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Central neuropathic extremity pain (CNEP) is the most frequent type of pain in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the present study was to evaluate sensory and pain modulation profiles in MS patients with CNEP. In a single-centre observational study, a group of 56 CNEP MS patients was compared with 63 pain-free MS patients and with a sex- and age-adjusted control group. Standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST) and dynamic QST (dQST) protocols comprising temporal summation and conditioned pain modulation tests were used to compare sensory profiles. Loss-type QST abnormalities in both thermal and mechanical QST modalities prevailed in both MS subgroups and correlated significantly with higher degree of disability expressed as Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Comparison of sensory phenotypes disclosed a higher frequency of the "sensory loss" prototypic sensory phenotype in the CNEP subgroup (30%) compared with pain-free MS patients (6%; p = 0.003). The role of aging process and higher lesion load in the spinothalamocortical pathway might be possible explanation for pain development in this particular "deafferentation" subtype of central neuropathic pain in MS. We were unable to support the role of central sensitization or endogenous facilitatory and inhibitory mechanisms in the development of CNEP in MS.
Learn More >The "funnel effect" of Fibromyalgia (FM) assumes that as patients access healthcare services, they present greater severity and a more complex clinical situation than individuals with FM from the general population, but the studies comparing patients treated in different levels of healthcare are scarce. The aim of this study is to analyse the "funnel effect" hypothesis by comparing patients from secondary and tertiary healthcare services.
Learn More >Randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow up.
Learn More >The "pain-inhibits-pain"' effect stems from neurophysiological mechanisms involving endogenous modulatory systems termed diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) or conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) components, the N2/P2 complex, and the N1 wave, reflect the medial and lateral pain pathway, respectively: anatomically, the lateral thalamic nuclei (LT) project mainly to the somatosensory cortex (N1 generator), while the medial thalamic nuclei (MT) are bound to the limbic cortices (N2/P2 generators).
Learn More >The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures have forced clinicians across the world to look on telemedicine. Although migraine as such seems an ideal option for telemedicine, a systematic study reviewing feasibility, efficacy, and advantages of current advanced telecommunication technologies in children with migraine is lacking.
Learn More >Opioids are the most widely used therapy for pain during the postoperative period. It has been suggested by some that hydromorphone is clinically superior. Our primary objective was to determine if there is a difference in postoperative pain score ratings between adult patients receiving intravenous hydromorphone vs intravenous morphine on discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
Learn More >This study retrospectively investigated psychological factors contributing to chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) in pediatric patients after limb-sparing or amputation surgery for extremity osteosarcoma. Psychological factors were identified and analyzed by the Wilcoxon rank-sum and median two-sample tests. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were performed using gender, age, psychological factors, and psychological interventions related to CPSP duration as covariates. Duration of pain treatment was significantly longer in patients resistant to psychological interventions (p = 0.01) than those receptive to interventions. Shorter duration of pain treatment was associated with older age (p = 0.03) and receptiveness to psychological interventions (HR = 4.19, 95% CI [1.22, 14.35]). Older age and receptiveness to psychological interventions as part of pain management care are associated with needing a shorter duration of pain treatment. Our results highlight the importance of prospective investigations evaluating motivation to engage in psychotherapy and psychological interventions and identify risk factors for CPSP in pediatric oncology.
Learn More >To quantify the social burden among Japanese migraine patients in the context of currently available migraine treatments, by comparison with non-migraine controls, and comparison of migraine patients currently taking prescription medication versus not taking prescription medication.
Learn More >Migraine affects how the brain processes sensory information at multiple levels. The aberrant integration of visual and somatosensory stimuli is thought to underlie Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, a disorder often reported as being associated with migraine. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the epidemiology of this syndrome in migraineurs and the association between Alice in Wonderland Syndrome episodes and migraine attacks. Therefore, we conducted a prospective cohort study to systematically evaluate the prevalence and the clinical features of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome in a large sample of patients with migraine.
Learn More >Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is chronic, painful, disabling condition resulting in significant impairments in physical, emotional, and social health. We used different methods and perspectives to evaluate the responsiveness of PROMIS® short forms (SFs) and identify minimal and meaningful score changes.
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