The Clinical journal of pain
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The authors examined whether self-reported menopausal status is associated with musculoskeletal pain in a multiethnic population of community-dwelling middle-aged women after considering sociodemographics, medical factors, smoking, depression, and body mass index using a cross-sectional study design. ⋯ This study demonstrates an association between pain and self-reported menopausal status, with postmenopausal women experiencing greater pain symptoms than premenopausal women.
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Comparative Study
The cognitive risk profile for pain: development of a self-report inventory for identifying beliefs and attitudes that interfere with pain management.
An extensive body of research suggests that maladaptive beliefs about chronic pain can have a negative impact on patient adherence and treatment response. A series of studies to develop and validate a clinically-based, self-report instrument for pain beliefs, the Cognitive Risk Profile for Pain (CRPP), was undertaken. We sought to expand the existing body of knowledge for pain beliefs by development of an instrument with a somewhat different content and format than prior pain belief measures, and a primary focus on clinical risk assessment for treatment planning. ⋯ Results provide initial support for the CRPP as a reliable, valid, and useful measure of general cognitive risk for pain management. Results were supportive of the content and reliabilities of the majority of scale scores. Scales for denial of mood impact on pain, perception of blame, and desire for medical breakthrough will require further evaluation. Data indicate an association of CRPP total risk with multidimensional outcome from medical treatment of chronic pain, supporting relevance to treatment planning. The unique content and format of the CRPP may be useful in some clinical pain settings. Possible applications of the CRPP for risk assessment and treatment planning for chronic pain are discussed.
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Comparative Study
Incidence of phantom phenomena including phantom limb pain 6 months after major lower limb amputation in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
Contentions exist regarding the true incidence of phantom limb pain (PLP) and other associated post-amputation phenomena. Recognizing and understanding these phenomena would assist in the rehabilitation of amputees. This study was designed to investigate all post-amputation phenomena in a homogenous group of amputees. ⋯ Phantom phenomena are associated with many myths. This study starts to unravel myth from fact, but further study is required before this enigmatic condition and its influence on rehabilitation are fully understood.
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This study was aimed at identifying mothers' responses to children's pain, evaluating whether these could be organized into different types of responses, and developing a questionnaire to assess these responses. ⋯ Results suggest that mothers' responses to children's pain behavior may be classified into 3 distinct categories. Additional research is needed to assess whether observational methodologies would yield a similar typology of parents' responses to children's pain. Psychometric properties of the Adult Responses to Children's Symptoms should be examined in larger samples and in studies of the relation of the subscales to related constructs (eg, measures of parenting beliefs and behavior) and to children's pain behavior.
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Comparative Study
Evaluation of allodynia and pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia using current perception threshold testing.
Postherpetic neuralgia has various clinical features, and the implicated pathophysiologic mechanisms are controversial. This study was carried out to clarify the roles of peripheral sensory nerves in the production of allodynia and ongoing pain. Current perception threshold (CPT) testing was used to evaluate the sensory function. ⋯ The intensity of dynamic allodynia in postherpetic neuralgia correlates with the preserved functions of Abeta, Adelta, and C fibers. In contrast, the intensity of ongoing pain does not correlate with either the preserved function of C fibers or the intensity of dynamic allodynia. Therefore, it is suggested that postherpetic neuralgia might be a pain syndrome including both peripheral and central mechanisms.