Pain physician
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While the use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has increased dramatically in the past 2 decades, concern exists about the safety of opioids, particularly with the extensive use among individuals with CNCP. ⋯ This study found no association between use of opioids and risk of T2D among non-cancer adults.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Influence of CYP2D6 activity on pre-emptive analgesia by the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist dextromethorphan in a randomized controlled trial of acute pain.
There is some evidence that dextromethorphan (DM) is effective as a pre-emptive analgesic agent. DM is mainly metabolized to dextrorphan (DOR) by CYP2D6 whose activity can be inhibited by pharmacologic intervention. ⋯ CYP2D6 inhibition by quinidine influenced the pre-emptive analgesic effectiveness of DM confirming that CYP2D6 phenotypic switch increases the neuromodulatory effect of oral dextromethorphan.
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Reports of chronic pain and associated opioid use, abuse, and fatalities continue to increase at an alarming rate, not only in the United States but also across the globe. In light of the many resultant fatalities, multiple authors and authorities have cautioned against the excessive use of opioids. Consequently, the Food and Drug Administration, Drug Enforcement Administration, and multiple state authorities have been proposing and implementing a plethora of regulations to curb opioid overuse and abuse. In the majority of cases, pain physicians have been portrayed as the perpetrators responsible for escalating use and abuse and resultant fatalities. ⋯ This study shows an overwhelming majority of patients were initiated and maintained with opioids in managing chronic noncancer pain. They were frequently on high doses over a long period of time with multiple drug combinations prescribed by primary care physicians.
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Clinical Trial
Repeated onabotulinumtoxin-a injections provide better results than single injection in treatment of painful bladder syndrome.
Onabotulinumtoxin-A (BoNT-A) is effective for the treatment of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). However, long-term follow-up does not show successful outcome after a single injection. ⋯ Repeated intravesical BoNT-A injections were safe and effective for pain relief and they increased bladder capacity and provided a better long-term success rate than a single injection did for treatment of IC/PBS.
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Hypogonadism is frequently diagnosed based on total testosterone (TT) levels alone. However, 99% of testosterone is bound to the sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with only 1% free testosterone. Alternative assessment methods consist of assay of free testosterone (FT) or bioavailable testosterone (BT) by equilibrium dialysis, calculation of FT and BT through the Vermeulen equations, and calculation of the free androgen index (FAI). ⋯ Hypogonadism is common in patients undertaking intrathecal opioid therapy for the management of chronic non-malignant pain; however, diagnostic criteria can influence the diagnosis of this side effect. The assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis should include evaluation of total serum testosterone, free testosterone, or bioavailable testosterone.