Pain
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Botulinum toxin injection for management of thoracic outlet syndrome: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
We studied the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injections to the scalene muscles on pain in subjects with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) in this double-blind, randomized, parallel group trial with follow-up at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Thirty-eight patients referred to physiatrists for management of TOS with BTX-A injection were included. One subject was lost to follow-up and all other subjects completed the trial. ⋯ For the primary outcome measure of VAS scores for pain at 6 weeks, the difference in the means adjusted for baseline VAS scores between placebo and BTX-A was 5.03 mm in favor of BTX-A (95% confidence interval -15.7 to 5.7, P=.36). Changes in secondary outcome measures were also not statistically significant. We conclude that BTX-A injections to the scalene muscles did not result in clinically or statistically significant improvements in pain, paresthesias, or function in this population of subjects with TOS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Targeting temporomandibular disorder pain treatment to hormonal fluctuations: a randomized clinical trial.
Mounting evidence supports the importance of hormonal fluctuations in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain among women. Stabilizing influential hormones or having a plan and skills for coping with hormonally related increases in TMD pain, therefore, may be beneficial for women with TMD pain. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the short- and long-term efficacy of 3 interventions for women with TMD pain: (1) dental hygienist-delivered pain self-management training (SMT; n=59); (2) the same dental hygienist-delivered pain self-management training, but with a focus on menstrual cycle-related changes in pain and other symptoms (targeted SMT, or TSMT; n=55); and (3) continuous oral contraceptive therapy (6-month trial) aimed at stabilizing hormones believed to be influential in TMD pain (COCT; n=57). ⋯ The benefits of the self-management interventions relative to COCT for pain and activity interference were statistically significant at 12 months, but not at 6 months, whereas the benefits for the process measures generally were apparent at both time points. COCT was associated with multiple adverse events (none serious). The study provides further support for long-term benefits of a safe, low-intensity (2 in-person sessions and 6 brief telephone contacts), dental hygienist-delivered self-management treatment for TMD pain.
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Case Reports Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Drug-induced liver injury following a repeated course of ketamine treatment for chronic pain in CRPS type 1 patients: a report of 3 cases.
Studies on the efficacy of ketamine in the treatment of chronic pain indicate that prolonged or repetitive infusions are required to ensure prolonged pain relief. Few studies address ketamine-induced toxicity. Here we present data on the occurrence of ketamine-induced liver injury during repeated administrations of S(+)-ketamine for treatment of chronic pain in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1 as part of a larger study exploring possible time frames for ketamine re-administration. ⋯ In all patients, the ketamine infusion was promptly terminated and the liver enzymes slowly returned to reference values within 2 months. Our data suggest an increased risk for development of ketamine-induced liver injury when the infusion is prolonged and/or repeated within a short time frame. Regular measurements of liver function are therefore required during such treatments.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The effects of total and REM sleep deprivation on laser-evoked potential threshold and pain perception.
We investigated the effects of total and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation on the thermal nociceptive threshold and pain perception using the objective laser-evoked potential (LEP) and the subjective visual analogue scale (VAS). Twenty-eight male adult volunteers were assigned into Control (CTRL), Total (T-SD), and REM (REM-SD) Sleep Deprivation groups. The T-SD and REM-SD volunteers were totally or selectively deprived of sleep for 2 and 4 consecutive nights, respectively. ⋯ No significant variations were observed in the REM-SD group, suggesting a predominant role for slow wave sleep rather than selective REM-SD in pain perception. Also, for both sleep-deprived groups, the mean values of the LEP threshold and VAS ratings showed a gradual increase that was proportional to the SD deprivation time, followed by a decrease after 1 night of sleep restoration. These findings demonstrate a hyperalgesic modification to pain perception (as reflected by the augmented VAS) and a concomitant increase in the LEP threshold following T-SD, an apparently contradictory effect that can be explained by differences in the ways that attention affects these pain measurements.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Efficacy of botulinum toxin type A for treatment of persistent myofascial TMD pain: a randomized, controlled, double-blind multicenter study.
Evidence of an effect by botulinum toxins is still lacking for most pain conditions. In the present randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover multicenter study, the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) was investigated in patients with persistent myofascial temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Twenty-one patients with myofascial TMD without adequate pain relief after conventional treatment participated. ⋯ The number needed to treat was 11 after 1 month and 7 after 3 months. There were no significant changes after treatment in any other outcome measures, with the exception of pain on palpation, which decreased 3 months after saline injection (P<.05). These results do not indicate a clinical relevant effect of BTX-A in patients with persistent myofascial TMD pain.