The Clinical journal of pain
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Neonates cared for in neonatal intensive care units are exposed to many painful and stressful procedures that, cumulatively, could impact later neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, a systematic analysis of these effects is yet to be reported. ⋯ For infants born preterm, neonatal pain-related stress was associated with alterations in both early and in later developmental outcomes. Few longitudinal studies examined the impact of neonatal pain in the long-term development of children born preterm.
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Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a common genital pain disorder in women that is associated with sexual dysfunction and lowered sexual satisfaction. A potentially applicable cognitive-behavioral model of chronic pain and disability is the fear-avoidance model (FAM) of pain. The FAM posits that cognitive variables, such as pain catastrophizing, fear, and anxiety lead to avoidance of pain-provoking behaviors (eg, intercourse), resulting in continued pain and disability. Although some of the FAM variables have been shown to be associated with PVD pain and sexuality outcomes, the model as a whole has never been tested in this population. An additional protective factor, pain self-efficacy (SE), is also associated with PVD, but has not been tested within the FAM model. ⋯ Changes in both cognitive and behavioral variables were significantly associated with improved pain and sexual satisfaction outcomes. However, it was the positive changes in SE that better predicted changes in avoidance behavior, pain, and sexual satisfaction. Cognitive-behavior therapy is often focused on changing negative pain-related cognitions to reduce avoidance and pain, but the present results demonstrate the potential importance of bolstering positive self-beliefs as well. Indeed, before engaging in exposure therapies, SE beliefs should be assessed and potentially targeted to improve adherence to exposure strategies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial of the Analgesic Efficacy and Safety of the p38 MAP Kinase Inhibitor, Losmapimod, in Patients With Neuropathic Pain From Lumbosacral Radiculopathy.
Preclinical studies have demonstrated involvement of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways in the development of persistent pain after peripheral nerve injury. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was undertaken to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of losmapimod (GW856553), a novel p38α/β inhibitor, in patients with chronic neuropathic pain due to lumbosacral radiculopathy. ⋯ Losmapimod could not be differentiated from placebo in terms of analgesia. The lack of response could reflect insufficient losmapimod levels in the spinal cord or differences between lumbosacral radiculopathy and animal models of neuropathic pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
The Effect of Neck-specific Exercise with, or without a Behavioral Approach, on Pain, Disability and Self-efficacy in Chronic Whiplash-associated Disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
The aim of this study was to compare the effect on self-rated pain, disability, and self-efficacy of 3 interventions for the management of chronic whiplash-associated disorders: physiotherapist-led neck-specific exercise (NSE), physiotherapist-led NSE with the addition of a behavioral approach, or Prescription of Physical Activity (PPA). ⋯ NSE resulted in superior outcomes compared with PPA in this study, but the observed benefits of adding a behavioral approach to the implementation of exercise in this study were inconclusive.
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Multicenter Study
Pain Catastrophizing Differs Between and Within Whympi Pain Adjustment Classifications: Theoretical and Clinical Implications from Preliminary Data.
Pain catastrophizing is associated with multiple pain outcomes, and is differentially associated with the adaptive coping (AC), dysfunctional (DYS), and interpersonally distressed (ID) coping classifications of the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI). We examined how catastrophizing, and the underlying components of magnification, rumination, and helplessness, may relate to MPI classifications and differentially relate to pain outcomes across classification groups to inform clinical treatment planning. ⋯ Our findings suggest a continued need for targeting catastrophizing and negative affect among pain patients. However, our data suggest that even among relatively well-adjusted patients, there may be clinical utility in assessing catastrophic thinking given the associations of it with pain-related outcomes. The present findings additionally support the value of enlisting multiple theoretical perspectives such as the stress appraisal and attentional models in future research and clinical applications.