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Visual Analogue Scale has higher assay sensitivity than WOMAC pain in detecting between-group differences in treatment effects: a meta-epidemiological study.
da Costa, BR, Saadat, P, Basciani, R, Agarwal, A, Johnston, BC, Jüni, P
Osteoarthritis and cartilage. 2021;(3):304-312
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare assay sensitivity of the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for global osteoarthritis pain and the Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) pain subscale, and the associated between-trial heterogeneity in effect sizes (ES). DESIGN We included trials with placebo, sham or non-intervention control that included at least 100 patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis per arm, reporting both VAS and WOMAC pain scores. ES were calculated as between-group difference in means divided by the pooled standard deviation and compared using a paired t-test. ES and τ2 as a measure of between-trial heterogeneity were combined using random-effects meta-regression with robust variance estimation to account for the correlation of data within trials and meta-analyses. RESULTS Twenty-eight trials with 44 randomized comparisons were included. In 28 comparisons (64%), ES from VAS favoured the intervention more than those from WOMAC pain (P = 0.003). Twenty-six p-values (59%) were smaller according to VAS (P = 0.008). The 44 comparisons contributed to 12 meta-analyses. Eleven meta-analyses (92%) showed larger benefits of interventions according to VAS, with a combined overall difference in ES of -0.08 (95% CI -0.14 to -0.02). τ2 was similar for VAS and WOMAC pain (difference in τ2, -0.003, 95% CI -0.009 to 0.004). CONCLUSION The VAS for global pain had slightly higher assay sensitivity at trial and meta-analysis levels than the WOMAC pain subscale without relevant increase in between-trial heterogeneity.
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Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs for Pain Resulting from Intravitreal Injections: A Meta-Analysis.
Popovic, MM, Muni, RH, Nichani, P, Kertes, PJ
Ophthalmology. Retina. 2020;(5):461-470
Abstract
TOPIC The role of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the reduction of ocular pain after intravitreal injections (IVIs) has been explored. To provide clarity on the evidence for these agents, the present meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was undertaken. CLINICAL RELEVANCE No standard of care regimen exists for the management of pain resulting from IVIs. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central from inception through July 2019. The RCTs that treated patients with a topical NSAID and assessed postprocedural pain were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane guidelines. For all analyses, weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Random effects models were used for all analyses. The primary analysis analyzed pain on a 0- to 10-point visual analog scale. Literature estimates were categorized into the following postprocedure time point groups: 1 hour or less, 1 to 24 hours (although data were available only at 6 hours), and 24 hours or more. A subgroup analysis stratified studies based on agent and preprocedure versus postprocedure administration. RESULTS From 241 results, 9 RCTs and 598 eyes were included. A low to medium risk of bias was found across the included studies. The mean pain score on a 0-to-10 visual analog scale was significantly lower after topical NSAID administration relative to control at 1 hour or less after IVI (WMD, -1.01 units; 95% CI, -1.38 to -0.65; P < 0.001), 6 hours after IVI (WMD, -2.17 units; 95% CI, -2.67 to -1.68; P < 0.001; threshold met for clinical significance, defined as WMD >1.2 units), and more than 24 hours after IVI (WMD, -0.75 units; 95% CI, -1.11 to -0.38; P < 0.001). A greater effect size was seen with administration of NSAIDs before versus after IVI, as well as topical nepafenac relative to ketorolac or diclofenac. DISCUSSION At 6 hours after the procedure, NSAIDs provide a clinically meaningful reduction in pain relative to a control group. The administration of NSAIDs before the procedure, specifically topical nepafenac, was associated with the greatest improvement in pain relative to the control group.
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Clinical trials on pain lowering effect of ginger: A narrative review.
