Current pain and headache reports
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2024
ReviewThe Ethical Stewardship of Artificial Intelligence in Chronic Pain and Headache: A Narrative Review.
As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are becoming more pervasive in medicine, understanding their ethical considerations for chronic pain and headache management is crucial for optimizing their safety. ⋯ We reviewed thirty-eight editorial and original research articles published between 2018 and 2023, focusing on the application of AI and ML to chronic pain or headache. The core medical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice constituted the evaluation framework. The AI applications addressed topics such as pain intensity prediction, diagnostic aides, risk assessment for medication misuse, empowering patients to self-manage their conditions, and optimizing access to care. Virtually all AI applications aligned both positively and negatively with specific medical ethics principles. This review highlights the potential of AI to enhance patient outcomes and physicians' experiences in managing chronic pain and headache. We emphasize the importance of carefully considering the advantages, disadvantages, and unintended consequences of utilizing AI tools in chronic pain and headache, and propose the four core principles of medical ethics as an evaluation framework.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2024
ReviewLong-Term Outcome After Discontinuation of CGRP-Targeting Therapy for Migraine.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-targeting agents are potential candidates for disease-modifying migraine drugs. However, most studies on CGRP-targeting agents have assessed efficacy outcomes rather than long-term effects after discontinuation. This review aimed to synthesize and scrutinize the latest clinical data on the outcomes after the discontinuation of CGRP-targeting therapy in patients with episodic and chronic migraine, with a particular focus on chronic migraine. ⋯ Real-world studies involving patients with migraine have reported consistent findings of worsened headache frequency and quality of life after the discontinuation of CGRP monoclonal antibodies (CGRP mAbs). Although many patients maintain improvements for up to 4 months after discontinuation compared to baseline (before starting CGRP mAbs), no studies have evaluated the effects of stopping treatment for > 5 months, which is the five-half-life of CGRP mAbs. Several studies have suggested that patients treated with CGRP receptor mAbs experience more rapid deterioration than those treated with CGRP ligand mAbs after discontinuing CGRP mAbs. The results of real-world studies suggest that for many patients with migraine, the benefits of CGRP mAbs diminish months after discontinuation. Therefore, anti-CGRP therapies may not be considered disease-modifying. However, the comprehensive assessment of the disease-modifying potential of these drugs requires studies with extended treatment and cessation durations.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2024
Review Meta AnalysisThe Role of Platelet Rich Plasma in Vertebrogenic and Discogenic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
The present investigation evaluates clinical uses and roles of platelet rich plasma in the management of vetrebrogenic and discogenic mediated pain states. ⋯ Back pain is a common and significant condition that affects millions of people around the world. The cause of back pain is often complex and multifactorial, with discogenic and vertebrogenic pain being two subtypes of back pain. Currently, there are numerous methods and modalities in which back pain is managed and treated such as physical therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, pharmacotherapies, and platelet-rich plasma. To conduct this systematic review, the authors used the keywords "platelet-rich plasma", "vertebrogenic pain", and "discogenic pain", on PubMed, EuroPMC, Who ICTRP, and clinicaltrials.gov to better elucidate the role of this treatment method for combating vertebrogenic and discogenic back pain. In recent decades, there has been a rise in popularity of the use of platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of numerous musculoskeletal conditions. Related to high concentration of platelets, growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines, platelet-rich plasma is effective in reducing pain related symptoms and in the treatment of back pain. Platelet-rich plasma use has evolved and gained popularity for pain related conditions, including vertebrogenic and discogenic back pain. Additional well-designed studies are warranted in the future to better determine best practice strategies to provide future clinicians with a solid foundation of evidence to make advancements with regenerative medical therapies such as platelet-rich plasma.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2024
ReviewAdvances in Exercise in the Clinical Trials of Migraine: A Scoping Review.
This review aimed to investigate emerging evidence regarding the effectiveness of exercise for migraines, focusing on the results of recent trials. Additionally, it explored the possibility of exercise as a treatment for migraines. ⋯ Between 2020 and 2023, five, four, one, and two trials were conducted regarding the effect of aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise, Tai Chi, and yoga, respectively, on migraine; all studies showed significant effects. Two trials on aerobic exercise showed that high-intensity exercise was similar to or slightly more effective than moderate-intensity exercise as a treatment for migraines. Three trials on anaerobic exercise reported its effectiveness in preventing migraines. Regarding efficacy, side effects, and health benefits, aerobic exercises and yoga are potentially beneficial strategies for the prevention of migraines. Further studies are needed to develop evidence-based exercise programs for the treatment of migraines.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Jul 2024
ReviewTriptans in the Acute Migraine Management of Children and Adolescents: An Update.
To summarize recent findings regarding triptan use in the acute treatment of pediatric migraine. ⋯ Prevalence of pediatric migraine is rising. The American Headache Society and American Academy of Neurology updated guidelines to provide evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of acute migraine in youth. In the setting of a dearth of new randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we review current guidelines, triptan use in the emergency department, and an era of secondary analyses. Measuring the efficacy of triptans in pediatric migraine has been challenged by high placebo response rates. Secondary analyses, combining data from multiple RCTs, support that triptans are safe and effective in the treatment of migraine. Triptans are a vital tool and the only FDA-approved migraine-specific treatment available in pediatrics. There is a need for further studies and funding support in pediatric headache medicine.