Does pain relief improve pain behavior and mood in chronic pain patients?

Chronic pain is a subjective experience and has not only physical, but also psychological and social dimensions. In the present study, we sought to determine whether an effective pain reduction would improve mood, behavioral, and cognitive outcome measures in chronic pain patients. Four-hundred-seventy-seven patients entering pain therapy at our university pain center were prospectively studied during the first year of treatment. Patients received pharmacotherapy, acupuncture, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, physiotherapy, and invasive pain treatment. Intensity and quality of pain were assessed with the Visual Analog Scale and Multidimensional Pain Scale. Psychological and social aspects were evaluated using the Pain Behavior Questionnaire and the Profile of Mood States questionnaire. Significant reductions in pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale, 7.35 at pretreatment and 1.03 after 12 mo; P = 0.01; Multidimensional Pain Scale, F = 6.185; P < 0.001) were accompanied by improvements in behavioral and cognitive dimensions (Pain Behavior Questionnaire, F = 9.483; P = 0.002). However, mood and psychological well-being did not improve (Profile of Mood States, F = 0.416; P = 0.551). The authors conclude that reducing pain intensity improves behavioral and cognitive dimensions but not psychological well-being and cognitive assessment.     

Evaluation of chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men: Is it chronic prostatitis?

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is not well understood. The mechanisms involved in its pathophysiology have yet to be fully elucidated. Men with CP/CPPS suffer from symptoms that may not necessarily be linked to concurrent prostate involvement. Recent literature embraces the notion that symptoms may result from complex interactions, and studies have looked at other disease syndromes in an attempt to reveal the etiology of the disease. The title of this article suggests an organcentric etiology to explain symptoms of patients with this disorder, but this does not seem to be the case. In an attempt to answer the question, this article examines possible etiologies for CP/CPPS in which the prostate may be involved and discusses evaluation strategies for patients with CP/CPPS. It seems, however, that instead of limiting our focus to the prostate, a multisystem approach to discovery and symptom control would further improve patient care.     

Does parity worsen diabetes-related chronic complications in women with type 1 diabetes?

AIM: To determine the relationship between parity, glycemic control, cardiovascular risk factors and diabetesrelated chronic complications in women with type 1 diabetes.METHODS: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 cities from the 4 Brazilian geographic regions. Data were obtained from 1532 female patients, 59.2% Caucasians, and aged 25.2 ± 10.6 years. Diabetes duration was of 11.5 ± 8.2 years. Patient's information was obtained through a questionnaire and a chart review. Parity was stratified in five groups: Group 0(nulliparous), group 1(1 pregnancy), group 2(2 pregnancies), group 3(3 pregnancies), group 4(≥ 4 pregnancies). Test for trend and multivariate random intercept logistic and linear regression models were used to evaluate the effect of parity upon glycemic control, cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes-related complications. RESULTS: Parity was not related with glycemic control and nephropathy. Moreover, the effect of parity upon hypertension, retinopathy and macrovascular disease did not persist after adjustments for demographic and clinical variables in multivariate analysis. For retinopathy, the duration of diabetes and hypertension were the most important independent variables and for macrovascular disease, these variables were age and hypertension. Overweight or obesity was noted in a total of 538 patients(35.1%). A linear association was found between the frequency of overweight or obesity and parity(P = 0.004). Using a random intercept multivariate linear regression model with body mass index(BMI) as dependent variable a borderline effect for parity(P = 0.06) was noted after adjustment for clinical and demographic data. The observed variability of BMI was not attributable to differences between centers.CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that parity has a borderline effect on body mass index but does not have an important effect upon hypertension and micro or macrovascular chronic complications. Future prospective evaluations must be conducted to clarify the relationship between parity, appearance or worsening of diabetesrelated chronic complications.     

Is mild erectile dysfunction associated with severe psychological symptoms in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome?

This study aimed to assess the association between psychological disorders and erectile dysfunction(ED)in patients with different degrees of chronic prostatitis...     

Pain sensitization in male chronic pelvic pain syndrome: why are symptoms so difficult to treat?

