Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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Pain is a comorbid and aggravating symptom that in many conditions can be perceived differently and should therefore be managed accordingly. Numerous factors, both social and cultural, are thought to influence the analgesic prescription. However, elucidation of such areas is limited. We therefore conducted a systematic literature review to test the hypothesis that variations in provider characteristics predict the prescription of pain medication. ⋯ Our systematic review of existing literature highlights that provider's age, sex, experience, specialty, and the interplay between provider and patient characteristics are important variables in pain management. However, generalizations relating to these findings are limited by the heterogeneity of the studies and the paucity of literature in this field.
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Our study surveyed physician members of 3 American pain societies to determine prescription patterns and whether these practices reflect current expert opinion. ⋯ The responses pertaining to opioid agreements, urine drug testing, acetaminophen, and treatment for neuropathic pain are reassuring in that they prevent misuse and abuse of opioids, prevent acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, and reflect evidence-based treatments. However, we identified gaps in knowledge, including the prescription of codeine in certain populations and the use of electrocardiogram in patients on antidepressants. Further education of physicians who treat chronic pain pharmacologically is warranted.
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Patients with pain are more reactive to various types of sensations, not limited to pain alone. A potential useful instrument to assess reactivity is the Kohn Reactivity Scale (KRS). This study examines the psychometric characteristics of the KRS-Dutch version and its ability to differentiate between subjects with and without pain. ⋯ These findings indicate that the KRS is a useful instrument to screen for reactivity in pain patients, which may be of particular relevance for those suffering from medically unexplained pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A randomized, controlled trial of gabapentin enacarbil in subjects with neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Gabapentin enacarbil (GEn), a transported prodrug of gabapentin, provides sustained, dose-proportional gabapentin exposure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose response of GEn to select the optimal dose(s) for clinical use in subsequent diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) trials. ⋯ Overall, none of the GEn treatment groups differentiated from placebo. Analyses of the secondary endpoints showed comparable results across treatment groups. However, the majority of the endpoints, including all of the pain endpoints, showed the largest numerical treatment difference was between GEn 3,600 mg and placebo. The active control, PGB (300 mg/day), did not differentiate from placebo.
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Observational Study
Impact of physicians' sex on treatment choices for low back pain.
Little information is available regarding physicians' sex as a potential bias in making pain treatment decisions. This study investigated how sex of the medical care provider and patient characteristics influence choices that are made in the treatment of low back pain. ⋯ Physicians' sex had a significant impact on pain management decisions in patients with low back pain. Female physicians prescribed more pharmacological agents as their first choice compared to male physicians.