Rondanelli, M, Fossari, F, Vecchio, V, Gasparri, C, Peroni, G, Spadaccini, D, Riva, A, Petrangolini, G, Iannello, G, Nichetti, M, et al
Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2020;(11):2843-2856
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Abstract
Ginger has a pain-reducing effect and it can modulate pain through various mechanisms: inhibition of prostaglandins via the COX and LOX-pathways, antioxidant activity, inibition of the transcription factor nf-kB, or acting as agonist of vanilloid nociceptor. This narrative review summarizes the last 10-year of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in which ginger was traditionally used as a pain reliever for dysmenorrhea, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), osteoarthritis (AO), chronic low back pain (CLBP), and migraine. Regarding dysmenorrhea, six eligible studies suggest a promising effect of oral ginger. As concerned with DOMS, the four eligible RCTs suggested a reduction of inflammation after oral and topical ginger administration. Regarding knee AO, nine RCTs agree in stating that oral and topical use of ginger seems to be effective against pain, while other did not find significant differences. One RCT considered the use of ginger in migraine and suggested its beneficial activity. Finally, one RCT evaluated the effects of Swedish massage with aromatic ginger oil on CLBP demonstrated a reduction in pain. The use of ginger for its pain lowering effect is safe and promising, even though more studies are needed to create a consensus about the dosage of ginger useful for long-term therapy.
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Predictive Factors for Access-Site Pain Chronicity after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention via Radial Artery Access.
Brogiene, L, Baksyte, G, Klimaite, A, Paliokas, M, Macas, A
Pain research & management. 2020;:8887499
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and predictive factors for developing chronic access-site (A-S) pain after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via radial artery access. METHODS Data of selected patients (n = 161) who underwent elective PCI were collected prospectively and analysed in 2020. Verbal analogue scale was used to evaluate pain intensity after 12, 24, and 48 h and 3 months after PCI. The univariate logistic regression analysis was used. RESULTS Pain prevalence decreased from 29% straight after PCI and 54% two hours later to 3.7% following 3 months after procedure. The predictors for A-S pain chronicity are diabetes (OR = 5.77 95% CI (1.07-31.08), p = 0.041), hematoma (OR = 6.48, 95% CI (1.06-39.66), p = 0.043), A-S hand neuropathy (OR = 19.93 95% CI (1.27-312.32), p = 0.033), A-S pain immediately after PCI (OR = 14.60 95% CI (1.63-130.27), p = 0.016), after 12 h (OR = 17.2 95% CI (1.60-185.27), p = 0.019), 24 h (OR = 48 95% CI (4.87-487), p = 0.01), and 48 h (OR = 23.46 95% CI (3.81-144.17), p = 0.001), and pain intensity immediately after procedure (OR = 3.30 95% CI (1.65-6.60), p = 0.001), after 2 h (OR = 2.56 95% CI (1.15-5.73), p = 0.022), after 12 h (OR = 3.02 95% CI (1.70-5.39), p < 0.001), after 24 h (OR = 3.58 95% CI (1.90-6.74), p < 0.001), and after 48 h (OR = 2.89 95% CI (1.72-4.87), p < 0.001). Pain control was performed with Ketoprofen and Ibuprofen as most used NSAIDs. 10 mg of Morphine intravenously was the choice from strong opioids if necessary. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of chronic A-S pain is 3.7%. Main predictive factors for the A-S pain chronicity are diabetes, hematoma, and persistent pain and pain intensity during 48 h period after PCI.
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Current understanding of the mixed pain concept: a brief narrative review.
Freynhagen, R, Parada, HA, Calderon-Ospina, CA, Chen, J, Rakhmawati Emril, D, Fernández-Villacorta, FJ, Franco, H, Ho, KY, Lara-Solares, A, Li, CC, et al
Current medical research and opinion. 2019;(6):1011-1018
Abstract
Despite having been referenced in the literature for over a decade, the term "mixed pain" has never been formally defined. The strict binary classification of pain as being either purely neuropathic or nociceptive once left a good proportion of patients unclassified; even the recent adoption of "nociplastic pain" in the IASP Terminology leaves out patients who present clinically with a substantial overlap of nociceptive and neuropathic symptoms. For these patients, the term "mixed pain" is increasingly recognized and accepted by clinicians. Thus, an independent group of international multidisciplinary clinicians convened a series of informal discussions to consolidate knowledge and articulate all that is known (or, more accurately, thought to be known) and all that is not known about mixed pain. To inform the group's discussions, a Medline search for the Medical Subject Heading "mixed pain" was performed via PubMed. The search strategy encompassed clinical trial articles and reviews from January 1990 to the present. Clinically relevant articles were selected and reviewed. This paper summarizes the group's consensus on several key aspects of the mixed pain concept, to serve as a foundation for future attempts at generating a mechanistic and/or clinical definition of mixed pain. A definition would have important implications for the development of recommendations or guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of mixed pain.
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Significant, long-lasting pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea with low-dose naproxen sodium compared with acetaminophen: a double-blind, randomized, single-dose, crossover study.
