The Clinical journal of pain
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Topical morphine has been used on open wounds for pain management, but has a variable duration of action not suitable for palliative dressing changes. The objective of this study is to find an opioid and delivery method that would provide long-lasting pain relief between dressing changes. Methadone powder (100 mg) was mixed in Stomahesive powder (10 g) and sprinkled on the open wound once daily at the time of dressing change. ⋯ Exudative wounds with exposed tissue work best, whereas dry wounds with eschar show less response. Topical methadone powder can be effective for pain relief in open, exudative wounds with little eschar. Further research questions are raised.
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Since the introduction of behavioral medicine in the early 70s, cognitive-behavioral treatment interventions for chronic pain have expanded considerably. It is now well established that these interventions are effective in reducing the enormous suffering that patients with chronic pain have to bear. In addition, these interventions have potential economic benefits in that they appear to be cost-effective as well. ⋯ In this introduction to the special series on what works for whom in cognitive-behavioral treatments for chronic pain, we review existing knowledge concerning both moderating and mediating variables in cognitive-behavioral treatments for chronic pain. We further argue in favor of theory-driven research as the only way to define specific a priori hypotheses about which patient-treatment interactions to expect. We also argue that replicated single-participant studies, with appropriate statistics, are likely to enhance new developments in this clinical research area.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Treatment expectancy affects the outcome of cognitive-behavioral interventions in chronic pain.
Patients' initial beliefs about the success of a given pain treatment are shown to have an important influence on the final treatment outcome. The aims of the paper are to assess determinants of patients' treatment expectancy and to examine the extent to which treatment expectancy predicts the short-term and long-term outcome of cognitive-behavioral treatment of chronic pain. This study employs the data of 2 pooled randomized clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions for 171 patients with fibromyalgia and chronic low back pain. ⋯ A regression model of 3 factors (better pain coping and control, active and positive interpretation of pain, and less disability compensation) significantly explained 10% of the variance in pretreatment expectancy. Pretreatment expectancy significantly predicted each of the 4 outcome measures immediately after treatment and at 12 months follow-up. This study corroborates the importance of treatment expectation before entering a cognitive-behavioral intervention in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
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Clinical Trial
Screening to identify patients at risk: profiles of psychological risk factors for early intervention.
There is a serious need to provide effective early interventions that prevent the development of persistent pain and disability. Identifying patients at risk for this development is an important step. Our aim was to explore whether distinct subgroups of individuals with similar response patterns on a screening questionnaire exist. ⋯ Although the low risk profiles had virtually no one developing long-term sick leave, the Fear-Avoidant profile had 35% and the Distressed Fear-Avoidant profile 62% developing long-term sick leave. Our results suggest that fear-avoidance and distress are important factors in the development of pain-related disability and may serve as a key for early identification. Providing interventions specific to the factors isolated in the profiles should enhance the prevention of persistent pain and disability.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Fear of movement/(re)injury in chronic low back pain: education or exposure in vivo as mediator to fear reduction?
Clinical research of graded exposure in vivo with behavioral experiments in patients with chronic low back pain who reported fear of movement/(re)injury shows abrupt changes in self-reported pain-related fears and cognitions. The abrupt changes are more characteristics of insight learning rather than the usual gradual progression of trial and error learning. The educational session at the start of the exposure might have contributed to this insight. ⋯ Performance of relevant daily activities, however, were not affected by the educational session and improved significantly only in the exposure in vivo condition. All improvements remained at half-year follow-up only in patients receiving the exposure in vivo. These patients also reported a significant decrease in pain intensity at follow-up.