Minerva medica
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Acute pain of mild to moderate intensity is one of the problems most frequently encountered in primary care and emergency medicine and is a major reason of request for visit by patients. In recent years the focus has been more on the treatment of chronic pain, perhaps ignoring the negative impact of acute pain on quality of life and functional status of the patient, despite a growing number of evidence indicating the need to treat optimally also acute pain to avoid it prolongs in time. The remarkable progress achieved in the understanding of the physiological mechanisms of the nociceptive stimulus, as well as those common to biochemical inflammation and acute pain, highlighted the active and complex role of central nervous system in the genesis and maintenance of pain that from acute, if not promptly and adequately treated, can become chronic. ⋯ Pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic studies are outlined, as well as the latest acquisitions in terms of metabolism of this drug and the risks related to its misuse. Are also discussed the recommendations issued by scientific societies and recent articles that indicate paracetamol as the drug of first choice for mild to moderate pain in various clinical settings, such as post-operative pain, post-traumatic and osteoarticular diseases, alone or in association with weak opioids, in particular with codeine. Most recent findings about metabolism and analgesic effect of codeine and its metabolites are highlighted, and how, in combination with acetaminophen, there is an increase in analgesic efficacy without increasing side effects, offering the chance of obtaining a better pain control.
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Mild, temporary hepatic failure (MTHF) may be completely asymptomatic or cause minimal signs and symptoms. This common clinical problem is very diffuse and, in case of repeated episodes may cause a chronic impairment in liver function. The aim of this registry was to evaluate the evolution of MTHF in subjects using Liverubin (a new standardized Silymarin preparation) over a 4-week period. ⋯ In conclusion, data from this pilot, registry study indicate a significant activity of Liverubin associated with a very good safety profile, in patients with temporary hepatic failure. The recovery of hepatic function is faster and more effective with Liverubin compared to the best "standard" management.
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Observational Study
FlexiQule (Boswellia extract) in the supplementary management of osteoarthritis: a supplement registry.
The aim of the present pilot, registry study was an assessment in a supplement study of FlexiQule (standardized Boswellia extract) capsules in the supplementary management of patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) also treated with the "standard management" (SM) in comparison with a group of patients only managed with SM. ⋯ The difference between SM and the supplementation associated to SM was significant) in favor of the supplementation with Boswellia for all target measurements evaluated in the registry at 4 weeks.
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Case Reports
[Topical pharmacologic approach with 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in the treatment of localized neuropathic pain].
The treatment of neuropathic pain is a medical challenge. The responsiveness to the different classes of drugs is often unsatisfactory and frequently associated to a wide range of side effects. International guidelines suggest for the "localized" neuropathic pain the topical treatment with 5% lidocaine medicated plaster, alone or associated to systemic drugs, as the first choice since its favorable efficacy and tolerability profile. ⋯ This paper reports a series of clinical cases whose heterogeneity suggests the wide burden of applicability of the topical 5% lidocaine, either alone and associated to systemic drugs. All the described conditions were characterized by a highly intense pain, not adequately controlled by actual medications, which improved after the use of topical lidocaine. The good response to lidocaine allowed the reduction, of even the withdrawal, of concurrent drugs and improved the patients' quality of life.
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Breathlessness is a key symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with prognostic implications on health status and survival. Since most conditions underlying chronic refractory breathlessness in COPD are not modifiable, the use of opioids and benzodiazepines has been proposed to relieve it. However, respiratory depression is a known adverse event of these drugs, and concerns have been raised on their use in patients with chronic respiratory failure. ⋯ Recent observations favor the use of lower doses of opioids (≤30 mg oral morphine equivalents/day) for reduction of symptoms in those patients with severe COPD receiving long-term oxygen therapy. Low dose opioids are not associated with an increased risk of hospital admission or death in cohorts of COPD patients on long term oxygen therapy. On the contrary, benzodiazepines and opioids at higher doses might increase mortality.