The Clinical journal of pain
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A study of 25 patients was carried out to determine the efficacy of interscalene block (ISB) for the treatment of chronic upper extremity pain. An RSD score was used to categorize these patients. Seventeen of the 25 patients had less pain after ISB, and 14 also had increased range of motion of the affected limb. ⋯ ISB was compared with stellate ganglion block (SGB) in patients undergoing both treatments. ISB seemed to be at least as effective as SGB for treatment of RSD/causalgia and may have some advantages over SGB. The role of somatic and sympathetic blockade is discussed.
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No standardized criteria for the diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) are in common use. An RSD score scoring system of diagnostic criteria is proposed. Diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy by RSD score correlated well with clinical diagnosis in a group of 25 patients who had treatment for chronic upper extremity pain. Standardization of diagnostic criteria with the RSD score should enhance comparison of the outcomes of studies concerning the treatment of RSD.
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We report the case of a woman with presumed cancer pain treated with escalating doses of opiates despite no evident improvement in her pain and several deleterious side effects. ⋯ This case report illustrates some of the hazards of opioid therapy in the management of patients with chronic pain. Our patient's opiate therapy was expensive, gave her undesirable side effects, and did not reduce her pain complaints or improve her function. In the treatment of chronic pain, of noncancerous or cancerous origin, a) systemic opioids may not be effective in reducing pain complaints in every patient, b) treatment efficacy evaluation should always include functional endpoints, and c) nonefficacious treatments should not be continued indefinitely.
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Review
Detoxification of nonopiate drugs in the chronic pain setting and clonidine opiate detoxification.
Although the pain physician is most familiar with the treatment of the opiate withdrawal syndrome, other drugs are abused by the chronic pain patient. The pain physician should then be familiar with the withdrawal syndromes associated with other drug groups. ⋯ Drug detoxification protocols for these drugs are reviewed. Additionally, the rationale for clonidine opiate detoxification is discussed, and current clonidine detoxification protocols are reviewed.
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Thirty-six subjects participated in an 18-month follow-up of a secondary prevention program for back pain of recent onset. The follow-up assessment included most of the same instruments used in the original study. In addition, interviews were conducted to ascertain help and hindrance factors for maintaining improvements during the follow-up period. ⋯ A cost-benefit analysis indicated substantial economic savings when follow-up sick-listing data were compared with estimates based on an increasing trend for pain-related absenteeism found during the baseline period. Hindrance factors reported by subjects were related to personal time-management and workplace factors, especially psychosocial aspects of the work environment. It was concluded that the secondary prevention program was effective and that future maintenance programs should focus more on personal time-management and workplace factors.