Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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This research looked at whether notifying prescribers and pharmacies about patients who use multiple providers to obtain opioids reduces their prescribing activity (including use of multiple providers, numbers of opioid prescriptions, or amounts of opioids obtained). ⋯ Requiring prescribers to solicit patients' prescription histories is likely to be a more effective use of PDMP resources than proactive notification.
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Observational Study
Improved Quality of Recovery from Ambulatory Shoulder Surgery After Implementation of a Multimodal Perioperative Pain Management Protocol.
Pain control after shoulder arthroscopy can be challenging, often relying on opioids. The study aims to measure the quality of recovery (QoR) before and after implementation of a "Multimodal Perioperative Pain Protocol" (MP3) in patients undergoing ambulatory shoulder arthroscopy. ⋯ Implementation of the MP3 improved the overall QoR and many aspects of postoperative pain relief while reducing total opioid consumption in patients undergoing ambulatory shoulder surgery.
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To assess inflammatory back pain (IBP) and neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and explore their relationships with disease activity and functional status. ⋯ Though pain quality (sensory and affective pain descriptors) show differently in patients with IBP or NP, the axSpA patients with IBP or NP experience more severe pain intensity and pain interference, higher disease activity, and greater functional limitation. The presence of IBP or NP could reflect higher disease activity or greater functional limitation in patients with axSpA.
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This analysis of patient-health care provider discussions of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) evaluated the dynamics of interactions, identified communication gaps, and assessed the functional burden of opioid-induced constipation on patients' lives. ⋯ In this analysis, when opioid-induced constipation was discussed, health care providers did not inquire about specific symptoms for most patients, opioids were not cited as a cause of constipation in approximately one-quarter of patients with opioid-induced constipation, and no clear treatment plan or guidance was recommended for one-third of patients. Results of this analysis suggest that more education may be needed to improve patient-provider communication about opioid-induced constipation.
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The goal of the study was to determine the potential impact of system inaccuracies and table attenuation on fluoroscope-reported dose values. ⋯ Including corrections for system output inaccuracies and acquisition factors such as table attenuation is necessary for any reliable assessment of radiation burden to patients associated with fluoroscopy-guided procedures.