Trending Articles
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Sensory and affective pain descriptors respond differentially to pharmacological interventions in neuropathic conditions.
Pain management is limited by inability to match a patient's condition-and pain mechanisms-to optimal treatment(s). Much is known about pain treatment from animal investigations, but antinociceptive mechanisms cannot be readily explored in clinical studies. Evidence suggests that self-report verbal pain descriptors characterize important pain dimensions and may reflect diverse underlying mechanisms. ⋯ These results point to the hypothesis that sensory and affective pain descriptor profiles exhibit a treatment-specific response. Larger, more definitive, investigations to evaluate treatment-specific effects on multiple sensory and affective pain descriptors, and prediction of treatment response by these descriptors, will advance efforts toward developing and implementing more effective individualized pain therapies.
-
Journal of chemotherapy · Aug 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparative analysis of azithromycin and clarithromycin efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of chronic prostatitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.
A total of 123 patients, older than 18 years of age, with symptoms of chronic prostatitis and inflammatory findings as well as the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis confirmed by DNA/RNA DIGENE hybridization method in expressed prostatic secretion or in voided bladder urine collected immediately after prostatic massage, were examined. The patients were randomized to receive a total of 4.5 g of azithromycin for 3 weeks, given as a 3-day therapy of 1 x 500 mg weekly or clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. for 15 days. ⋯ In the group of patients with chronic chlamydial prostatitis the eradication rates (azithromycin 37/46, clarithromycin 36/45) and the clinical cure rates (azithromycin 32/46, clarithromycin 32/45) were not significantly different with regards to the administered drug (p > 0.05). In the group of patients with asymptomatic chlamydial prostatitis the eradication rates (azithromycin 11/16, clarithromycin 10/15) were not significantly different with regards to the administered drug (p = 1.00, OR = 1.1).
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Low-dose vaporized cannabis significantly improves neuropathic pain.
We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluating the analgesic efficacy of vaporized cannabis in subjects, the majority of whom were experiencing neuropathic pain despite traditional treatment. Thirty-nine patients with central and peripheral neuropathic pain underwent a standardized procedure for inhaling medium-dose (3.53%), low-dose (1.29%), or placebo cannabis with the primary outcome being visual analog scale pain intensity. Psychoactive side effects and neuropsychological performance were also evaluated. Mixed-effects regression models demonstrated an analgesic response to vaporized cannabis. There was no significant difference between the 2 active dose groups' results (P > .7). The number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve 30% pain reduction was 3.2 for placebo versus low-dose, 2.9 for placebo versus medium-dose, and 25 for medium- versus low-dose. As these NNTs are comparable to those of traditional neuropathic pain medications, cannabis has analgesic efficacy with the low dose being as effective a pain reliever as the medium dose. Psychoactive effects were minimal and well tolerated, and neuropsychological effects were of limited duration and readily reversible within 1 to 2 hours. Vaporized cannabis, even at low doses, may present an effective option for patients with treatment-resistant neuropathic pain. ⋯ The analgesia obtained from a low dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (1.29%) in patients, most of whom were experiencing neuropathic pain despite conventional treatments, is a clinically significant outcome. In general, the effect sizes on cognitive testing were consistent with this minimal dose. As a result, one might not anticipate a significant impact on daily functioning.
-
Clinical breast cancer · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialRandomized phase II study of primary systemic chemotherapy and trastuzumab for operable HER2 positive breast cancer.
In primary systemic therapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2(+)) breast cancer, improvements in pathologic complete response (pCR) rate have been achieved by administering trastuzumab. ⋯ There was no significant difference in pCR rate between FEC-PH and FEC-DH. Both regimens achieved higher pCR rates in HR(-) than HR(+) breast cancer, and there was a trend toward higher pCR in HR(-) tumors with FEC-PH compared with FEC-DH. Further investigation is warranted to explore the relationship between efficacy and HR status.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparison of cilostazol and pentoxifylline for treating intermittent claudication.
We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial to evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of cilostazol and pentoxifylline. ⋯ Cilostazol was significantly better than pentoxifylline or placebo for increasing walking distances in patients with intermittent claudication, but was associated with a greater frequency of minor side effects. Pentoxifylline and placebo had similar effects.