Articles: analgesics.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Clinical and resource utilization patterns in patients with refractory neuropathic pain prescribed pregabalin for the first time in routine medical practice in primary care settings in Spain.
To describe clinical and resource utilization patterns in patients with refractory neuropathic pain (NeP) who were prescribed pregabalin for the first time in routine medical practice in primary care settings. ⋯ These findings suggest that primary care physicians chose pregabalin as an option for treating refractory patients who tended to have much more severe NeP profiles, costing society more than when they chose other therapeutic strategies not including pregabalin.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Prevalence and impact of constipation and bowel dysfunction induced by strong opioids: a cross-sectional survey of 520 patients with cancer pain: DYONISOS study.
To describe the prevalence of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with cancer pain according to the Knowles-Eccersley-Scott symptom score (KESS), the different symptoms of opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OIBD), and to assess the impact of OIBD on patient's quality-of-life. ⋯ Cancer patients taking opioids for pain are very frequently constipated, even if they are prescribed laxatives. This leads to relevant impairments of quality-of-life.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Use of analgesic and sedative drugs in VLBW infants in German NICUs from 2003-2010.
Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants frequently receive analgesia and/or sedation for painful procedures and mechanical ventilation to avoid negative stress. Yet, concerns remain regarding potential adverse long-term effects of these drugs on VLBW infants' neurocognitive outcome. Recent studies have shown that less invasive surfactant application (LISA) and early nasal CPAP treatment reduce the need for mechanical ventilation and painful procedures. Therefore, these measures might also reduce the application of analgesic and/or sedative drugs in VLBW infants. To evaluate this hypothesis and to identify potential changes in analgesic treatment concepts in recent years, we retrospectively analyzed data on analgesia and sedation, respiratory support, and the method of surfactant application in VLBW infants enrolled in the German Neonatal Network (GNN) trial between 2003 and 2009 (period 1) and compared it with data from infants participating in GNN in 2010 (period 2). In both periods, about one third of all infants were treated with analgesic and/or sedative drugs using a wide variety of substances. The administration of novel drugs such as propofol, sufentanil, or intravenous paracetamol was higher in 2010 (6.7 vs. 12.2 %). Infants who were treated with CPAP only received significantly less analgesic/sedative medication than infants who were mechanically ventilated (12 vs. 65 %, p=<0.001). Similarly, infants treated with LISA received less analgesic or sedative drugs as compared to infants who received surfactant via endotracheal intubation (36 vs. 63 %, p=0.001). ⋯ Although both avoidances of mechanical ventilation and less invasive surfactant application are associated with reduced analgesic or sedative treatment, the percentage of VLBW infants who received analgesia and/or sedation remained unchanged in Germany in recent years.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Golden plaster for pain therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Osteoarthritis is a relatively common musculoskeletal disorder that increases in prevalence with age. Worldwide, knee osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of disability, particularly in the elderly. In numerous trials of agents for long-term pain therapy, no well-established and replicable results have been achieved. Complementary and alternative medical approaches have been employed for thousands of years to relieve knee osteoarthritis pain. Among herbal medicines, the golden plaster is the preferred and most commonlyused method in China to reduce pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis, as it causes few adverse effects. The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the efficacy and safety of golden plaster on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis. ⋯ This study will be a methodologically sound randomized controlled trial to assess pain relief after the intervention of golden plaster, compared to a placebo intervention in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Nov 2013
Multicenter Study Observational StudyMethadone treatment improves tuberculosis treatment among hospitalized opioid dependent patients in Ukraine.
Ukraine's volatile syndemics of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) introduces numerous treatment challenges for each condition, including high mortality and development of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). ⋯ MMT integrated into inpatient TB treatment significantly improves retention in TB treatment and TB medication adherence among PWIDs. These findings call for policy change to increase the number of MMT sites in TB facilities and make MMT a low-threshold treatment option for opioid dependence in Ukraine.