Pain physician
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Comment Letter Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Comment on "Safety and Efficacy of Platelet Rich Plasma for Treatment of Lumbar Discogenic Pain: A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind Study".
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Multicenter Study
Aspirin Cessation Before Interventional Procedures: Not Blindly Following Guidelines but Making Test-based Decisions.
Deciding whether to continue or discontinue aspirin prior to interventional procedures is a major concern for pain physicians. Many guidelines have been published on the discontinuation of aspirin before invasive procedures; however, the recommendations are inconsistent and do not consider individual platelet function. Furthermore, many studies have shown a high prevalence of aspirin resistance in patients taking this medication. ⋯ The high prevalence of normal platelet function in patients taking aspirin suggests no necessity of discontinuation before procedures in such patients. Abnormal platelet function can occur even in patients who are not taking aspirin. Therefore, platelet function should be measured and considered on a case-by-case basis prior to interventional procedures, and discontinuation of aspirin should be decided based on these factors.