Pain
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Facial expressions of pain are not undefined grimaces, but they convey specific information about the internal state of the individual in pain. With this systematic review, we aim to answer the question of which facial movements are displayed most consistently during pain. We searched for studies that used the Facial Action Coding System to analyze facial activity during pain in adults, and that report on distinct facial responses (action units [AUs]). ⋯ This subset was found independently of the cognitive status of the individuals and was stable across clinical and experimental pain with only one variation, namely that eye closure (AU43) occurred more frequently during clinical pain. This subset of pain-related facial responses seems to encode the essential information about pain available in the face. However, given that these pain-related AUs are most often not displayed all at once, but are differently combined, health care professionals should use a more individualized approach, determining which pain-related facial responses an individual combines and aggregates to express pain, instead of erroneously searching for a uniform expression of pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Pain assessment in advanced dementia.Validity of the German Painad -a prospective double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial.
Pain in combination with dementia is a common condition that makes pain recognition significantly more difficult. This results in undertreatment of pain in those suffering from dementia. The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) scale currently represents one of the best approaches to pain detection in dementia. ⋯ Equally, none of the other 3 observational tools were able to demonstrate a significant difference between the study groups. However, correlations among the 4 observational tools were mostly moderate to high. A number of possible reasons for this observation, such as difficulties regarding sensitivity to change/responsiveness, consistence of the fundamental construct, influence of the early onset study, and efficacy of the analgesic in advanced dementia are discussed.
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Meta Analysis
Genome-wide association reveals contribution of MRAS to painful temporomandibular disorder in males.
Painful temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are the leading cause of chronic orofacial pain, but its underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Although many environmental factors have been associated with higher risk of developing painful TMD, family and twin studies support a heritable genetic component as well. We performed a genome-wide association study assuming an additive genetic model of TMD in a discovery cohort of 999 cases and 2031 TMD-free controls from the Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment (OPPERA) study. ⋯ Male mice, but not female mice, with a null mutation of Mras displayed persistent mechanical allodynia in a model of inflammatory pain. Genetic and behavioral evidence support a novel mechanism by which genetically determined MRAS expression moderates the resiliency to chronic pain. This effect is male-specific and may contribute to the lower rates of painful TMD in men.
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The way people with musculoskeletal disorders deal with pain influences their prognosis. Psychosocial factors that influence outcomes include fear of movement, coping, self-efficacy, and catastrophizing. A 3-round modified Delphi study was conducted with the aim to reach consensus on the most appropriate questionnaires to assess these 4 psychosocial factors in patients at risk of developing persistent musculoskeletal pain. ⋯ The highest ranked questionnaires (maximally 5 per factor) were retained for round 3, in which the experts made a final assessment of the questionnaires and provided their positive and negative experiences with the questionnaires. Consensus was reached for the following questionnaires to assess (1) fear of movement: Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire and Tampa Scale (full version or 11-item version); (2) coping: Coping Strategies Questionnaire (initial or revised version) and Chronic Pain Coping Index; (3) self-efficacy: Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (full version or 2-item version); and (4) catastrophizing: Pain Catastrophizing Scale and the revised version of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Although other questionnaires can be considered in specific circumstances, these questionnaires are recommended in people with musculoskeletal pain.