Current medical research and opinion
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Effectiveness of the lidocaine patch 5% on pain qualities in three chronic pain states: assessment with the Neuropathic Pain Scale.
To determine the impact of the lidocaine patch 5% on pain qualities associated with chronic pain from postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), painful diabetic neuropathy (DN), and low-back pain (LBP), using the Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS). ⋯ The lidocaine patch 5% effectively reduces the intensity of all common pain qualities in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic pain resulting from PHN, painful DN, or LBP. Treatment is well tolerated in combination with other analgesic regimens, with no reports of serious AEs or adverse drug interactions. Assessment scales such as the NPS may offer the possibility to differentiate between various pain states and to assess treatment outcomes for various pain qualities associated with a given pain state.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Use of the lidocaine patch 5% in reducing intensity of various pain qualities reported by patients with low-back pain.
To determine the impact of the lidocaine patch 5% on pain qualities associated with low-back pain (LBP) through use of the Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS). ⋯ In patients with moderate-to-severe LBP, 2 weeks and 6 weeks of treatment with the lidocaine patch 5% significantly reduces the intensity of pain qualities as measured by all 4 NPS composite measures. Lidocaine patch 5% is well tolerated with few systemic AEs and may provide beneficial pain relief for patients receiving multidisciplinary treatment without increasing risks for adverse drug interactions. Pain scales such as the NPS offer the ability to measure various pain qualities experienced by LBP patients and may allow clinicians to assess the treatment impact of different medications.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Adjustable maintenance dosing with budesonide/formoterol compared with fixed-dose salmeterol/fluticasone in moderate to severe asthma.
Current asthma guidelines recommend that patients are educated to adjust their medication according to their asthma severity using physician-guided self-management plans. However, many patients take a fixed dose of their controller medication and adjust their reliever medication according to asthma symptoms. ⋯ Adjustable maintenance dosing with budesonide/formoterol provides more effective asthma control by reducing exacerbations and reliever medication usage compared with fixed-dose salmeterol/fluticasone.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of TTS-fentanyl with sustained-release oral morphine in the treatment of patients not using opioids for mild-to-moderate pain.
This randomised, multicentre, direct open comparative trial evaluated the efficacy, treatment convenience, tolerability and safety aspects of transdermal therapeutic system (TTS)-fentanyl and sustained-release oral morphine (SRM) in both opioid-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe cancer-related pain and in patients who had already been using opioids for mild-to-moderate pain. The two treatment groups were run in parallel. Special attention was paid to constipation, nausea/vomiting, drowsiness and respiratory depression. ⋯ These data indicate that TTS-fentanyl, when used as an opioid of first choice in the treatment of cancer-related pain, is as effective as, but better tolerated than, SRM, including in opioid-naïve patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparison of the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of etoricoxib and diclofenac in patients with osteoarthritis.
To evaluate and compare the efficacy and tolerability of etoricoxib and diclofenac in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. ⋯ Etoricoxib is clinically effective in the therapy of osteoarthritis providing a magnitude of effect comparable to that of the maximum recommended daily dose of diclofenac. The onset of clinical benefit with etoricoxib on day one is more rapid than that of diclofenac. Both drugs were generally well tolerated.