, 411 Main Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4169.
Russell Richard
William Syrmis
Sue Jenkins-Marsh
Jane Stephens

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMany palliative care patients have a reduced oral intake during their illness. The management of this can include the provision of medically assisted nutrition with the aim of prolonging the length of life of a patient, improving their quality of life, or both. This is an updated version of the original Cochrane review published in Issue 4, 2008.

objectivesTo determine the effect of medically assisted nutrition on the quality and length of life of palliative care patients. SEARCH

methodsWe identified studies from searching Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CANCERLIT, Caresearch, Dissertation abstracts, SCIENCE CITATION INDEX and the reference lists of all eligible trials, key textbooks and previous systematic reviews. The date of the latest search was 26 March 2014. SELECTION CRITERIA: All relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or prospective controlled trials (if no RCTs were found). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We found no RCTs or prospectively controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria. MAIN

resultsThe original review identified four prospective non-controlled trials and the updated search in 2014 identified one more (plus an updated version of a Cochrane review on enteral feeding in motor neuron disease). There were five prospective non-controlled trials (including one qualitative study) that studied medically assisted nutrition in palliative care participants, and one Cochrane systematic review (on motor neuron disease that found no RCTs), but no RCTs or prospective controlled studies. AUTHORS'

conclusionsSince the last version of this review, we found no new studies. There are insufficient good-quality trials to make any recommendations for practice with regards to the use of medically assisted nutrition in palliative care patients.

Indexed as

Enteral NutritionParenteral NutritionAdultHumansLongevityPalliative CareQuality of Life

Identifiers

PMID24760679
PMCPMC7388544

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.