European journal of pain : EJP
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Current clinical trials indicate that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is effective in reducing drug-resistant neuropathic pain (NP). However, there is a lack of studies evaluating the long-term feasibility and clinical efficacy of rTMS in large patient cohorts in real-world conditions. ⋯ Multiple rTMS sessions demonstrate long-term efficacy and safety in treating drug-resistant neuropathic pain. Extending session numbers for the test period can enhance responder identification, especially in patients with initial low pain relief. This identification refines patient selection for neurosurgery, reducing non-responders. Central neuropathic pain shows higher success rates than peripheral. For post-stroke central pain, patients with ischemic stroke are more likely to respond than those with hemorrhagic stroke. These results support integrating rTMS into clinical practice for managing neuropathic pain.
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Functional neuroimaging studies indicate that central transmission of trigeminal pain may commence up to 48 h prior to the onset of headache. Whether these cyclic changes are associated with somatosensory alteration remains incompletely understood. ⋯ Our data suggest the existence of a somatosensory behavioural correlate of the functional neuroimaging changes starting 48 h before the onset of headache. Despite the concurrence of the behavioural and functional neuroimaging changes in a chronological sequence, the next step in elucidating the cause of migraine is to combine the behavioural and functional neuroimaging changes in a temporal sequence, i.e. to identify the generator behind the cyclic sensory fluctuation.
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Whether fibromyalgia burden is related to measures of sensitization, assessed by quantitative sensory testing (QST), is not clear. We examine the associations between sensitization and fibromyalgia disease burden as measured by the polysymptomatic sistress scale (PDS) and the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) (range 0-100). ⋯ In patients with fibromyalgia, commonly used measures of sensitization do not explain the symptom burden or the functional impact.
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Prior exposure to others' facial expressions of pain can lead to a facilitation of pain responses, including its corresponding response channel, namely facial responses to pain. It has been questioned, however, whether this vicarious pain facilitation occurs only when observing others' pain or whether the observation of other negative expressions can trigger similar facilitation of facial responses to pain. The study aimed to test this, by comparing the impact of viewing others' facial expressions of pain versus another negative expression (sadness) and two control expressions (neutral, happiness) on facial responses to pain. ⋯ Facial responses to pain - along with subjective and autonomic responses - are reduced when observing others' expressions of happiness, demonstrating pain modulation by positive affective social signals, which may also transfer to clinical contexts.
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Pain is the leading cause of disability and reduced quality of life worldwide. Despite the increasing burden for patients and healthcare systems, pain research remains underfunded and under focused. Having stakeholders identify and prioritize areas that need urgent attention in the field will help focus funding topics, reduce 'research waste', improve the effectiveness of pain research and therapy and promote the uptake of research evidence. In this study, the European Pain Federation (EFIC) developed a Pain Research Strategy for Europe. ⋯ EFIC has developed a Pain Research Strategy for Europe that identifies pain research areas deserving the most focus and financial support. Implementation and wide dissemination of this Strategy is vital to increase the conduct of urgent pain projects, pain research funding and the implementation of research findings into practice, to ultimately decrease the personal, societal and financial burden of pain.