Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Observational Study
Persistent Post-Mastectomy Pain: The Impact of Regional Anesthesia Among Patients with High vs Low Baseline Catastrophizing.
Persistent post-mastectomy pain (PPMP) varies both in its severity and impact, with psychosocial factors such as catastrophizing conferring greater risk. Preoperative regional anesthesia (RA) is an important nonopioid therapy, but with variable success at preventing PPMP in previous reports. We previously reported that RA was associated with lower acute post-mastectomy pain and opioid use, but more prominently among patients with higher baseline catastrophizing. The current longitudinal investigation at 3, 6, and 12 months postop aimed to detect differential long-term impact of RA on PPMP among patients with high vs low catastrophizing. ⋯ The efficacy of therapies to prevent PPMP may be importantly influenced by pain-modulatory psychosocial characteristics. These findings underscore the importance of considering individual patient factors when applying preventive treatments, and of including their assessment in future trials.
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Psychological treatments for chronic low back pain (CLBP) are effective. However, limited research has investigated their neurophysiological mechanisms. This study examined electroencephalography- (EEG-) assessed brain oscillation changes as potential mechanisms of cognitive therapy (CT), mindfulness-meditation (MM), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for CLBP. The a priori bandwidths of interest were changes in theta, alpha and beta power, measured at pre- and post-treatment. ⋯ These findings provide support for the capacity of psychological CLBP treatments to induce changes in brain activity. The reduced beta power in all five ROIs indicated that all three treatments engendered a state of lowered cortical arousal. The growing body of research in this area could potentially inform novel directions towards remedying central nervous system abnormalities associated with CLBP.
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We compared the reduction in pain and opioid consumption in patients with chronic spinal pain on concomitant gabapentinoids and opioids with patients using opioids only. ⋯ Gabapentinoids may not lead to reduction in pain or opioid consumption in patients with chronic spinal pain. A careful approach must be adopted while prescribing gabapentinoids in the chronic spinal pain patient population.
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Review Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and Tolerability of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Targeted Monoclonal Antibody Medications as Add-on Therapy to OnabotulinumtoxinA in Patients with Chronic Migraine.
We examined the efficacy and tolerability of calcitonin gene-related peptide-targeted monoclonal antibodies (CGRP-targeted mAbs) as add-on therapy for patients with chronic migraine (CM) undergoing treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA (onabot) who require additional preventive therapy. ⋯ Adding a CGRP-targeted mAb to onabot in patients with CM was associated with further reductions in MHDs without major tolerability issues across a range of mAbs. This retrospective review supports the conduct of a well-designed double-blind study adding a CGRP-targeted mAb or placebo to onabot.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Phase 1, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Study to Evaluate the Pharmacodynamic Effects of VX-150, a highly selective NaV1.8 inhibitor, in Healthy Male Adults.
To evaluate the analgesic potential, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of VX-150, a pro-drug of a highly selective NaV1.8 inhibitor, in healthy subjects. ⋯ Results of this proof-of-mechanism study are supportive of the potential of VX-150, a highly selective NaV1.8 channel inhibitor, to treat various pain indications.