European journal of pain : EJP
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Tropisetron alleviate early post-operative pain after gynecological laparoscopy in sevoflurane based general anaesthesia: A randomized, parallel-group, factorial study.
Studies have suggested that 5-hydroxytryptamine-3A (5-HT-3A) receptor antagonists may have analgesic effects. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, factorial study tested the hypothesis that 5-HT-3A receptor antagonist tropisetron attenuates post-operative pain in women receiving either sevoflurane or propofol based anaesthesia. ⋯ A single-dose intravenous administration of tropisetron after anaesthesia induction is associated with statistically significant decreased early post-operative pain in patients undergoing gynaecological laparoscopies under sevoflurane based general anaesthesia.
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Burrowing is an evolutionarily conserved behaviour in rodents. This study validates a refined burrowing paradigm (requiring a reduced number of animals) in a rat model of sub-chronic knee joint inflammation and evaluates its sensitivity and specificity for analgesic drugs. ⋯ This study provides pharmacological validation of a refined burrowing paradigm for analgesic efficacy that exhibits good predictive validity, with high sensitivity and specificity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Prevalence of cold-related musculoskeletal pain according to self-reported threshold temperature among the Finnish adult population.
Exposure to cold reportedly increases musculoskeletal pains. We assessed the prevalence of such pain and self-reported threshold temperature (TT) at which the pain emerges. ⋯ People suffering from musculoskeletal disorders and those living in the warmer areas of Finland need special advice to protect themselves against the cold. Our study provides preliminary information to support such advice.
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Peripheral opioid receptor expression is up-regulated under inflammatory conditions, which leads to the increased efficacy of peripherally administered opioids. Sex differences in the effects of inflammation, cytokines and gonadal hormones on μ-opioid receptor (MOR) expression in trigeminal ganglia (TG) are not well understood. ⋯ Collectively, these data indicate that testosterone plays a key role in the regulation of MOR in TG under inflammatory conditions, and that sex differences in the anti-hyperalgesic effects of peripherally administered opioids are, in part, mediated by peripheral opioid receptor expression levels.
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Pathological pain states are often associated with neuronal hyperexcitability in the spinal cord. Reducing this excitability could theoretically be achieved by amplifying the existing spinal inhibitory control mediated by GABAA receptors (GABAARs). In this study, we used the non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic etifoxine (EFX) to characterize its interest as pain killer and spinal mechanisms of action. EFX potentiates GABAAR function but can also increase its function by stimulating the local synthesis of 3α-reduced neurosteroids (3αNS), the most potent endogenous modulators of this receptor. ⋯ This preclinical study shows that stimulating the production of endogenous analgesics such as 3αNS represents an interesting strategy to reduce neuropathic pain symptoms. Since EFX is already prescribed as an anxiolytic in several countries, a translation to the human clinic needs to be rapidly evaluated.