Pain
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Central poststroke pain (CPSP) is a central neuropathic pain condition caused by a cerebrovascular lesion affecting the central somatosensory nervous system. Once developed, CPSP is difficult to treat, so there is an interest in identifying stroke patients at risk for the development of CPSP. This study examined if sensory abnormalities, including evoked dysesthesia, allodynia, or hyperalgesia to static and dynamic touch, cold, and pinprick, at stroke onset are a predictor for the development of CPSP. ⋯ The presence of allodynia, hyperalgesia, or dysesthesia in response to the sensory examination at stroke onset increased the odds for CPSP at 6months by 4.6 (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval 1.5-13.9). The combination of reduced or absent sensation to pinprick or cold and early evoked pain or dysesthesia at onset increased odds by 8.0 (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval 2.6-24.8). In conclusion, early evoked pain or dysesthesia is a predictor for CPSP.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for the Control of Pain during Rehabilitation Following Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA): A Randomized, Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
This study evaluated the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in reducing pain and hyperalgesia and increasing function after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We hypothesized that participants using TENS during rehabilitation exercises would report significantly lower pain during range-of-motion (ROM) activity and fast walking but not at rest, would have less hyperalgesia, and would have better function than participants receiving placebo-TENS or standard care. We also hypothesized that change in ROM pain would differ based on psychological characteristics (trait anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and depression) and treatment group. ⋯ Both TENS and placebo-TENS participants had less postoperative mechanical hyperalgesia (P=.03-.01) than standard care participants. Supplementing pharmacologic analgesia with TENS during rehabilitation exercises reduces movement pain postoperatively, but a placebo influence exists and the effect is gone by 6 weeks. Patients with low anxiety and pain catastrophizing may benefit most from TENS.
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Veterans have high rates of chronic pain and long-term opioid therapy (LTOT). Understanding predictors of discontinuation from LTOT will clarify the risks for prolonged opioid use and dependence among this population. All veterans with at least 90 days of opioid use within a 180-day period were identified using national Veteran's Health Affairs (VHA) data between 2009 and 2011. ⋯ LTOT is common in the VHA system and is marked by extended duration of use at relatively low daily doses with few discontinuation events. Opioid discontinuation is more likely in veterans with mental health and substance use disorders. Further research is needed to delineate causes and consequences of opioid discontinuation.