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Most of the clinical characteristics of cluster headache (CH) have been established through the observation of men with CH. Epidemiological data of CH in women are scarce especially in the Asian population. Here, we sought to assess the prevalence and clinical characteristics of women with CH in comparison to men in a prospective CH registry.
Learn More >To evaluate the frequency and features of onabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA) wear-off in chronic migraine (CM).
Learn More >Alexithymia refers to reduced emotional awareness and is associated with higher levels of burden and disability in adults with chronic pain. Limited research has examined alexithymia in adolescents with chronic pain. The current study aimed to (a) determine whether alexithymia was higher in adolescents with (vs. without) chronic pain and (b) examine the relationship between alexithymia and pain experiences in youth. Research Method/Design: We assessed alexithymia in 22 adolescents with chronic pain and in 22 adolescents without chronic pain (otherwise healthy), and its relation to pain experiences (i.e., self-reported pain intensity, pain bothersomeness, and pain interference), while controlling for the concomitant effects of psychological distress (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms).
Learn More >Compression of the trigeminal root entry zone by a blood vessel can cause trigeminal neuralgia (TN). However, a neurovascular conflict does not explain all cases of TN and TN can exist without a neurovascular contact. A common observation during microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery to treat TN is arachnoiditis in the region of the trigeminal nerve. Thus, aberrant inflammatory mechanisms may be involved in the pathophysiology of TN but information about the role of inflammation in TN is scarce. We used Proximity Extension Assay technology (PEA) to analyse the levels of 92 protein biomarkers related to inflammation in lumbar CSF from patients with TN (n=27) before and after MVD compared to individuals without TN. We aimed to analyse the pattern of inflammation-related proteins in order to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of TN. The main finding was that immunological protein levels in the CSF from patients with TN decreased after surgery towards levels observed in healthy controls. Two proteins appeared to be of specific interest for TN; TRAIL and TNF-β. Thus, inflammatory activity might be one important mechanism in TN.
Learn More >With governments' increasing efforts to curb opioid prescription use and limit dose below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended threshold of 90 morphine milligram equivalents per day, little is known about prescription opioid patterns preceding opioid use disorder (OUD) or overdose. This study aimed to determine prescribed opioid fills and dose trajectories in the year before an incident OUD or overdose diagnosis using a 2005-2016 commercial healthcare database.
Learn More >Pain is a widely experienced symptom of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which has significant psychological and functional impacts on patients. Understanding the aetiology and management of chronic pain is a poorly understood area of IBD research. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals with IBD and pain, the pain management strategies they use and any needs for future pain management interventions.
Learn More >Persistent opioid use following total joint replacement (TJR) surgery is common; however, the association between pre-surgical opioid use and surgery type has not been established. The objective of this study was to determine the association between pre-surgery opioid use and persistent post-surgery opioid use in TJR patients compared to other elective surgical patients.
Learn More >Recent animal research suggests that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) facilitates abnormal endogenous modulation of pain, potentially underlying the increased risk for persistent headaches following injury. However, no human studies have directly assessed the functioning of endogenous facilitory and inhibitory systems in the early stages after an mTBI.
Learn More >This study sought to examine the association between early life stressors and adolescent headache in the Canadian population, and the potential mediating influence of symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Learn More >Adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often report extraintestinal pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances in addition to abdominal pain. Few interventions have sought to reduce these extraintestinal symptoms within the IBS population. To address this, we compared the effects of a comprehensive self-management (CSM) intervention to a control intervention (usual care) on extraintestinal pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances among patients with IBS.
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