YokoCo

Photobiomodulation therapy (PTB) is a therapeutic possibility for temporomandibular disorders (TMD), but its effectiveness and protocols for use remain controversial. This study is a RCT that compared the effectiveness of PTB on pain points of the masticatory muscles and TMJs, located through palpation versus application of pre-established points in women with painful TMD, diagnosis by DC/TMD (Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders – Brazilian Portuguese version). Therefore, a total sample of 54 women, aged between 18 and 60 years, was investigated. Volunteers were randomly randomized and PTB was applied in four different groups with a dose of 4 J and 6 J divided into pre-established application points (PE – G1) and pain points (PD – G2) – Groups 4PE, 4PD, 6PE and 6PD. Four laser applications were performed with a wavelength of 780 nm, one session per week, totaling one month of therapy. The following assessments were performed: DC/TMD, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), McGill Questionnaire – Short Version (SF-MPQ) and Pain Intensity, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Friedman's test was used for within-group comparisons, while the Mann-Whitney test was used for between-group comparisons (p < 0.05). According to the results, laser application on pain points (G2) was more effective. McGill's results showed that regardless of dose, the pain point application group had better outcomes (p = 0.004). Pain intensity evaluation (last days) also showed that application at the pain points was more effective regardless of dose (p = 0.0002). Medians and interquartile deviations showed overall that PTB was more effective at pain points, with a trend towards better outcomes at the 6 J dose. Therefore, it can be concluded that in women with chronic painful TMD, the application of PTB at pain points is more effective than the application at pre-established points. Therefore, individualized PTB protocols are proposed, based on examination palpation of the masticatory structures.

What is the central question of this study? Peritoneal injury can result in a persistent fibroproliferative process in the abdominal cavity, causing pain and loss of function of internal organs. This study aimed to demonstrate the use of sodium butyrate (NaBu) as a potential agent to attenuate peritoneal fibrosis induced by a synthetic matrix. What is the main finding and its importance? Our findings provide the first evidence that NaBu attenuates the inflammatory, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis axes involved in the formation of peritoneal fibrovascular tissue, indicating the potential of this compound to ameliorate peritoneal fibrosis.

To describe evidence of migraine-associated tinnitus and hearing loss.

Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) suffer disproportionately from COVID-19. To inform clinical management of OUD patients, research is needed to identify characteristics associated with COVID-19 progression and death among this population. We aimed to investigate the role of OUD and specific comorbidities on COVID-19 progression among hospitalized OUD patients.

Appropriate use of opioid analgesics is a key concern within the field of pain medicine. Several methods exist to discourage abuse and facilitate effective treatment regimens. Pill counting is often cited as one such method and frequently employed in varying fashions within clinical practice. However, to date, there is no published review of the evidence to support this practice. This was a comprehensive review of the available literature that was conducted with analysis of the efficacy and practical application of pill counting during treatment of chronic pain conditions.

This paper explores Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) as a tool enabling understanding of city's pain treatment in an intercity longitudinal study. An intensive 13-month monitoring programme was undertaken in two adjacent urban areas in South-West England: a small commuter town Keynsham and the city of Bath (>180 samples collected). The study has shown a great potential of using triangulated WBE and National health Service (NHS) prescription data in understanding pain treatment in two contrasting communities with strong apparent seasonal patterns of short pain medications vs chronic pain treatment as well as the type of treatment used (e.g. oral vs topical). Community-wide usage of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol in the intercity study is population size and season driven with the highest usage recorded in winter months. This contrasts with other pain pharmaceuticals, especially those used for chronic pain, where no/limited seasonal usage was recorded. Unmetabolized NSAIDs are, to a large extent, directly disposed of into the sewerage system bypassing metabolism due to their topical application. This is particularly apparent in winter months with naproxen showing the highest seasonal variability. Pharma/met (ratio of pharmaceutical and its metabolite concentration) analysis allows for tracking topical (non-metabolic) application/down-the-drain disposal of pharmaceuticals with frequent instances of direct disposal of NSAIDs into the sewerage system observed. Normalisation of pharma markers to population size shows comparable estimates of pharma usage in the two cities confirming population as the main driver of pharma loads in wastewater. Variable application patterns of pain pharmaceuticals make back-calculation of intake more convoluted. Intake calculated using percentage excretion of parent NSAIDs will likely lead to overestimation, as it is assumed that NSAIDs are subject to extensive metabolism (this is not the case for topical applications). Intake calculated using percentage excretion of metabolites (or parent compound) as consumption markers leads to underestimation of NSAIDs usage due to contributions from topical application not being accounted for. Prescription data indicates cumulative internal and topical usage, but the data ignores large proportion of over-the-counter usage. Therefore, we have proposed a combined approach allowing for estimation of total usage including, and differentiating between, topical application and oral administration.

We aimed to evaluate patients with acute ataxia and to determine the warning clinical factors in the early prediction of neurological emergencies.

Caffeine consumption is a risk factor for chronic daily headache, but few studies have addressed relationships between pediatric patient caffeine levels and headache severity. We examined associations between serum and urine caffeine levels and headache severity in childhood and adolescence migraine cases.

This study aimed to investigate the implementation and pain-related outcomes of a peri-operative pain management regimen for patients undergoing pelvic exenteration surgery at a university teaching hospital.