J Rheumatol
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Review Case Reports
Reversible methotrexate associated lymphoproliferative disease evolving into Hodgkin's disease.
We describe a case of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease (NSHD) developing in a 61-year-old woman with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis treated with oral methotrexate (MTX) 5 to 15 mg/week for 5 years. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed splenomegaly and marked abdominal and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. ⋯ However, CT studies at 10 months showed asymptomatic progression of lymphadenopathy, which on biopsy revealed NSHD. Patients with apparently reversible MTX associated lymphoproliferative disorder require periodic monitoring for asymptomatic development of malignant lymphoma.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Efficacy of tramadol in treatment of chronic low back pain.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tramadol in the treatment of chronic low back pain. ⋯ Among patients who tolerated it well, tramadol was effective for the treatment of chronic low back pain.
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Tissue damage and pain can lead to a change in the stimulus/response characteristics of the nociceptive system. Hyperalgesia has been described in experimental pain states and some clinical conditions, but has not been investigated in osteoarthritis (OA). We sought to establish the presence of hyperalgesia at the thumb in subjects with OA of the hand and to explore any relationship between sensitivity to extrinsic stimuli and the experience of clinical pain. ⋯ OA in the hands is associated with cutaneous and deep hyperalgesia to thermal and mechanical stimuli. Increased levels of continuous pain are associated with more pronounced hyperalgesia. The associations of movement pain suggest the contribution of central mechanisms in the stimulus/response changes accompanying movement pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Treatment of whiplash associated neck pain [corrected] with botulinum toxin-A: a pilot study.
Up to 87% of patients with whiplash associated disorder (WAD) have some degree of muscle spasm that is contributory to both pain and dysfunction. Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) produces prolonged muscle relaxation that is dose-dependent and can be easily targeted to affected muscles. BTX-A therapy may be an effective form of therapy offering an alternative or adjunct to conventional modalities. We investigated BTX-A as therapy in patients with WAD. ⋯ BTX-A treatment of subjects with chronic WAD II neck pain resulted in a significant (p < 0.01) improvement in ROM and subjective pain compared to a placebo group, but only a trend to improvement in subjective functioning.