Articles: pain-measurement.
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Accurate assessments of pain in hospitalized preterm infants present a major challenge in improving the short- and long-term consequences associated with painful experiences. We evaluated the ability of the newborn infant parasympathetic evaluation (NIPE) index to detect acute procedural pain in preterm infants. ⋯ Exposure to repetitive pain can lead to neurodevelopmental sequelae. Behavior-based pain scales have limited clinical utility, especially for preterm infants. New devices for monitoring physiological responses to pain have not been validated sufficiently in preterm infants. This study found that the NIPE index was not significantly correlated to the validated PIPP-R scale during acute procedural pain. Secondary analysis of this study showed that NIPE index and SCRs may help to exclude severe pain in preterm infants. In clinical practice, measurements of physiological parameters should be combined with behavior-based scales for multidimensional pain assessments.
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Multicenter Study
Sustained Long-Term Outcomes With Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation: 12-Month Results of the Prospective, Multicenter, Open-Label Avalon Study.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) activates the dorsal column fibers using electrical stimuli. Current SCS systems function in fixed-output mode, delivering the same stimulus regardless of spinal cord (SC) activation. ⋯ The majority of patients experienced more than 80% pain relief with stable SC activation, as measured by ECAP amplitude at 12 mo, providing evidence for the long-term effectiveness of the Evoke closed-loop SCS system.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The relationship between the level of μ-opioid receptor (μORs) and postoperative analgesic use in patients undergoing septoplasty: a prospective randomized controlled trial.
In this study, the μ-Opioid receptor activity was assessed pre-operatively for its association with postoperative pain level and second analgesic requirement in patients undergoing septoplasty. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that patients with higher μOR levels have a higher efficacy of opioid analgesic agents and an lesser need for additional analgesic agents.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Differential rates of intravascular uptake and pain perception during lumbosacral epidural injection among adults using a 22-gauge needle versus 25-gauge needle: a randomized clinical trial.
Inadvertent intravascular injection has been suggested as the most probable mechanism behind serious neurological complications during transforaminal epidural steroid injections. Authors believe a smaller gauge needle may lead to less intravascular uptake and less pain. Theoretically, there is less chance for a smaller gauge needle to encounter a blood vessel during an injection compared to a larger gauge needle. Studies have also shown smaller gauge needle to cause less pain. The aim of the study was to quantify the difference between a 22-gauge needle and 25-gauge needle during lumbosacral transforaminal epidural steroid injection in regards to intravascular uptake and pain perception. ⋯ The study showed no statistically significant difference in intravascular uptake or pain perception between a 22-gauge needle and 25-gauge needle during lumbosacral transforaminal epidural steroid injections.
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Slow deep breathing (SDB) is commonly employed in the management of pain, but the underlying mechanisms remain equivocal. This study sought to investigate effects of instructed breathing patterns on experimental heat pain and to explore possible mechanisms of action. In a within-subject experimental design, healthy volunteers (n = 48) performed 4 breathing patterns: 1) unpaced breathing, 2) paced breathing (PB) at the participant's spontaneous breathing frequency, 3) SDB at 6 breaths per minute with a high inspiration/expiration ratio (SDB-H), and 4) SDB at 6 breaths per minute with a low inspiration/expiration ratio (SDB-L). ⋯ The latter effect was paralleled by greater blood pressure variability and baroreflex effectiveness index during SDB-L. Cardiovascular changes did not mediate the observed effects of breathing patterns on pain. PERSPECTIVES: SDB is more efficacious to attenuate pain when breathing is paced at a slow rhythm with an expiration that is long relative to inspiration, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.