The Clinical journal of pain
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We describe a case of spontaneous complex regional pain syndrome developing first in the left arm and 2 years later in the right foot of a 14-year-old girl. Physical examination showed abnormalities in tactile and thermal sensitivity. ⋯ We suggest that the observed electrophysiologic alterations could result from a temporary dysfunction of attentional systems, which are assumed to contribute greatly to the LEPs vertex complex. Further studies are needed to test this hypothesis.
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The aim was to investigate whether increased pericranial tenderness or decreased pressure pain threshold (PPT) was related to headache intensity, duration, and frequency in chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). ⋯ Increased tenderness may predispose the patients to other perpetuating factors in inducing headache attacks. Further research is needed to clearly define the role of pericranial tender tissues or other factors in the genesis and maintenance of CTTH.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Does systematic graded exposure in vivo enhance outcomes in multidisciplinary chronic pain management groups?
Graded exposure in vivo (GEXP) treatment has been successfully used to reduce levels of pain-related fear and disability in some chronic pain patients, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated in general clinical settings using group-design studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if the systematic incorporation of GEXP into a multidisciplinary chronic pain management group (PMG) treatment program would result in better treatment outcomes than usual PMG treatment. ⋯ The addition of systematic graded exposure into a multidisciplinary chronic pain management program did not result in better clinical outcomes than the usual group treatment program. The validity of GEXP to the broader population of chronic pain patients warrants further investigation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Making pain assessment more accessible to children and parents: can greater involvement improve the quality of care?
To determine whether nursing and parental pain assessment documentation and analgesia administration increased with the use of a temporary tattoo of a pain intensity scale (TTPS) compared with a paper version of the pain scale (PPS). To document any adverse skin reactions from the use of the TTPS and to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the PPS and TTPS for use as postoperative pain assessment tools in the home and clinical setting. ⋯ The TTPS is a new method to engage children in pain assessment, which may have positive effects on the quality of postoperative pain assessment and management in hospital and home settings. Larger trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of the TTPS across all pediatric settings and for children with nonsurgical and also surgical pain. The findings from these pilot trials provide useful information for design and power estimation for further research in inpatient and home settings.
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Clinical Trial
Long-term use of controlled-release oxycodone for noncancer pain: results of a 3-year registry study.
To evaluate the outcomes associated with the use of controlled-release (CR) oxycodone for up to 3 years in the treatment of noncancer pain. ⋯ These registry data demonstrate that a subgroup of patients with noncancer pain experienced prolonged relief with tolerable side effects and modest need for dose escalation during long-term therapy with CR oxycodone.