Daniels, SE, Paredes-Diaz, A, An, R, Centofanti, R, Tajaddini, A
Current medical research and opinion. 2019;(12):2139-2147
Abstract
Objectives: Many women experience menstrual cramps, which adversely affects quality-of-life. Both naproxen and acetaminophen are indicated to relieve menstrual pain. This study assessed the analgesic efficacy of a single, maximum non-prescription dose of naproxen sodium compared with that of acetaminophen in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.Methods: Healthy females with primary dysmenorrhea were included in our double-blind, randomized, crossover study (trial registration no. NCT03448536). When pain was moderate (≥5 on 0-10 numerical rating scale), subjects took a single dose of naproxen sodium (440 mg) and crossed over to acetaminophen (1000 mg) in the next cycle, or vice versa. Total pain relief over 12 h (TOTPAR0-12) was the primary outcome, while secondary outcomes included summed pain intensity differences (SPID) and TOTPAR scores throughout 12 h, and subject overall evaluation of treatment.Results: The per protocol population (n = 189) used naproxen sodium (n = 170) and acetaminophen (n = 160). TOTPAR0-12 was significantly greater with naproxen sodium than acetaminophen (least-squares (LS) mean difference = 4.31; p < .001), and pain intensity was significantly lower (SPID0-12 LS mean difference = 9.80; p < .001). Some measures of pain intensity favoring naproxen sodium became significant at earlier time points (e.g. SPID4-6 LS mean difference = 1.49; p = .02). After 6 h post-dose, naproxen sodium was significantly more effective than acetaminophen, maintained for 12 h (SPID6-12 LS mean difference = 8.27; TOTPAR6-12 LS mean difference = 3.75; both p < .001). Significantly more subjects rated naproxen sodium as good-to-excellent (70.6%) vs acetaminophen (63.1%) (p = .002).Conclusions: A single, maximum non-prescription dose of naproxen sodium was more effective than acetaminophen over 12 h.
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Nociceptive Primitive Reflexes in Neurologically and Cognitively Healthy Aging Subjects.
Camarda, C, Torelli, P, Pipia, C, Azzarello, D, Battaglini, I, Sottile, G, Cilluffo, G, Camarda, R
The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques. 2019;(2):199-208
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess the prevalence of three nociceptive primitive reflexes (nPR), i.e., glabellar tap, snout reflex, and palmomental reflex, in neurologically and cognitively healthy (NCH) aging subjects. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether nPR are cross-sectionally associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMH), lacunes, atrophy of the caudate nuclei, and global brain atrophy. METHODS A total of 1246 NCH subjects aged 45-91 years were included in the study and underwent standard brain MRI. Atrophy of the caudate nuclei and global brain atrophy were assessed through the bicaudate ratio (BCr) and lateral ventricles to brain ratio (LVBr), respectively. WMH were assessed through visual rating scales. Lacunes were also rated. Association of nPR with vascular risk factors/diseases and imaging findings was evaluated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS nPR were exhibited by 33.1% of subjects and increased with age. Subjects with nPR performed less than subjects without nPR in tests evaluating global cognition, executive functions, attention, and language. Snout reflex was the most common nPR, followed by glabellar tap and palmomental reflex. Glabellar tap was associated with parieto-temporal WMH, BCr, and LVBr; snout reflex was associated with frontal lacunes, temporal WMH, BCr, and LVBr; palmomental reflex was associated with parieto-occipital WMH, basal ganglia lacunes, BCr, and LVBr. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that in NCH aging individuals, nPR are associated with WMH, lacunes, BCr, and LVBr and are probably a warning sign of incipient cognitive decline. Therefore, NCH subjects presenting nPR should manage their vascular risk factors/vascular diseases rigorously in order to prevent or delay progression of small vessel disease, and future neurological and cognitive disabilities.
