Der Schmerz
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
[Opioids in chronic noncancer pain-are opioids superior to nonopioid analgesics? : A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, tolerability and safety in randomized head-to-head comparisons of opioids versus nonopioid analgesics of at least four week's duration.]
Some leading German pain medicine experts postulate that there is a type of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) with an opioid requirement. We tested whether opioids are superior to nonopioid analgesics in the management of CNCP in studies of at least 4 week's duration. ⋯ Nonopioid analgesics are superior to opioids in terms of improvement of physical function and tolerability in short-term (4-12 weeks) therapy of neuropathic, low back and osteoarthritis pain. Our results do not support the concept of an"opioid-requiring" CNCP. The English full-text version of this article is freely available at SpringerLink (under "Supplemental").
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
[Opioids in chronic neuropathic pain : A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, tolerability and safety in randomized placebo-controlled studies of at least 4 weeks duration.]
The efficacy and safety of opioid therapy in chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) is under debate. We updated a recent Cochrane systematic review on the efficacy, tolerability and safety of opioids in CNP. ⋯ In short-term studies (4-12 weeks) in CNP, opioids were superior to placebo in terms of efficacy and inferior in terms of tolerability. Opioids and placebo did not differ in terms of safety. The conclusion relating to the safety of opioids compared to placebo in CNP is limited by the low number of SAE and deaths. Short-term opioid therapy may be considered in selected CNP patients. The English full-text version of this article is freely available at SpringerLink (under "Supplementary Material").
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Review Comparative Study
[Opioids in chronic osteoarthritis pain : A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, tolerability and safety in randomized placebo-controlled studies of at least 4 weeks duration.]
The efficacy, tolerability and safety of opioid therapy in chronic osteoarthritis (OA) pain is under debate. We updated a Cochrane systematic review on the efficacy and safety of opioids in chronic OA pain published in 2009. ⋯ Opioids were superior to placebo in terms of efficacy and inferior in terms of tolerability. The effect sizes of average reduction in pain intensity and physical disability were small. Opioids and placebo did not differ in terms of safety. The conclusion on the safety of opioids compared to placebo is limited by the low number of SAE and deaths. Short-term opioid therapy may be considered in selected chronic OA pain patients. No current evidence-based guideline recommends opioids as first-line treatment option for chronic OA pain. To provide superior evidence for future treatment guidelines, RCTs must directly compare existing pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies and administer these in various combinations and sequences. The English full-text version of this article is freely available at SpringerLink (under "Supplemental").
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Review
[Interventional pain therapy : Results of a survey among specialized pain physicians in Germany.]
Interventional pain therapy aims to treat pain which is refractory to pharmacologic and noninterventional treatment. Due to the partly lacking evidence and recommendations it remains unclear when interventional methods should be applied within the treatment pathway. This study assesses the current state of interventional methods in Germany and their leading indications comparing with the recommendations found in the literature. ⋯ Although there is no clear evidence on interventional procedures in the current literature, these methods are often performed by the respondents. Anatomic landmarks are most frequently used for orientation. The German pain physicians who responded consider especially neuropathic pain as an indication to perform interventional procedures for pain therapy.