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Paclitaxel (PCX) is the first-line choice for the treatment of several types of cancer, including breast, ovarian and lung cancers. However, patients who receive even a single dose with PCX commonly develop mechanical and cold allodynia, a symptom known as PCX-associated acute pain syndrome (P-APS). Here we assessed possible involvement of kinin-kallikrein and renin-angiotensin systems in P-APS in mice.
Learn More >The self-management of osteoarthritis (OA) and low back pain (LBP) through activity and skills (SOLAS) theory-driven group-based complex intervention was developed primarily for the evaluation of its acceptability to patients and physiotherapists and the feasibility of trial procedures, to inform the potential for a definitive trial.
Learn More >Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a chronic microvascular complication of diabetes. The purpose of this study is to find the underlying mechanism for the effects of acupuncture in DPN rats. Rats were rendered diabetic with a single injection of 35 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). These STZ-diabetic rats were treated with acupuncture for 20 min once daily. The therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture was assessed using mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) evaluations. After 14 days treatment, acupuncture markedly reduced the pathological injury in STZ-diabetic rats. Moreover, it significantly down-regulated P2X4 and OX42 expression along with the reduced levels of inflammatory factors (CXCR3, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), GSP and lipid metabolisms in the spinal cord of the DPN rats. Acupuncture could relieve DPN in rats by regulating P2X4 expression and inflammation in spinal microglia.
Learn More >Chronic pain alters cortical and subcortical plasticity, causing enhanced sensory and affective responses to peripheral nociceptive inputs. Previous studies have shown that ketamine had the potential to inhibit abnormally amplified affective responses of single neurons by suppressing hyperactivity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, the mechanism of this enduring effect has yet to be understood at the network level. In this study, we recorded local field potentials from the ACC of freely moving rats. Animals were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) to induce persistent inflammatory pain. Mechanical stimulations were administered to the hind paw before and after CFA administration. We found a significant increase in the high-gamma band (60-100 Hz) power in response to evoked pain after CFA treatment. Ketamine, however, reduced the high-gamma band power in response to evoked pain in CFA-treated rats. In addition, ketamine had a sustained effect on the high-gamma band power lasting up to five days after a single dose administration. These results demonstrate that ketamine has the potential to alter maladaptive neural responses in the ACC induced by chronic pain.
Learn More >Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests a role for the dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system in migraine pain, particularly in subjects with chronic migraine.
Learn More >We sought to assess the safety and tolerability of 3 calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies in patients with chronic migraine who have failed multiple classes of migraine preventive therapies.
Learn More >Pain is a complex syndrome that is difficult to treat. The increasing numbers of patients living with chronic diseases has led to increasing pain management needs and the rise of opioid use disorder as a major, and potentially lethal, public health concern. Treatment of chronic pain with prescription opioids alone is not always successful, and a multi-disciplinary approach is paramount to address the needs of patients at risk of developing or suffering from OUD. Interventional radiologists trained to perform minimally invasive procedures with negligible downtime and post procedure pain can help stem the tide of opioid related deaths and disability. This article reviews a wide range of minimally invasive procedures, including vertebral augmentation, sacroplasty, thermal ablation of osseous metastasis, nerve blocks, and gonadal vein embolization, that interventional radiologists are now using successfully to treat chronic pain. The evidence to support use of such procedures is highlighted. This article also briefly discusses emerging techniques, such as arterial embolization and ablation for knee and shoulder osteoarthritis, that have not yet been fully tested though exhibit strong potential in chronic pain management. By reducing opioid use in patients suffering from chronic pain, these minimally invasive procedures can potentially prevent escalation to OUD.
Learn More >Gap junctions play a pivotal role in contributing to the formation of astroglial networks and in chronic pain. However, the mechanisms underlying the dysfunction of astroglial gap junctions in chronic pain have not been fully elucidated.
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