The Clinical journal of pain
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Chronic low back pain patients around the world: cross-cultural similarities and differences.
The current study sought to determine whether there were any significant cross-cultural differences in medical-physical findings, or in psychosocial, behavioral, vocational, and avocational functioning, for chronic low back pain patients. ⋯ It was concluded that there were important cross-cultural differences in chronic low back pain patients' self-perceived level of dysfunction, with the American patients clearly the most dysfunctional. Possible explanations included cross-cultural differences in social expectation; attention; legal-administrative requirements; financial gains; attitudes-expectations about usage, type, and availability of health care; and self-perceived ability and willingness to cope.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intrathecal baclofen suppresses central pain in patients with spinal lesions. A pilot study.
To assess the efficacy of acute intrathecal (i.t.) baclofen on chronic, dysesthetic, and spasm-related pain (SRP) among patients with spinal spasticity [i.e., multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury (SCI), transverse myelitis (TMy)]. ⋯ The suppressive action of i.t. baclofen on spontaneous and evoked (allodynia) dysesthetic pain suggests that a dysfunctional spinal gamma-aminobutyric acidB receptor system, including functional supersensitivity, is associated with the phenomenon of central pain among patients with spinal lesions. Temporal dissociation regarding the action on dysesthetic pain and SRP suggests that disparate central mechanisms subserve the two clinical states.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The relationship between plasma beta-endorphin, opioid receptor activity, and silent myocardial ischemia.
To investigate the role of the opioid system in the pathophysiology of silent ischemia through opiate antagonism with naloxone, and to determine the reproducibility of resting and postexercise beta-endorphin levels in predominantly asymptomatic patients with coronary artery disease. ⋯ (a) naloxone failed to precipitate angina in this population of patients with silent ischemia; (b) naloxone appears to exert an analgesic effect at low doses; and (c) a variability of 5 pM at rest and 13 pM after exercise might be expected in predominantly asymptomatic patients due to random variation, which is comparable with results found in normal subjects.
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Baseline measures associated with outcome are described for amitriptyline and brief psychotherapy used in the outpatient treatment of chronic "psychogenic" pain. The results delineate patient profiles associated with suitability for these treatments. These may serve as guidelines for choice in the treatment of heterogeneous pain clinic patients.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of psychosocial functioning and personality in amputee and chronic pain populations.
To compare two populations with disabling conditions, amputation and chronic pain, in terms of psychosocial functioning and personality factors. We hypothesized that the degree of disability of amputees would resemble that of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. We also examined the prevalence of personality characteristics stereotypic of chronic pain in the two samples. ⋯ Results are discussed in terms of the dual disability of amputees with chronic pain and of the hazards of attributing common characteristics to heterogenous patient groups.