The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society
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Observational Study
Serum Biomarkers of Nociceptive and Neuropathic Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis.
Debilitating abdominal pain is a common symptom affecting most patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). There are multiple underlying mechanisms that contribute to CP-related pain, which makes successful treatment difficult. The identification of biomarkers for subtypes of pain could provide viable targets for nonopioid interventions and the development of mechanistic approaches to pain management in CP. ⋯ These data suggest that GP130 may be a biomarker for neuropathic pain in CP. PERSPECTIVE: Serum TGFβ1 and GP130 may be biomarkers for nociceptive and neuropathic CP pain, respectively. Preclinical data suggest inhibiting TGFβ1 or GP130 reduces CP pain in rodent models, indicating that additional translational and clinical studies may be warranted to develop a precision medicine approach to the management of pain in CP.
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Spinal cord stimulation is an effective treatment for those experiencing chronic back and leg pain but requires a temporary evaluation period (SCSeval) before permanent implantation. We present real-world data from 7,000 patients who underwent SCSeval while utilizing a mobile digital health platform for education, feedback, and outcomes collection during their surgical journey. We analyzed preoperative patient demographics, characterized patient pain profiles using the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system-29 surveys, and calculated the rates of conversion from temporary to permanent spinal cord stimulation (SCS) implantation. ⋯ The overall rate of SCSeval to permanent SCS in our study of 72.4% was higher than national rates of 64%, suggesting that an app may allow clinicians to better quantify changes in chronic pain and provide more insight into choosing to implant SCS permanently. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents real-world evidence from a digital health platform for therapy education and outcomes collection from patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation evaluation procedures. Such tools could allow for better pain characterization and allow for more nuanced tracking of patient outcomes among those with chronic pain.
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Chronic pain acceptance is a psychological process consistently linked with improved functional outcomes. However, existing research on this construct has not considered the role of racial or ethnic background, despite growing evidence of racialized disparities in pain experience and treatment. This study aimed to examine racial differences in chronic pain acceptance, as measured by the chronic pain acceptance questionnaires (CPAQ), in a multicultural sample of individuals with chronic low back pain (N = 137-37.2% White, 31.4% Hispanic, and 31.4% Black/African American). ⋯ Results further confirm that members of disadvantaged racial groups may be more susceptible to poorer pain adjustment, which is the result of complex, multi-level factors. PERSPECTIVE: This study identifies racial differences in levels of pain acceptance, an adaptive psychological response to chronic pain, such that White individuals with chronic low back pain demonstrate higher levels of pain acceptance. The article further explores the impacts of intrapersonal and sociocultural variables on racial differences in pain acceptance.
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Although peripheral neuropathic pain is caused by peripheral nerve injury, it is not simply a peripheral nervous system disease. It causes abnormalities in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Pathological phenomena, such as hyperactivation of sensory neurons and inflammation, are observed in both the dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord. ⋯ Collectively, these findings demonstrated that KLS-2031 efficiently suppressed pathological pain signals and inflammation in the SC of peripheral NP model, and is a potential novel therapeutic approach for NP in clinical settings. PERSPECTIVE: Our study demonstrated that KLS-2031, a combination gene therapy delivered by transforaminal epidural injection, not only mitigates neuroinflammation but also improves SC neurophysiological function, including excitatory-inhibitory balance. These findings support the potential of KLS-2031 as a novel modality that targets multiple aspects of the complex pathophysiology of neuropathic pain.
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Interprofessional communication about inflammatory and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions is an important component of assessment and management in paediatric rheumatology. Chronic pain is a feature of some of these conditions which likely influences the extent and type of communication about pain. Research investigating interprofessional communication about paediatric pain is limited but has found that communication is inclusive of the biopsychosocial context of children/adolescents as well as their families. ⋯ These findings characterise the nuances in interprofessional communication about pain and can be used to inform future work aimed at understanding and optimising the impact of interprofessional communication on clinical decisions and pain outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: This study characterises the processes (series of actions), the function (purpose) and the content (topic areas) of interprofessional communication about paediatric pain in rheumatology settings. These findings should be used to inform interventions targeting both the appropriateness and effectiveness of this communication.