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Long read sequencing overcomes challenges in the diagnosis of SORD neuropathy.

Biallelic mutations in sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) have been recently identified as a common cause of recessive axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMT2). We aimed to assess a novel long-read sequencing approach to overcome current limitations in SORD neuropathy diagnostics due to the SORD2P pseudogene and the phasing of biallelic mutations in recessive disease.

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The Relationship between Fatty Acids and the Development, Course and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

For this systematic review, a search of the relevant literature was conducted in the EMBASE and PubMed databases. We used the following terms: 'rheumatoid arthritis' in conjunction with 'fatty acid'. The following inclusion criteria had to be satisfied for the studies to be included in the analysis: an RCT/observational/cohort study published in English. A total of seventy-one studies were analysed. The presented systematic review of the available data indicates that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) may have a beneficial effect on human health by decreasing pain and disease activity in patients with RA. The beneficial effect of unsaturated FA on the clinical parameters of RA was demonstrated in all 71 studies analysed. The content of omega-3 FAs in the diet and the consumption of fish, which are their main source, may contribute to a reduced incidence of RA. FAs are an essential component in the synthesis of eicosanoids that exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Due to the documented positive influence of unsaturated FAs on treatment outcomes, the use of a diet rich in long-chain unsaturated FAs should be the standard of care, along with pharmacotherapy, in the treatment of RA patients. An important element in the control of the treatment process should be the routine assessment of the quality of life of RA patients.

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Efficacy and Safety of a New Sustained-released Pregabalin Formulation Compared with Immediate-release Pregabalin in Patients with Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Randomized Non-inferiority Phase 3 Trial.

This study investigated whether a new sustained-release (SR) pregabalin formulation is non-inferior to immediate-release (IR) pregabalin in alleviating peripheral neuropathic pain in Korean patients.

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Antagonistic Effect and Mechanism of Gabapentin on Neuropathic Pain in Rats through P38 MAPK Signaling Pathway.

The etiology of neuropathic pain is complex, and the patients are distressed. In order to master more accurate information in the treatment of human nerve tissue and improve the efficiency of treatment, this paper discusses the antagonistic effect of gabapentin on neuropathic pain in rats through the p38 MAPK signal pathway. Thirty-six female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups, 12 in each group. One group was spinal nerve ligation group (SNL group), gabapentin Group (GBP group, spinal nerve ligation and intraperitoneal injection of gabapentin (50 mg/kg)) and sham operation group (sham group, no spinal nerve ligation, other surgical procedures were the same as SNL group), At 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after operation, the paw contraction latency (TWL) and mechanical paw contraction threshold (MWT) were detected. Then, the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in dorsal root ganglia was detected by SPSS statistical analysis. Compared with the sham group, MWT and TWL in the SNL group and GBP group were lower at each time point after the operation (all P < 0.05). MWT and TWL in the GBP group were higher than those in the SNL group at 5 and 7 days after the operation (all P < 0.05). In addition, compared with the sham group, the expression of TLR4 in the dorsal root ganglia of the SNL group was significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the expression of TLR4 in the GBP group was not significantly increased (P > 0.05). Compared with the SNL group, the expression of TLR4 in the dorsal root ganglion of the GBP group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Thus, gabapentin combined therapy can effectively reduce the degree of pain in patients with significant efficacy, high safety and fewer adverse reactions.

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Pain in Intensive Care: A Narrative Review.

All critically ill adult patients in intensive care units (ICU) typically experience pain. Critically ill adults suffer pain of different intensities. It depends on individual characteristics, specific procedural interventions, and underlying diseases. Inadequate management of acute pain is a risk factor for the emergence of chronic pain, where the incidence is up to 33% into the ICU survivor population. For the management of pain, agitation, and delirium, several coexisting clinical practice guidelines have been published. The first problem is that the patient recovered in intensive care unit should not be able to communicate its pain state. Opioids are the analgesic drugs of choice in critically ill patients with non-neuropathic pain. All intravenous opioids have the same effects, respecting the equianalgesic table. Observational research has shown that opioids are the main analgesic treatment in over 80% of mechanically ventilated patients. It is interesting that opioid consumption in an ICU and the memory of painful experience are linked to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder after ICU discharge. In order to reduce the side effects and maintain analgesia, it is useful to associate adjuvant medications with opioids. An opportunity to improve patients' experience in an ICU is to manage pain through multimodal approaches.

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Abnormalities of Thalamic Functional Connectivity in Patients with Migraine: A Resting-State fMRI Study.

Migraine is a common headache disorder. Many studies have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to explore the possible pathogenesis of migraine, but they have not reached consistent conclusions and lack rigorous multiple comparison correction. Thus, this study investigates the mechanisms of migraine development from the perspective of altered functional connectivity (FC) in brain regions by using data-driven and regions of interest (ROI)-based approaches.

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Confronting Racism in Pain Research: A Call to Action.

