Intravenous Lidocaine as an Adjuvant for Pain Associated with Sickle Cell Disease

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjuvant intravenous (IV) lidocaine in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). This was a retrospective review. Adults with SCD receiving at least one IV lidocaine infusion from 2004 to 2014 were included. Patient demographics, lidocaine treatment parameters, pain scores, pain medications, and adverse effects were recorded. Eleven patients were identified, yielding 15 IV lidocaine trials. Clinical improvement in pain scores from pre-lidocaine challenge to 24 hours post-lidocaine challenge, defined by ≥20% reduction in pain scores, was achieved in 53.3% (8 of 15) of IV lidocaine challenges. Of the 8 clinically successful trials, the mean reduction in morphine dose equivalents (MDE) from 24 hours pre-lidocaine challenge to 24 hours post-lidocaine challenge was 32.2%. Additionally, clinically successful trials had a mean initial and a maximum dose of 1 mg/kg/h (range: 0.5–2.7 mg/kg/h) and 1.3 mg/kg/h (range: 0.5–1.9 mg/kg/h), respectively. On average, these patients underwent 3 dose titrations (range: 1–8) and received lidocaine infusions for 4.4 days (range: 2–8 days). Two patients experienced disorientation and dizziness. The authors conclude that adjuvant IV lidocaine provided pain relief and a mean reduction in MDE during sickle cell pain crisis. These results provide preliminary insight into the use of IV lidocaine for treating pain in patients with SCD, although prospective studies are needed to determine efficacy, dosing, and tolerability of IV lidocaine in this patient population.     

Emergency Department Management of Acute Pain Episodes in Sickle Cell Disease

Objectives To characterize the initial management of patients with sickle cell disease and an acute pain episode, to compare these practices with the American Pain Society Guideline for the Management of Acute and Chronic Pain in Sickle-Cell Disease in the emergency department, and to identify factors associated with a delay in receiving an initial analgesic.
Methods This was a multicenter retrospective design. Consecutive patients with an emergency department visit in 2004 for an acute pain episode related to sickle cell disease were included. Exclusion criteria included age younger than 18 years. A structured medical record review was used to abstract data, including the following outcome variables: analgesic agent and dose, route, and time to administration of initial analgesic. Additional variables included demographics, triage level, intravenous access, and study site. Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate regression were used to identify differences in time to receiving an initial analgesic between groups.
Results There were 612 patient visits, with 159 unique patients. Median time to administration of an initial analgesic was 90 minutes (25th to 75th interquartile range, 54–159 minutes). During 87% of visits, patients received the recommended agent (morphine or hydromorphone); 92% received the recommended dose, and 55% received the drug by the recommended route (intravenously or subcutaneously). Longer times to administration occurred in female patients (mean difference, 21 minutes; 95% confidence interval = 7 to 36 minutes; p = 0.003) and patients assigned triage level 3, 4, or 5 versus 1 or 2 (mean difference, 45 minutes; 95% confidence interval = 29 to 61 minutes; p = 0.00). Patients from study sites 1 and 2 also experienced longer delays.
Conclusions Patients with an acute painful episode related to sickle cell disease experienced significant delays to administration of an initial analgesic.     

Linguistic Indicators of Pain Catastrophizing in Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

The present study examined markers of pain catastrophizing in the word use of patients with chronic pain. Patients (N = 71) completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and wrote about their life with pain. Quantitative word count analysis examined whether the essays contained linguistic indicators of catastrophizing. Bivariate correlations showed that catastrophizing was associated with greater use of first person singular pronouns, such as “I” (r = .27, P ≤ .05) and pronouns referencing other people (r = .28, P ≤ .05). Catastrophizing was further significantly associated with greater use of sadness (r = .35, P ≤ .01) and anger (r = .30, P ≤ .05) words. No significant relationships with positive emotion and cognitive process words were evident. Controlling for patients' engagement in the writing task, gender, age, pain intensity, and neuroticism in multiple regression, the linguistic categories together uniquely explained 13.6% of the variance in catastrophizing (P ≤ .001). First person singular pronouns (β = .24, P ≤ .05) and words relating to sadness (β = .25, P ≤ .05) were significant, and pronouns referencing other people (β = .19, P ≤ .10) were trending. The results suggest that pain catastrophizing is associated with a “linguistic fingerprint” that can be discerned from patients’ natural word use.