PURPOSE: Male chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is a chronic and debilitating symptom complex, and inconsistent outcomes of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatments have created an interest in investigating the neurological mechanisms of CPPS pain. Because chronic pelvic pain likely results in hyperexcitability of dorsal horn neurons, ie central sensitization, thermal algometry may be useful in the assessment of CPPS. We evaluated men with and without CPPS to determine if there were differences between the 2 groups in their responses to noxious heat stimuli. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 66 healthy men without CPPS and 36 men with a history of CPPS for the study. Mean age of CPPS subjects was 43.1 years (range 18 to 62) and mean age of controls was 35.1 (range 21 to 61). All subjects with pain completed a National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index. We conducted thermal sensory tests with a small thermode programmed to deliver 2 series of 4 rapid bursts of noxious heat stimuli to the perineum and the anterior thigh. The subjects reported sensation on a computerized visual analog scale (COVAS) with a manual sliding lever. The average peak COVAS values and time to peak values from thigh and perineum of each series of thermal bursts were compared between CPPS and controls. RESULTS: The mean pain score on questionnaires was 9.7 (4 or greater indicating significant pain), mean urinary score was 4.7 (range 0 to 10) and mean quality of life impact score was 7.3 (range 3 to 13). Compared to controls men with CPPS reported higher mean peak COVAS values in the perineum. There was no difference between groups in the peak COVAS value on the thigh. CONCLUSIONS: Men with CPPS have altered heat sensation/pain sensitization in the perineum compared to controls. This finding is another that supports the resemblance of CPPS to other chronic pain syndromes and may help explain why CPPS is often refractory to treatment. Further investigations into male CPPS should focus on the mechanisms inducing and maintaining pain in an effort to treat this condition effectively.     

Does the chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome differ from nonbacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia?

PURPOSE: The new consensus classification considers the chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) based on presence or absence of leukocytes in the expressed prostatic secretions, post-massage urine or seminal fluid analysis. We compared classification based on evaluation of these 3 specimens to the traditional classification based on expressed prostatic secretion examination alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective clinical and laboratory protocol was used to evaluate symptomatic patients who had no evidence of urethritis, acute bacterial prostatitis or chronic bacterial prostatitis. RESULTS: Thorough clinical and microbiological evaluation of 310 patients attending our prostatitis clinic was used to select a population of 140 subjects who provided optimal expressed prostatic secretion, post-massage urine and semen specimens. Inflammation was documented in 111 (26%) of 420 samples, including 39 expressed prostatic secretion samples with 500 or greater leukocytes/mm.3, 32 post-massage urine samples with 1 or greater leukocytes/mm.3 and 40 seminal fluid specimens with 1 or greater million leukocytes/mm.3. Of the 140 subjects 73 (52%) had inflammatory chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain according to the consensus criteria but only 39 (28%) had nonbacterial prostatitis according to traditional expressed prostatic secretion criteria (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The new consensus concept of inflammatory chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain includes almost twice as many patients as the traditional category of nonbacterial prostatitis.     

Associated pelvic organ prolapse in women with stress urinary incontinence: when to operate?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review discusses recently published data concerning the indications for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery in women who present with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). RECENT FINDINGS: POP can functionally mask SUI. Surgery for POP may unmask occult SUI in many women. Clinically continent women undergoing POP surgery are at risk for developing symptomatic SUI postoperatively. Preoperative identification of occult (and overt) SUI will facilitate the use of an appropriate prophylactic anti-incontinence procedure at the time of prolapse repair. Numerous studies on the preoperative prediction of SUI following repair of POP have been conducted in an effort to determine whether concomitant prophylactic measures should be taken at the time of POP repair to prevent the postoperative unmasking of SUI in women who do not have SUI preoperatively (with or without prolapse reduction). Although the literary evidence available is not sufficient for POP with occult SUI, there is some information available to guide clinicians in deciding when to perform concurrent POP surgery in women who are undergoing primary surgery for SUI. SUMMARY: The intended goal of surgical correction of SUI and POP is durable restoration of normal anatomy and function, with symptomatic relief and avoidance of morbidity. Recommendations regarding when to surgically intervene for POP in women who present with SUI are based on the available literature although contemporary studies are few and include small numbers of patients with no controls. Long-term, randomized, controlled prospective studies of large numbers of patients are indicated.     

Does pain predict outcome in hips with osteonecrosis?

