Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 2020
ReviewMechanisms and mode of action of spinal cord stimulation in chronic neuropathic pain.
Tonic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used as a treatment for chronic neuropathic pain ever since its discovery in late 1960s. Despite its clinical successes in a subset of chronic neuropathic pain syndromes, several limitations such as insufficient pain relief and uncomfortable paresthesias have led to the development of new targets, the dorsal root ganglion, and new stimulation waveforms, such as burst and high frequency. The aim of this review is to provide a brief overview of the main mechanisms behind the mode of action of the different SCS paradigms. ⋯ Tonic SCS concurrently initiates neuropathic pain modulation through a supraspinal-spinal feedback loop and serotonergic descending fibers. Mechanisms of stimulation of the DRG as well as those related to new SCS paradigms are now under investigation, where it seems that burst SCS not only stimulates sensory, discriminative aspects of pain (like Tonic SCS) but also emotional, affective, and motivational aspects of pain. Initial long-term study results on closed-loop SCS systems hold promise for improvement of future SCS treatment.
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 2020
Meta AnalysisCOVID-19 and comorbidities: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
SARS-CoV-2 has caused a worldwide pandemic that began with an outbreak of pneumonia cases in the Hubei province of China. Knowledge of those most at risk is integral for treatment, guideline implementation, and resource allocation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate comorbidities associated with severe and fatal cases of COVID-19. ⋯ Diabetes was more prevalent among fatal cases [24.89% (95%CI: 18.80%, 32.16%)] compared to total cases [9.65% (95%CI: 6.83%, 13.48%)]. Respiratory diseases had a higher prevalence in fatal cases [10.89% (95%CI: 7.57%, 15.43%)] in comparison to total cases [3.65% (95%CI: 2.16%, 6.1%)]. Studies assessing the mechanisms accounting for the associations between severe cases and hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory diseases are crucial in understanding this new disease, managing patients at risk, and developing policies and guidelines that will reduce future risk of severe COVID-19 disease.
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 2020
Editorial ReviewInterventional pain management in patients with cancer-related pain.
Invasive interventional procedures for managing pain in cancer patients are often underutilized following the popularization of the WHO analgesic ladder. The procedures that were successfully used until then were relegated away from mainstream palliative care practice, with the advent of newer opioids and adjuvants. Even though nerve blocks, intrathecal pumps and spinal cord stimulation were reintroduced as the fourth step of the WHO ladder, often referrals for these procedures are too late to produce a meaningful effect on quality of life. ⋯ ITDDs, neuromodulation and ever-increasing use of procedures routinely used in treating chronic nonmalignant pain would be the mainstay of interventional management until AI and nanotechnology would open doors for novel treatment options. Interventions should not be used as a last resort after multiple failed attempts at opioid therapy, but as an integral part of a management strategy including medical management, psychological and emotional welfare, and supportive care of the patient in a holistic manner. The curriculum of specialists should include appropriate training to safely perform and produce better quality evidence to validate the efficacy and safety of these challenging procedures.
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 2020
ReviewOral semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, renal impairment, or other comorbidities, and in older patients.
Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) often have comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease, and a large and growing proportion of the T2D patient population is over 65 years. There are many therapies for the treatment of T2D but not all are suitable for patients with comorbidities. Oral semaglutide is a tablet formulation of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) and was recently approved for the treatment of T2D, representing an oral alternative to injectable GLP-1RAs. ⋯ There was no effect of age on glycemic efficacy of oral semaglutide and the presence of upper gastrointestinal disease or hepatic impairment did not affect the pharmacokinetics of semaglutide. Across the trials, the safety profile of oral semaglutide was as expected for a GLP-1RA, with gastrointestinal adverse events most commonly reported. As such, oral semaglutide provides an effective oral GLP-1RA treatment option in older patients and/or those with comorbidities, with no requirements for dose adjustment.
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 2020
Practical guidance for use of oral semaglutide in primary care: a narrative review.
As the cornerstone of type 2 diabetes (T2D) management within the community, primary care providers are now faced with the challenge of not only managing diabetes itself, but also preventing hypoglycemia and weight gain associated with intensive disease management, and reducing cardiovascular risk. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are well established as efficacious treatments for T2D, and the safety/tolerability profile of this drug class is well defined. However, despite their beneficial effects, GLP-1RAs are under-utilized, highlighting the need for novel approaches to increase their use in primary care. ⋯ Due to the formulation of oral semaglutide, clinicians need to be aware of specific considerations in order to ensure optimal use. Such considerations include dosing conditions and use of concomitant medications. This article provides practical guidance on the use of oral semaglutide in the primary care setting, based on evidence from clinical studies, including the phase 3a PIONEER program, and the authors' clinical experience.