Racism is an established health determinant across the world. In this 3-part series, we argue that a disregard of how racism manifests in pain research practices perpetuates pain inequities and slows the progression of the field. Our goal in part-1 is to provide a historical and theoretical background of racism as a foundation for understanding how an antiracism pain research framework – which focuses on the impact of racism, rather than "race," on pain outcomes – can be incorporated across the continuum of pain research. We also describe cultural humility as a lifelong self-awareness process critical to ending generalizations and successfully applying antiracism research practices through the pain research continuum. In part-2 of the series, we describe research designs that perpetuate racism and provide reframes. Finally, in part-3, we emphasize the implications of an antiracism framework for research dissemination, community-engagement practices and diversity in research teams. Through this series, we invite the pain research community to share our commitment to the active process of antiracism, which involves both self-examination and re-evaluation of research practices shifting our collective work towards eliminating racialized injustices in our approach to pain research. PERSPECTIVE: We call on the pain community to dismantle racism in our research practices. As the first paper of the 3-part series, we introduce dimensions of racism and its effect on pain inequities. We also describe the imperative role of cultural humility in adopting antiracism pain research practices.

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Confronting Racism in All Forms of Pain Research: A Shared Commitment for Engagement, Diversity, and Dissemination.

This third paper in the "Confronting Racism in All Forms of Pain Research" series discusses adopting an antiracism framework across all pain research disciplines and highlights the significant benefits of doing so. We build upon the previous call to action and the proposed reframing of study designs articulated in the other papers in the series and seek to confront and eradicate racism through a shared commitment to change current research practices. Specifically, we emphasize the systematic disadvantage created by racialization (ie, the Eurocentric social and political process of ascribing racialized identities to a relationship, social practice, or group) and discuss how engaging communities in partnership can increase the participation of racialized groups in research studies and enrich the knowledge gained. Alongside this critical work, we indicate why diversifying the research environment (ie, research teams, labs, departments, and culture) enriches our scientific discovery and promotes recruitment and retention of participants from racialized groups. Finally, we recommend changes in reporting and dissemination practices so that we do not stigmatize or reproduce oppressive forms of power for racialized groups. Although this shift may be challenging in some cases, the increase in equity, generalizability, and credibility of the data produced will expand our knowledge and reflect the pain experiences of all communities more accurately. PERSPECTIVE: Perspective: In this third paper in our series, we advocate for a shared commitment toward an antiracism framework in pain research. We identify community partnerships, diversification of research environments, and changes to our dissemination practices as areas where oppressive forms of power can be reduced.

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Investigating the Long-Term Effect of an Interdisciplinary Multimodal Rehabilitation Program on Levels of Bioactive Lipids and Telomerase Activity in Blood from Patients with Chronic Pain.

Mechanism-based diagnosis and therapies for chronic pain are lacking. However, bio-psycho-social interventions such as interdisciplinary multimodal rehabilitation programs (IPRPs) have shown to be relatively effective treatments. In this context we aim to investigate the effects of IPRP on the changes in levels of bioactive lipids and telomerase activity in plasma, and if these changes are associated with changes in pain intensity and psychological distress. This exploratory study involves 18 patients with complex chronic pain participating in an IPRP. Self-reports of pain, psychological distress, physical activity, and blood samples were collected before the IPRP and at a six-month follow-up. Levels of arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), stearoylethanolamide (SEA), and telomerase activity were measured. Pain intensity was decreased, and SEA levels were increased at the six-month follow up. A significant correlation existed between changes in SEA levels and pain intensity. AEA levels, were inversely correlated with physical activity. Furthermore, 2-AG and telomerase activity was significantly correlated at the six-month follow-up. This study confirms that IPRP is relatively effective for reduction in chronic pain. Changes in SEA were correlated with changes in pain intensity, which might indicate that SEA changes reflect the pain reduction effects of IPRP.

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Mechanisms, Mediators, and Moderators of the Effects of Exercise on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is an adverse effect of neurotoxic antineoplastic agents commonly used to treat cancer. Patients with CIPN experience debilitating signs and symptoms, such as combinations of tingling, numbness, pain, and cramping in the hands and feet that inhibit their daily function. Among the limited prevention and treatment options for CIPN, exercise has emerged as a promising new intervention that has been investigated in approximately two dozen clinical trials to date. As additional studies test and suggest the efficacy of exercise in treating CIPN, it is becoming more critical to develop mechanistic understanding of the effects of exercise in order to tailor it to best treat CIPN symptoms and identify who will benefit most. To address the current lack of clarity around the effect of exercise on CIPN, we reviewed the key potential mechanisms (e.g., neurophysiological and psychosocial factors), mediators (e.g., anti-inflammatory cytokines, self-efficacy, and social support), and moderators (e.g., age, sex, body mass index, physical fitness, exercise dose, exercise adherence, and timing of exercise) that may illuminate the relationship between exercise and CIPN improvement. Our review is based on the studies that tested the use of exercise for patients with CIPN, patients with other types of neuropathies, and healthy adults. The discussion presented herein may be used to (1) guide oncologists in predicting which symptoms are best targeted by specific exercise programs, (2) enable clinicians to tailor exercise prescriptions to patients based on specific characteristics, and (3) inform future research and biomarkers on the relationship between exercise and CIPN.

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