Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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The study aims to prospectively analyze the effect of adding pregabalin upon costs and consequences in the treatment of refractory neck pain under routine medical practice. ⋯ Compared with usual care, the addition of pregabalin to treat refractory neck pain seems to be associated with a higher reduction in pain severity and lost work-days equivalents, which in turn results in a greater reduction of the indirect components of cost while maintaining similar healthcare cost levels despite its higher price.
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This study was to develop a version of the Pain Medication Questionnaire (PMQ) specific to the elderly chronic pain population and to identify relevant subscales and items for that population. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess the factor structure of the PMQ, to eliminate items that are not appropriate for this population, and to improve ease of administration in the elderly population. ⋯ The findings suggest that, although a small number of the items were identified from the overall scale, they adequately explain two relatively unique factors pertaining to pain management among older adults. This preliminary study suggests that the seven-item PMQ may be useful in assessing opioid medication misuse in community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain. Future studies are needed to confirm the reliability, validity, and factor structure of this modified PMQ in the geriatric population.
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The study aims to examine predictors associated with duloxetine adherence and its association with healthcare costs among fibromyalgia patients. ⋯ Fibromyalgia patients with higher duloxetine ADD were more likely to adhere to the therapy. High duloxetine adherence was associated with lower (Commercial) or similar (Medicare supplemental) healthcare costs.