Articles: chronic.
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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is among the most common genetic diseases in the United States, affecting approximately 100,000 people. In the United States, SCD is characterized by a shortened life expectancy of only about 50 years in severe subtypes, significant quality-of-life impairments, and increased healthcare utilization and spending. SCD is characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusion, and progressive vascular injury affecting multiple organ systems. ⋯ These multifactorial abnormalities have both acute and chronic clinical consequences across multiple organ systems, including acute pain episodes, chronic pain syndromes, acute chest syndrome, anemia, stroke and silent cerebral infarcts, cognitive dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, and a wide range of other clinical consequences. Hydroxyurea was the only approved treatment for SCD for nearly 2 decades; in 2017, L-glutamine oral powder was approved for the prevention of the acute complications of SCD. During the last several years there has been a dramatic increase in research into treatments that address distinct elements of SCD pathophysiology and even new curative approaches that provide new hope to patients and physicians for a clinically consequential disease that has long been neglected.
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The current study aimed to determine if it was feasible and acceptable to use ecological momentary assessment to assess individual associations between biopsychosocial contributors to chronic abdominal pain with 2 objective sensors and a mobile application. Specifically, we aimed to determine if it was possible to identify individualized associations between idiopathic pain associations. The goal was to determine if idiographic profiles have clinical value while the field works torward consensus about nomothetic trends. ⋯ Findings provide initial support for the use of ecological momentary assessment over a 2-week period to inform and create personalized profiles for improved clinical care in this population.
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Because of the pain and opioid epidemic in the United States, there is a need to update clinician's knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding persistent pain across health care disciplines. The aim of this study was to determine if health care professionals can positively change their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding chronic pain, following a pain neuroscience education (PNE) lecture and 1 year follow-up. ⋯ PNE resulted in a positive clinical impact for health care providers treating patients with persistent pain. The mechanism of this effect may be about healthier attitudes and beliefs regarding persistent pain rather than increased knowledge about pain.