Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36550430›Full record

Observational studyBMC palliative care2022

Natural language processing and network analysis in patients withdrawing from life-sustaining treatments: a retrospective cohort study.

Wei-Chin Tsai, Yun-Cheng Tsai, Kuang-Cheng Kuo, Shao-Yi Cheng, Jaw-Shiun Tsai, Tai-Yuan Chiu, Hsien-Liang Huang

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC palliative care, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Wei-Chin Tsai *Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, No. 25, Ln. 442, Sec. 1, Jingguo Rd., North Dist., Hsinchu City, 300, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Yun-Cheng Tsai *Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Section 1, Heping E. Rd., Taipei City, 106, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Kuang-Cheng KuoDepartment of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1 Jen Ai Road Section 1, Taipei, 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Shao-Yi ChengDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Taiwan University, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Jaw-Shiun TsaiDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Taiwan University, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Tai-Yuan ChiuDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Taiwan University, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Hsien-Liang HuangDepartment of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1 Jen Ai Road Section 1, Taipei, 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.). tennishuang@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2163-5596
National Taiwan University Hospital · TWNational Taiwan University · TWNational Taiwan Normal University · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProviding palliative care to patients who withdraw from life-sustaining treatments is crucial; however, delays or the absence of such services are prevalent. This study used natural language processing and network analysis to identify the role of medications as early palliative care referral triggers.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study of 119 adult patients receiving specialized palliative care after endotracheal tube withdrawal in intensive care units of a Taiwan-based medical center between July 2016 and June 2018. Patients were categorized into early integration and late referral groups based on the median survival time. Using natural language processing, we analyzed free texts from electronic health records. The Palliative trigger index was also calculated for comparison, and network analysis was performed to determine the co-occurrence of terms between the two groups.

resultsBroad-spectrum antibiotics, antifungal agents, diuretics, and opioids had high Palliative trigger index. The most common co-occurrences in the early integration group were micafungin and voriconazole (co-correlation = 0.75). However, in the late referral group, piperacillin and penicillin were the most common co-occurrences (co-correlation = 0.843).

conclusionTreatments for severe infections, chronic illnesses, and analgesics are possible triggers for specialized palliative care consultations. The Palliative trigger index and network analysis indicated the need for palliative care in patients withdrawing from life-sustaining treatments. This study recommends establishing a therapeutic control system based on computerized order entry and integrating it into a shared-decision model.

Indexed as

Hospice and Palliative Care NursingTerminal CareAdultHumansIntensive Care UnitsNatural Language ProcessingPalliative CareRetrospective StudiesHospice careNatural language processingPalliative careTerminal careWithdrawing treatment

Identifiers

PMID36550430
PMCPMC9773475
OpenAlexW4312069550

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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.