Articles: chronic-pain.
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Little is known about the treatment Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans receive for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). We sought to describe the prevalence of prescription opioid use, types, and doses of opioids received and to identify correlates of receiving prescription opioids for CNCP among OEF/OIF veterans. ⋯ Prescription opioid use is common among OEF/OIF veterans with CNCP and is associated with several pain diagnoses and medical conditions.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Efficacy and safety of tanezumab in the treatment of chronic low back pain.
Increased nerve growth factor levels are associated with chronic pain conditions, including chronic low back pain (LBP). This study examined safety and analgesic efficacy of tanezumab, a humanized anti-nerve growth factor antibody, in adults with chronic LBP. Patients received intravenous tanezumab 200 μg/kg plus oral placebo (n=88), intravenous placebo plus oral naproxen 500 mg twice a day (n=88), or intravenous placebo plus oral placebo (n=41). ⋯ Nine patients (4 of whom were tanezumab-treated) discontinued due to AEs. In conclusion, tanezumab resulted in analgesic efficacy that was clinically and statistically superior to placebo and naproxen in patients with chronic LBP. Tanezumab clinical development is on regulatory hold due to AEs in osteoarthritis patients.
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The comorbidity of pain syndromes and trauma-related syndromes has been shown to be high. However, there have been limited data, especially in civilian medical populations, on the role of trauma-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on chronic pain and pain medication use. We analyzed 647 general hospital patients in primary care and obstetrics and gynecological waiting rooms for the experience of trauma and PTSD-related stress disorders. ⋯ When analyzing the separate PTSD symptom subclusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal), all symptom clusters were significantly related to pain and pain-related impairment ratings, but only the avoidance cluster was significantly related to prior opioid pain medication use. We conclude that PTSD and trauma-related disorders are common in impoverished medical populations and that their presence should be examined in patients with pain syndromes. Furthermore, these data suggest that PTSD and pain may share a vulnerability pathway, including the endogenous opioid neurotransmission systems.