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Comparison of intravenous tramadol versus ketorolac in the management of postoperative pain after oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Degala, S, Nehal, A
Oral and maxillofacial surgery. 2018;(3):275-280
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess the better postoperative analgesic, tramadol, and ketorolac, in patients with maxillofacial trauma and who had undergone maxillofacial surgery, i.e., open reduction internal fixation, under general anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS After taking ethical approval from the institution and informed consent, 46 ASA grade I-II patients were block randomized (ABAB) based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and equally divided into two groups in which one group of patients was given intravenous tramadol 100 mg and another group of patients was given intravenous ketorolac 30 mg at the time of closure of skin and was repeated after 8 and 16 h following surgery. Pain using VAS at the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 24th postoperative was assessed, and association of results was compared using Cramer's V test SPSS (Version 22). Vital signs and side effects were recorded. RESULTS Although both drugs resulted in significant decrease in pain intensity from the 2nd to 24th postoperative hour, intravenous tramadol always resulted in better pain control than intravenous ketorolac at every postoperative hour (p value < 0.05) except at 2nd hour where changes are non-significant (p value > 0.05). CONCLUSION Apart from first 2 h where the changes are non-significant, this study clearly demonstrates the advantage of the intravenous tramadol in the management of postoperative pain and ease of administration in postoperative patient through IV cannula. The side effects of both the drugs were insignificant and did not have any effect on the result.
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Effect of Different Volumes on Pain Relief in Patient Receiving Fluoroscopic Guided Interlaminar Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection.
Makkar, JK, Kumar, B, Jain, K, Dhutt, SS, Batra, YK, Singh, PM
Pain physician. 2018;(3):243-250
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidural steroids injections (ESI) are frequently used to treat lumbar radicular pain. Although different volume have been used for interlaminar ESI in adults, there is no controlled trial comparing the effect of different volumes on pain relief for the same dose of steroid . OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of increase in volume of epidural drug on pain relief in lumbar ESI. STUDY DESIGN Randomized double blind trial SETTING Pain OR of a tertiary care centre METHODS Sixty patients were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups: Group A (4 mL), Group B (6 mL), and Group C (8 mL). Pain was evaluated using visual analog scale (VAS) and improvement in disability using modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire scores (MODQS) at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. Patients having less than 50% pain relief from baseline received an additional epidural injection of the same volume with a maximum of 3 injections at least 15 days apart. The primary objective of the study was incidence of patients attaining more than 50% pain relief at 6 months. Secondary outcome included MODQS and pattern of spread of iodinated contrast on fluoroscopy. RESULTS At the end of 6 months, there was no significant difference in the effective pain relief between the 3 groups (Group A-16/22 (72.7%), Group B-15/20 (75%), Group C-13/18 (72.2%); P = 0.98, chi- square test). All groups demonstrated a significant reduction in mean VAS scores. There was no significant intergroup difference in VAS sores and MODQS at all the time intervals. The pattern of contrast spread did not differ between the 3 groups. LIMITATION Not a placebo controlled trial. CONCLUSIONS An increase in volume of the injectate from 4 mL to 8 mL did not increase the efficacy of interlaminar ESI. KEY WORDS Epidural steroid, volume, low back pain, interlaminar.
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The Relationship between Rate of Algometer Application and Pain Pressure Threshold in the Assessment of Myofascial Trigger Point Sensitivity.
Linde, LD, Kumbhare, DA, Joshi, M, Srbely, JZ
Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain. 2018;(2):224-229
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pressure algometry is a commonly employed technique in the assessment of both regional and widespread musculoskeletal pain. Despite its acceptance amongst clinicians and scientists, the relationship between rate of pressure application (RoA) and pain pressure threshold (PPT) remains poorly understood. We set out to test the hypothesis that a strong, positive, linear relationship exists between the RoA and the PPT within the infraspinatus of young healthy subjects. METHODS Thirty-three participants were randomly recruited from the local university community. PPT measures were recorded from a clinically identified myofascial trigger point within the right infraspinatus muscle during pressure algometry. A total of 2 PPT measures were recorded using each of 3 different RoAs, including low (15 N/s), medium (35 N/s), and high (55 N/s). Three baseline trials were also conducted at 30 N/s. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between RoA and PPT was calculated for each subject and averaged across participants. RESULTS The mean(SD) correlation between subjects was 0.77 (0.19), and the mean (SD) slope of the linear regression was 0.13 (0.09). CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that there is a strong, linear relationship between the RoA and PPT when using the pressure algometry technique. The low slope between RoA and PPT suggests clinicians can rely on PPT assessments despite small RoA fluctuations. Future research should explore this relationship further in a clinical population and in other muscles affected by chronic myofascial pain. Advancing cost-effective, reliable, and clinically feasible tools such as algometry is important to enhancing the diagnosis and management of chronic myofascial pain.