European journal of pain : EJP
-
Studies relating occupational psychological and social factors to back pain have traditionally investigated a small number of exposure factors. The current study explored longitudinally a comprehensive set of specific psychological/social and mechanical work factors as predictors of back pain severity (defined as the product of back pain intensity and duration). Employees from 28 organizations in Norway, representing a wide variety of occupations, were surveyed with a follow-up period of 2 years. ⋯ After adjustment for age, sex, skill level, back pain severity at T1 and other exposure factors estimated to be potential confounders, the most consistent predictors of back pain were the protective factors decision control [lowest OR 0.68; 99% confidence interval (CI): 0.49-0.95], empowering leadership (lowest OR 0.59; 99% CI: 0.38-0.91) and fair leadership (lowest OR 0.54; 99% CI: 0.34-0.87). Some of the most important predictors included in this study were factors that have previously received little attention in back pain research. This emphasizes the importance of extending the list of factors possibly contributing to back pain.
-
The incidence of chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) after various common operations is 10% to 50%. Identification of patients at risk of developing chronic pain, and the management and prevention of CPSP remains inadequate. The aim of this study was to develop an easily applicable risk index for the detection of high-risk patients that takes into account the multifactorial aetiology of CPSP. ⋯ Five predictors multivariately contributed to the prediction of CPSP: capacity overload, preoperative pain in the operating field, other chronic preoperative pain, post-surgical acute pain and co-morbid stress symptoms. These results suggest that several easily assessable preoperative and perioperative patient characteristics can predict a patient's risk of developing CPSP. The risk index may help caregivers to tailor individual pain management and to assist high-risk patients with pain coping.
-
Comparative Study
Assessing carrageenan-induced locomotor activity impairment in rats: comparison with evoked endpoint of acute inflammatory pain.
Most animal models currently used to evaluate antinociceptive efficacy of analgesics rely on the assessment of evoked pain behaviours as primary endpoints. ⋯ The results presented here demonstrate that CLAIM provides an objective assessment of non-evoked pain behaviours for acute inflammatory pain. The pharmacological profile of standard analgesics supports that CLAIM model can be used to identify agents to treat acute inflammatory pain in the clinic.
-
Previous studies suggest that pain management by analgesic medications may be low among children. This study aims to investigate analgesic use and its correlates among children in Germany. ⋯ Analgesic use appears to be low among children in Germany, reflecting largely the fact that pain perceived among children under ambulant care may be mild to moderate and does not need analgesic medications. As the majority of paediatric analgesics were self-medicated, use of analgesics still should be closely monitored particularly among specific subpopulations such as adolescents to avoid potential abuse.
-
The effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphisms on pain is modified by depressive symptoms.
Variations within the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene have been associated with pain severity in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Psychological factors such as personal conflicts, life stress and depression, are well known to be associated with onset, severity and chronicity of pain disorders. ⋯ Our results indicate that variants within the COMT gene are associated with pain perception. However, this association is highly moderated by the absence or presence of lifetime depressive symptoms.