European journal of pain : EJP
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Psychological variables and acute post-operative pain are of proven relevance for the prediction of persistent post-operative pain. We aimed at investigating whether pain-specific psychological variables like pain catastrophizing add to the predictive power of acute pain and more general psychological variables like depression. ⋯ Our results suggest that pain-specific psychological variables such as pain anxiety and pain hypervigilance add significantly to the prediction of persistent post-operative pain and might even outperform established predictors such as acute pain and general psychological variables. Clinicians might benefit from the development of time-economic screening tools based on these variables.
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Motor neuron diseases (MND) represent a group of disorders that evolve with inexorable muscle weakness and medical management is based on symptom control. However, deeper characterization of non-motor symptoms in these patients have been rarely reported. ⋯ We report a comprehensive evaluation of pain and sensory abnormalities in motor neuron disease (MND) patients. We assessed the different pain syndromes present in MND with validated tools, and described the QST and conditioned pain modulation profiles in a controlled design.
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Review Meta Analysis
Exercise for the prevention of low back and pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The effect of exercise in prevention of low back and pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy is uncertain. This study aimed to assess the effect of exercise on low back pain, pelvic girdle pain and associated sick leave. ⋯ Exercise has a small protective effect against low back pain during pregnancy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose combination of ibuprofen and caffeine in the management of moderate to severe dental pain after third molar extraction.
Ibuprofen is an effective analgesic treatment with a ceiling effect at doses above 400 mg. This study compared the combination of ibuprofen 400 mg and caffeine 100 mg with ibuprofen 400 mg monotherapy, caffeine and placebo in the analgesic treatment of moderate to severe acute dental pain following third molar extraction. ⋯ This trial showed superior efficacy of 400/100 mg ibuprofen/caffeine, compared to 400 mg ibuprofen alone, for treating acute pain, reflecting that caffeine is an effective analgesic adjuvant. Data on efficacy of 400 mg ibuprofen combined with caffeine for the treatment of acute pain were not available yet.
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In the neurophysiological assessment of patients with neuropathic pain, laser evoked potentials (LEPs), contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) and the evoked potentials by the intraepidermal electrical stimulation via concentric needle electrode are widely agreed as nociceptive specific responses; conversely, the nociceptive specificity of evoked potentials by surface concentric electrode (SE-PREPs) is still debated. ⋯ Capsaicin-induced epidermal denervation abolishes laser evoked potentials (LEPs) and contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs), but leaves unaffected pain-related evoked potentials by surface concentric electrode (SE-PREPs). These findings suggest that unlike LEPs and CHEPs, SE-PREPs are not selectively mediated by nociceptive system.