Articles: pain-clinics.
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Placebos are often used by clinicians, usually deceptively and with little rationale or evidence of benefit, making their use ethically problematic. In contrast with their typical current use, a provocative line of research suggests that placebos can be intentionally exploited to extend analgesic therapeutic effects. Is it possible to extend the effects of drug treatments by interspersing placebos? We reviewed a database of placebo studies, searching for studies that indicate that placebos given after repeated administration of active treatments acquire medication-like effects. ⋯ Third, using placebos along with active medication, for part of the course of treatment, should limit dose escalation and lower costs. Provided that nondisclosure is preauthorized in the informed consent process and that robust evidence indicates therapeutic benefit comparable to that of standard full-dose therapeutic regimens, introducing dose-extending placebos into the clinical arsenal should be considered. This novel prospect of placebo use has the potential to change our general thinking about painkiller treatments, the typical regimens of painkiller applications, and the ways in which treatments are evaluated.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Aug 2016
Comment ReviewAdverse event assessment and reporting in trials of newer treatments for post-operative pain.
Assessment and reporting of adverse events (AEs) in studies of perioperative interventions is critical given the potential for unintended and preventable iatrogenic morbidity and mortality. This focused review evaluated the quality of AE assessment and reporting in acute post-operative pain treatment trials. Since older analgesics (e.g., opioids, NSAIDs) already have a well-characterized safety profile, we concentrated on trials of pregabalin and gabapentin as a representative sample of studies where the perioperative safety profile was relatively unknown. ⋯ Considerable widespread improvements are needed in AE reporting for post-operative pain treatment trials. In addition to heightened awareness among clinical investigators, mandatory journal editorial policies may further facilitate improvements in safety assessment and reporting.
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Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are common and incur substantial personal and economic costs. Research has shown that persistent posttraumatic stress reactions predict poorer functional recovery in WAD; however, the specific mechanism through which this occurs is unclear. The current study is the first to examine the direct impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in WAD using laboratory tested pain measures. ⋯ Findings from the current study highlight the negative impact of PTSD on both physical and psychological outcomes in chronic WAD. From a clinical perspective, data suggest that patients exposed to accident cues may experience arousal that lowers their threshold to certain pain stimuli. Further investigation of effective multidisciplinary interventions and in particular the treatment of PTSD in WAD is identified as an important area of further investigation.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Aug 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialEvaluation of the efficacy of solifenacin and darifenacin for prevention of catheter-related bladder discomfort: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
Urinary catheterization during surgical interventions causes postoperative catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD). Antimuscarinic agents are the mainstay of treatment for overactive bladder (OAB). As the symptoms of CRBD mimic to OAB, so we designed this study to assess the efficacy of solifenacin and darifenacin for prevention of CRBD. ⋯ Pretreatment with oral solifenacin or darifenacin reduces catheter-related bladder discomfort with no clinically relevant significant side effects.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2016
Predicting the Best Fit: A Comparison of Response Surface Models for Midazolam and Alfentanil Sedation in Procedures with Varying Stimulation.
Selecting an effective dose of sedative drugs in combined upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy is complicated by varying degrees of pain stimulation. We tested the ability of 5 response surface models to predict depth of sedation after administration of midazolam and alfentanil in this complex model. The procedure was divided into 3 phases: esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), colonoscopy, and the time interval between the 2 (intersession). ⋯ The reduced Greco model had the lowest objective function value and AICc and thus the best fit. This model was reliable with acceptable predictive ability based on adequate clinical correlation. We suggest that this model has practical clinical value for patients undergoing procedures with varying degrees of stimulation.