It generally is accepted that without specific treatment 70-80% of hips with clinically diagnosed osteonecrosis will progress to collapse. However, there are conflicting reports regarding the relationship between pain and outcome before femoral head collapse. Some surgeons are reluctant to operate on patients with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic hips, assuming that these patients have a better prognosis than patients with pain. This study reviewed the outcome of 328 hips in 235 patients with nontraumatic osteonecrosis, all treated with core decompression and grafting. The preoperative stage, the extent of necrosis, and the Harris pain scores were correlated with the clinical and radiographic outcomes. Mean followup was 46 months. Patients with hips treated surgically did better as a group than patients with hips treated without surgery. A direct correlation was found between outcome and the stage and size of the necrotic lesion. Hips that had femoral head collapse were more painful than hips that did not have collapse and had a poorer outcome. Before collapse, outcome was correlated with the size of the necrotic lesion but there was no correlation with the preoperative pain level. These findings, although limited to patients with hips which had core decompression and grafting, support the observations of investigators who reported that most asymptomatic hips with osteonecrosis would progress without specific treatment. They also may apply to hips which have other forms of prophylactic treatment. Although several factors must be considered in determining the optimum treatment of hips with early stages of osteonecrosis, prophylactic treatment should not be withheld specifically because of the absence or paucity of pain.     

Does a ring pessary in situ influence the pelvic floor muscle function of women with pelvic organ prolapse when tested in supine?

Introduction and hypothesis  

It has been suggested that repositioning pelvic organ prolapse (POP) by pessary support may improve pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function. The aim of the present study was to compare vaginal resting pressure and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the PFM measured with and without a ring pessary in situ.     

Does laparoscopy used in open exploration alleviate pain associated with chronic intractable abdominal wall neuralgia?

Background This study aimed to assess the efficacy of diagnostic laparoscopy and open exploration of trigger points (scar revision and neurectomy) in the treatment of intractable chronic abdominal wall pain. Methods This prospective nonrandomized study enrolled 24 patients (21 women) with an average age of 59 ± 11 years. Abdominal wall pain was diagnosed by excluding other causes of pain and using multiple injections of bupivacain. The patients’ demographic data and long-term postoperative course (37 ± 13 months) were carefully recorded. Results Using laparoscopy, intraabdominal adhesions close to trigger points were found and lysed in 15 patients (63%). Next, a subcutaneous nerve resection was performed. After 1 month, 33% of the patients were completely pain free, and 42% reported alleviation of pain. After 3 years, chronic abdominal pain was totally healed in 25%, diminished in 50%, and unchanged or increased in 25% of the patients. A total of 23 patients (96%) reported that surgery was beneficial for their intractable pain. Conclusions Laparoscopy used in open exploration is beneficial for 75% of carefully selected patients with chronic abdominal wall pain.     

How does the pre-massage and post-massage 2-glass test compare to the Meares-Stamey 4-glass test in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome?

PURPOSE: The Meares-Stamey 4-glass test is the standard method of assessing inflammation and the presence of bacteria in the lower urinary tract in men presenting with the chronic prostatitis syndrome. However, most urologists do not use it in daily practice because of the time and difficulty in performing it, as well as the additional expense. We evaluated a simpler test, the 2-glass pre-massage and post-massage test, and compared it with the Meares-Stamey 4-glass test to detect inflammation and bacteria in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population included 353 men enrolled in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort study with baseline leukocyte counts and 2-day bacterial cultures on specimens obtained from a standard 4-glass test (VB1, VB2, expressed prostatic secretions, VB3). The chi-square test was performed to assess associations of white blood cell counts in expressed prostatic secretions and VB3. A receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to determine the optimal cut point of white blood cells in VB3 in predicting white blood cells in expressed prostatic secretions. Sensitivity and specificity of VB3 cultures predicting expressed prostatic secretions and positive Meares-Stamey results were calculated from 2 x 2 contingency tables. RESULTS: Analysis of binary leukocyte outcomes (no white blood cells vs any white blood cells) suggests that white blood cells tend to be present in expressed prostatic secretions when there are any white blood cells in VB3, p <0.0001, the optimal cut point being white blood cell counts of 3 in VB3 (best predictive ability with area under ROC 0.771) to predict 5+ in expressed prostatic secretions with a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 70%. The optimal cut point of white blood cells in VB3 to predict 10 white blood cells in expressed prostatic secretions was 4 (62% sensitivity and 75% specificity). Uropathogens localizing to expressed prostatic secretions or VB3 confirms a positive 4-glass Meares-Stamey localization test. The sensitivity and specificity of a VB3 localizing culture only in predicting a positive Meares-Stamey 4-glass test result for any uropathogen were 44% to 54% (depending on definition) and 100%, respectively. The pre-massage and post-massage test predicted a correct diagnosis in more than 96% of subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The value of localizing leukocytes and uropathogens to prostate specific specimens remains controversial in chronic heavily pretreated patients, but these data may help direct therapy (anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial) when obtained at first presentation. The pre-massage and post-massage test has strong concordance with the 4-glass test and is a reasonable alternative when expressed prostatic secretions are not obtained.