Current medical research and opinion
-
Editorial
Introduction: chronic pain studies of the lidocaine patch 5% using the Neuropathic Pain Scale.
The manifestation of pain in any individual patient may result from a variety of underlying mechanisms that also may vary from one disease state to another. Global measures of pain intensity and relief are inadequate for characterizing specific pain qualities or identifying the unique effects of pain treatments on different pain qualities. The Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) is a recently developed measure designed to assess distinct pain qualities and may allow differentiation of therapeutic effects, even in cases where global pain response may be similar. Three studies are presented that provide preliminary evidence for the utility of the NPS for characterizing distinct pain qualities and changes in pain qualities in patients treated with the lidocaine patch 5% for a variety of neuropathic and non-neuropathic chronic pain conditions, including low-back pain, osteoarthritis, post-herpetic neuralgia, and painful diabetic neuropathy.
-
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Use of the lidocaine patch 5% in reducing intensity of various pain qualities reported by patients with low-back pain.
To determine the impact of the lidocaine patch 5% on pain qualities associated with low-back pain (LBP) through use of the Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS). ⋯ In patients with moderate-to-severe LBP, 2 weeks and 6 weeks of treatment with the lidocaine patch 5% significantly reduces the intensity of pain qualities as measured by all 4 NPS composite measures. Lidocaine patch 5% is well tolerated with few systemic AEs and may provide beneficial pain relief for patients receiving multidisciplinary treatment without increasing risks for adverse drug interactions. Pain scales such as the NPS offer the ability to measure various pain qualities experienced by LBP patients and may allow clinicians to assess the treatment impact of different medications.
-
Bipolar disorder greatly impacts health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical and social functioning, employment, and work productivity, and greatly increases health-care utilization and costs. Our objective was to characterize how bipolar disorder impacts HRQoL, work impairment, and health-care utilization and costs. ⋯ Bipolar disorder imposes a tremendous burden on patients and the health-care system, resulting in decreased HRQoL and increased medical and work impairment costs. Limited data suggest that appropriate management can improve HRQoL and functioning while reducing utilization and cost.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Epidural block with ropivacaine and bupivacaine for elective caesarean section: maternal cardiovascular parameters, comfort and neonatal well-being.
To determine cardiovascular effects and neonatal outcome of ropivacaine 0.75% and bupivacaine 0.5% for elective epidural caesarean section. ⋯ Both drugs produced equally satisfactory epidural block. Although ropivacaine 0.75% resulted in a greater decrease of maternal heart rate, this effect did not influence neonatal well-being. Both ropivacaine 0.75% and bupivacaine 0.5% can therefore be recommended for epidural anaesthesia in elective caesarean section.