European journal of pain : EJP
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Opioid dose titration is a fundamental process of opioid therapy in cancer pain. ⋯ This review provides the most recent insights on the different modalities of opioid dose titration in cancer pain management.
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Expert consensus asserts that early treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) leads to better outcomes. Yet no evidence supports this assumption regarding the recognized gold standard of multidisciplinary functional rehabilitation. To address this, we aimed to establish if there is a difference in outcomes between early CRPS (<1 year symptom duration) and persistent CRPS (= >1 year symptom duration) following rehabilitation and whether any gains are maintained at three months. ⋯ Expert consensus recommends early treatment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, yet there is little empirical evidence to support this. Our findings are the first to challenge this assumption by revealing no difference in outcomes between early and persistent CRPS post-rehabilitation. However, those with persistent CRPS maintain gains after three months, unlike people with early CRPS (symptoms < one year). These findings are relevant to clinical practice as they challenge established assumptions, suggesting a focus on improving early CRPS follow-up outcomes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
If only they knew! A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial comparing deceptive and open-label placebo in healthy individuals.
Placebo use is widespread in clinical practice. However, they are most often administered deceptively rather than openly. It is often suggested that open-label placebos (OLP) are less effective than deceptive placebos (DP). This study aimed to compare the use of DP and OLP treatments to reduce pain in healthy volunteers. ⋯ This study is the first to show non-inferiority of placebos administered honestly, also called OLP, compared to DP in reducing pain. This suggests that OLP could be as effective as their deceptive counterparts while having the ethical advantage of not being required to lie. If deception is not a necessary condition for efficacy, OLP should be preferred over DP.
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Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder characterized by the presence of trigger points. Among the treatment options, botulinum toxin injections have been investigated. The aim of this paper was to provide a synthesis of the evidence on intramuscular botulinum toxin injections for upper back MPS. ⋯ The randomized controlled trials included in this review compared using botulinum toxin to treat upper back MPS with placebo or active treatments (e.g., dry needling or anaesthetics) showing mixed results overall. Despite the lack of clear evidence of superiority, our study suggests that the use of botulinum toxin should not be discouraged. Its safety profile and encouraging results in pain control, motor recovery and disability reduction make it an interesting treatment, particularly in the subset of patients with moderate to severe chronic pain and active trigger points. To support the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin, further high-quality studies are needed.
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There is inter-individual variability in the influence of different components (e.g. nociception and expectations) on pain perception. Identifying the individual effect of these components could serve for patient stratification, but only if these influences are stable in time. ⋯ Our results demonstrate the temporal stability of the weight healthy individuals place on the different factors leading to the pain response. These findings give validity to the idea of using Bayesian estimations of the influence of different factors on pain as a way to stratify patients for treatment personalization.