The Clinical journal of pain
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To evaluate whether knee pain location can influence symptoms, functional status, and knee-related quality of life in older adults with chronic knee pain. ⋯ Combined patellofemoral and tibiofemoral pain is associated with poorer clinical presentation compared with isolated knee pain from either location. In addition, patellofemoral pain in isolation may be as important as tibiofemoral pain in causing symptoms and functional limitation in older adults with chronic knee pain.
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Facial expression may be a surrogate marker of pain in Alzheimer disease (AD) when self-report of pain is compromised. Recent studies have demonstrated increased pain sensitivity in AD; however, experimental pain studies analyzing facial expressions in AD are limited and report inconsistent results. The aims of this study were to examine facial expression of pain in AD patients and its relationship to sum-scored measures of multiple pain behavioral domains and subjective pain ratings. ⋯ Pain sensitivity is increased across all severities of AD when measured using the FACS. Clinical observational pain scales support the relevance of facial expression as a partial compensatory pain communication modality for AD. However, measures of pain behavior that sum across objective coding of several domains provide a better indicator of subjective pain than measures of facial expression alone.
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On the basis of the idea that thoughts held about pain may represent "self-suggestions" and evidence indicating that people with higher levels of trait hypnotizability are more responsive to suggestions, the current study evaluated hypothesized moderating effects of hypnotizability on the associations between pain-related thoughts and both pain intensity and pain interference. ⋯ The study findings, if replicated in additional samples of individuals with chronic pain, have important clinical and theoretical implications. For example, if trait hypnotizability is found to predict an individual's response to a particular technique of cognitive therapy-such as focusing on and repeating pain control belief self-statements-measures of hypnotizability could be used to identify individuals who might be most responsive to this technique. The current findings indicate that research to further examine this possibility is warranted.
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Pain disability is a major impediment to fibromyalgia (FM) patients' quality of life. Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated abnormal pain processing in FM. However, it is not known whether there are brain abnormalities linked to pain disability. Understanding neural correlates of pain disability in FM, independent from pain intensity, could provide a framework to guide future more efficient therapy strategies to improve patients' functional ability. ⋯ Basal ganglia perfusion reflects long-term symptoms, including somatic and psychological components of FM rather than pain intensity. These CBF findings may reflect differences in behavioral and psychological responses between patients.
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To describe chronic pain-pain that is present most days per month over the past 3 months-in youth with sickle cell disease (SCD). This study characterized differences in functional outcomes, psychosocial characteristics, and health care utilization for youth with SCD across 3 groups based on pain frequency: chronic pain, episodic pain, and no SCD pain in the past month. ⋯ Specific definitions and criteria for chronic sickle pain in youth are needed. Identifying risk and protective factors related to the transition from acute to chronic pain is important to facilitate improved psychosocial functioning.