The Clinical journal of pain
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To examine the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) standards for reviews of the scientific basis for efficacy claims for newly approved oral analgesics. ⋯ The requirements for approval of new analgesics in the United States encourage the pharmaceutical industry to perform efficacy studies using stylized designs in dental and nondental surgical pain. Studies of the efficacy of new analgesics in other common clinical settings are rarely or never included in development programs.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Long-term peripheral nerve stimulation for painful nerve injuries.
Although peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) has been used in the treatment of pain since 1965, only a few follow-up studies have been published. The aim of the present retrospective study was to carefully assess the long-term efficacy and safety of PNS in the treatment of painful nerve injuries. ⋯ PNS can produce good pain relief in the majority of carefully selected patients suffering from isolated painful neuropathies.
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Comparative Study
Path model of psychological antecedents to pain experience: experimental and clinical findings.
Two studies are described addressing how anxiety, fear of pain, and catastrophizing impact on pain experience. ⋯ The findings suggest that although fear of pain and catastrophizing are related constructs, catastrophizing provides unique predictive ability for pain ratings, while fear of pain does not. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
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To evaluate obesity as a marker for increased pain severity, disability, and psychologic distress in treatment-seeking, mixed chronic pain patients. ⋯ Weight is associated with co-morbid disability, depression, and reduced quality of life for physical function in chronic pain patients. Calculation of the BMI should become a routine part of the screening evaluation for chronic pain patients, with additional screening for disability and psychologic distress in patients with elevated BMIs.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Language bias in a systematic review of chronic pain: how to prevent the omission of non-English publications?