Best practice & research. Clinical rheumatology
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Diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal pain is a major clinical challenge. Fundamental knowledge of nociception from deep somatic structures and related mechanisms of sensitisation have been characterised in animals but the translation into clinical sciences is still lacking. Development and refinement of mechanism-based quantitative sensory testing in healthy volunteers and pain patients have provided new opportunities to assess pain and hyperalgesic reactions. ⋯ Such a mechanistic approach can be used for differentiated diagnosis and for target validating new and existing analgesics. Mechanistic pain assessment of new compounds under development provides opportunities for target validation in proof-of-concept studies, which generate information to be used for selecting the most optimal patients for later clinical trials. New safe and efficient compounds are highly needed in the area of musculoskeletal pain management.
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Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol · Apr 2011
Future perspectives in generalised musculoskeletal pain syndromes.
This article describes contemporary controversies regarding two categories of soft-tissue pain (STP)--chronic widespread pain and fibromyalgia syndrome. The tone is more editorial than review didactic. It draws upon history to explain current trends that project possible future implications. ⋯ The populations identified by the two criteria are similar but not identical. Misuse of the new criteria could expand fibromyalgia from 2 to 10% of the general population. Avoidance of the term 'fibromyalgia' could return it to the obscurity from whence it came, leaving a much larger problem in its stead.
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The study of the descriptive epidemiology of chronic widespread pain (CWP) in several countries is of interest, as the occurrence of this condition varies among different populations. However, reports of pain prevalence are not consensual: it is clear that chronic musculoskeletal pain is frequent all over the world, varying from 4.2% to 13.3%. The reasons for the prevalence differences in CWP might include genetic and/or environmental factors. ⋯ The risk factors for the occurrence and maintenance of CWP/FMS include female gender, increasing age, family history of chronic pain, several causes of distress, obesity and poorest mental and/or physical status. On the other hand, risk factors that negatively influence the outcome of CWP/FMS are: high levels of psychological distress, presence of somatisation, presence of fatigue, poor sleep, higher number of painful sites and pain intensity, poorest mental status and functional capacity, presence of co-morbid conditions and highest number of primary-care consultations. Mild alcohol consumption and individualised social support seem to have a protective effect on the outcome of CWP/FMS.
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Low back pain is an extremely common problem that most people experience at some point in their life. While substantial heterogeneity exists among low back pain epidemiological studies limiting the ability to compare and pool data, estimates of the 1 year incidence of a first-ever episode of low back pain range between 6.3% and 15.4%, while estimates of the 1 year incidence of any episode of low back pain range between 1.5% and 36%. In health facility- or clinic-based studies, episode remission at 1 year ranges from 54% to 90%; however, most studies do not indicate whether the episode was continuous between the baseline and follow-up time point(s). ⋯ The Global Burden of Disease 2005 Study (GBD 2005) is currently making estimates of the global burden of low back pain in relation to impairment and activity limitation. Results will be available in 2011. Further research is needed to help us understand more about the broader outcomes and impacts from low back pain.
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Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol · Aug 2010
ReviewInhibition of JAK kinases in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: scientific rationale and clinical outcomes.
CP-690,550 is an orally active and selective inhibitor of the janus kinase (JAK) molecules. The molecular pathways through which the JAK moieties function are described along with the clinical mechanisms associated with their inhibition. Animal models of JAK inhibition are reviewed as a background for the possible inhibition of JAK in humans. ⋯ Occasional significant decreases of haemoglobin (>2 g dl(-1)) were observed, although decreases of WBC to less than 1000 per mm(3) were not seen. Plans for long-term follow-up of the described trials are described along with the features of five presently ongoing Phase III trials of the CP-690,550 janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. Future directions include completion and publication of these trials along with study of JAK inhibition for other indications.