European journal of pain : EJP
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of morphine in needle procedures in children with cancer.
The aim was to investigate whether children experience less fear, distress, and/or pain when they receive oral morphine vs. placebo before a needle is inserted in a subcutaneously implanted intravenous port when combined with topical anesthesia. ⋯ We could not reject the null hypothesis that there is no difference between the oral morphine and placebo groups assuming an effect size of 15 mm on VAS. Therefore it seems that oral morphine at 0.25 mg/kg does not give any additional reduction of fear, distress or pain compared with placebo when combined with topical anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing subcutaneous port needle insertion, and would not be expected to be of any advantage for similar procedures such as venipuncture and venous cannulation when topical anesthesia is used.
-
To determine the association of severe pain with socioeconomic characteristics. ⋯ This study demonstrated significant associations between pain and socio-economic disadvantage. Apart from the direct impact upon the individual, this clearly has wider societal implications in terms of additional health and social care costs for affected people.
-
Comparative Study
Estrogen receptors localization in the spinal trigeminal nucleus: an immunohistochemical study in humans.
There is increasing evidence for estrogenic modulation of neurotransmission within the trigeminal pain pathway. It is also likely that the effects of estrogens may be influenced by the presence and localization of estrogen receptors (ERs) in a given brain area. To date, human data on the localization of ERs in the spinal trigeminal nucleus (STN), a key brain region in craniofacial nociception, are lacking. ⋯ This study is the first to provide evidence in humans that ER immunoreactivity is detectable on neuronal and glial cells of the STN. The two ER subtypes exhibited different expression patterns, with higher expression levels of ERα than ERβ. The presence of ER-containing cells in the STN suggests that estrogens may directly affect trigeminal neuron excitability in humans.
-
Herpes zoster results from the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which is often accompanied by a prodrome of dermatomal pain. Little is known about the burden of prodromal pain. ⋯ The burden of prodromal pain is significant and should be considered when evaluating the overall benefit of herpes zoster vaccination.