Articles: cations.
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The thermal grill illusion of pain (TGIP) is a paradoxical burning pain sensation elicited by the simultaneous application of innocuous cutaneous warm and cold stimuli with a thermode ("thermal grill") consisting of interlaced heated and cooled bars. Its neurophysiological mechanisms are unclear, but TGIP may have some mechanisms in common with pathological pain, including central sensitization in particular, through the involvement of N-methyl- d -aspartate receptors. However, few studies have investigated TGIP in patients with chronic pain and its clinical relevance is uncertain. ⋯ The percentage of TGIP responses and the intensity and unpleasantness of TGIP were significantly greater in patients than controls. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between TGIP intensity and clinical pain intensity and between TGIP intensity and the cold pain threshold measured on the hand. These results are consistent with our working hypothesis of shared mechanisms between TGIP and clinical pain mechanisms in patients with nociplastic chronic pain syndromes and suggest that TGIP might represent a clinical marker of central sensitization in these patients.
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Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) clinical trials have historically captured a diverse range of outcomes. A minimum set of CRPS patient-reported outcomes has been agreed for inclusion in a future CRPS international clinical research registry and data bank. This study aimed to identify a complementary set of core clinical outcomes. ⋯ Final outcomes recommended for inclusion in the core clinical set were record of medications, presence of posttraumatic stress disorder, extent of allodynia, and skin temperature difference between limbs. Study findings provide robust recommendations for core clinical outcome data fields in the future CPRS international clinical research registry. Alongside patient-reported outcomes, these data will enable a better understanding of CRPS.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2023
Investigating the Association Between a Risk-Directed Prophylaxis Protocol and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: Validation in a Low-Income Setting.
The efficacy of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prevention protocols in low-income countries is not well known. Different surgical procedures, available medications, and co-occurring diseases imply that existing protocols may need validation in these settings. We assessed the association of a risk-directed PONV prevention protocol on the incidence of PONV and short-term surgical outcomes in a teaching hospital in Rwanda. ⋯ A risk-directed PONV prophylaxis protocol was associated with reduced vomiting and time to first oral intake after implementation. There was no substantial difference in the slopes of vomiting incidence and time to first oral intake before and after implementation.
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Although evidence suggests that racial and ethnic minority (REM) patients receive inadequate pain management in the acute care setting, it remains unclear whether these disparities also occur during the prehospital period. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of race and ethnicity on prehospital analgesic use by emergency medical services (EMS) in trauma patients. ⋯ Patients from racial and ethnic minority groups were less likely to receive prehospital pain medication after traumatic injury than White patients. Forms of conscious and unconscious bias contributing to this inequity need to be identified and addressed.
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Pain science education (PSE) is commonly integrated into treatments for childhood-onset chronic pain. A core component of PSE is learning about, and often reconceptualizing, the biology of chronic pain. Yet, few interventions have been developed specifically for young adults and little is known about how young adults conceptualize the biology of pain. This study used a qualitative methodology to examine how young adults with childhood-onset chronic pain understand the biology of pain, and the language they use in this meaning-making process, which may inform future interventions tailored to this age group. ⋯ This study provides new qualitative insights reflecting a variety of ways that young adults with childhood-onset chronic pain conceptualize pain. Some conceptualizations of pain align with modern pain science principles (altered function of nervous and endocrine systems) while others conflict (unhealed injury). Health professionals can use these findings to tailor their pain education interventions by leveraging concepts that 'stick' for youth, being aware of, and interrogating, common misconceptions, and offering language and metaphors familiar to youth.