Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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This was a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and impact of a single dog-assisted therapy (cynotherapy) session in reducing pain and emotional distress in oncological outpatients compared with typical waiting room experience (control). ⋯ A single session of dog-assisted therapy can provide immediate improvement in the perception of pain and distress for patients with chronic cancer pain in an outpatient setting, with high satisfaction rates and no negative occurrences. This nonrandomized pilot study points toward the clinical relevance of implementing cynotherapy at a cancer pain clinic and developing a larger scale, more directed study.
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This systematic review and meta-analysis examined relationships between low back pain (LBP)-related disability and pain beliefs, including pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear, self-efficacy, and back pain beliefs, in non-English-speaking populations. Additionally, the effects of selected cultural factors (i.e., language/geographic area) on the strength of relationships were examined. ⋯ LBP-related disability was associated with pain-related beliefs, with consistency demonstrated for each pain belief construct across divergent non-English-speaking populations. Further research examining cultural factors, such as ethnicity or religion, and with a more diverse population is warranted.
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Meta Analysis
Efficacy and Safety of N-acetylcysteine for the Management of Chronic Pain in Adults: A Systematic Review & Meta-analysis.
To assess the efficacy and safety of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of chronic pain. ⋯ While there is some evidence to indicate N-acetylcysteine may provide analgesic efficacy for certain pain conditions, there is insufficient evidence to provide definitive evidence on NAC in chronic pain management. Larger-size RCTs spanning a variety of chronic pain conditions are needed to determine N-acetylcysteine's role, if any, in pain medicine.
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The objective of this overview is to discuss the development, implementation, data content, and structure of the Uniformed Services University Pain Registry Biobank. Additionally, procedures and policies for accessing samples for pain-related research purposes are detailed. ⋯ The Uniformed Services University Pain Registry Biobank will serve as a platform for conducting research closely aligned with the Federal Pain Research Strategy. The inclusion of active duty service members, beneficiaries, and civilians living with and without acute or chronic pain provides a unique data repository for all investigators interested in advancing pain science.
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Review
Assessing variation in state opioid tapering laws: Comparing state laws with the CDC guideline.
In 2016, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released an opioid prescribing guideline for primary care in response to opioid overdose deaths. Despite efforts to encourage safer prescribing practices, experts and federal agencies suspect prescribing guidelines may be misapplied in clinical practice, resulting in abrupt tapering from opioid therapy. Although state laws likely influence prescriber behavior, little is known about state tapering laws. Thus, we examined the scope and variation of state tapering laws compared with federal opioid guidelines. ⋯ State tapering laws incorporate some federal guideline attributes but most lack attributes deemed critical by experts. Without clear instruction, patients risk inappropriate tapering and discontinuation of opioid therapy. Given these findings, policymakers should consider addressing this gap.