Psychological Characteristics and Pain Frequency Are Associated With Experimental Pain Sensitivity in Pediatric Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with episodes of severe vaso-occlusive pain beginning in infancy with a subset of patients with SCD transitioning to chronic pain. Response to experimental pain using quantitative sensory testing in these patients suggests altered pain processing. The objectives of this study were to characterize sensitivity to multiple modalities of experimental pain stimuli and to interrogate the relationship of psychological covariates, clinical pain burden, and pain-related outcomes to experimental pain sensitivity in children with SCD compared with healthy individuals of similar age and sex. Cross-sectional assessments of psychological characteristics were performed, and quantitative sensory testing methods were used to measure experimental pain sensitivity in children age 8 to 21 years. Anxiety, depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and somatization were found to be associated with increased sensitivity to experimental pain stimuli. Increased frequency of painful episodes in SCD was associated with decreased sensitivity to heat pain and decreased mechanical temporal summation. These data suggest that careful consideration be given to psychological factors, age, sex, and clinical burden of pain when studying response to experimental pain in SCD.

Practice Guidelines for the Assessment of Children With Sickle Cell Pain

issues and purpose . Pain is the most frequent and important problem for children with sickle cell disease (SCD), but it has been undertreated and understudied. A multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers, academics, and people with SCD and their families met to (1) examine the pain of vaso-occlusive events (VOE) in children and adults with SCD and (2) reach consensus about necessary improvements in care.
conclusions . Accurate assessment of pain is at the crux of effective care for children with VOE. This requires a trusting interactive relationship among patient, family, and healthcare team. Comprehensive pain assessment is a lifelong process in need of continued updating.
practice implications . Children with SCD seek treatment from nurses in many settings. Traditional care has been frustrating to both families and care providers. Children and adolescents with SCD pain would benefit from nursing care that considers patients' perspectives about pain and comfort as key determinants for treatment. A unified approach to pain assessment may be a significant factor in improving pain control.     

冠状动脉硬化性心脏病患者的疼痛灾难化现状及其影响因素

目的调查冠状动脉硬化性心脏病(简称冠心病)患者疼痛灾难化现状及其影响因素,为临床干预研究提供科学依据。方法2020年12月至2021年4月,采用便利抽样法选取某三级甲等医院心内科收治的冠心病患者258例为调查对象,采用一般资料调查表、视觉模拟评分量表(visual analogue scale,VAS)、疼痛灾难化量表(pain catastrophzing scale,PCS)对其进行调查。结果冠心病患者疼痛灾难化平均总分为20.00(25.00)分,疼痛灾难化发生率为16.7%。线性回归分析结果显示,冠心病患者疼痛灾难化的主要影响因素是心功能Ⅲ级、疼痛程度和性别,可解释总变异量的55.1%。结论冠心病患者疼痛灾难化被证实有一定的发生率,应重点关注心功能Ⅲ级、疼痛程度较大和女性患者。     

Adjustment Difficulties of Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease

TOPIC: The psychosocialfactors that affect adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). PURPOSE: To explore whether specific psychosocial factors can provide clues to the future adjustment of this population. SOURCES: Ovid Web, Medline, Psychinfo, and CINAHL databases for the years 1997 to 2001. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting effective psychosocial functioning is as important as managing the medical aspects of SCD, yet this is an area of care that is commonly overlooked. Nurses, therefore, have an opportunity to have a significant impact on the lives of adolescents with SCD if they intervene in ways to promote both biological and psychosocial adjustment.     

Outpatient Pain Medication Use: An Electronic Daily Diary Study in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Context

Understanding cancer patients' everyday pain experiences and their concomitant use of pain medication may help identify ways to improve pain management among outpatients.

Improving Transition Readiness in Young Adults With Sickle Cell Disease

Transition of young adults with sickle cell disease is essential. This project examined the effectiveness of an educational intervention at a pediatric hematology practice to improve transition readiness in young adults with sickle cell disease. Interventions used were 2 Stepping Up videos and 5 questions from “Incorporating Health Care Transition Services Into Preventive Care for Adolescents and Young Adult.” Data was collected and results were analyzed preintervention, immediately postintervention, and at return office visit. Non–high school graduates showed greater improvement in total and subscale mean scores after the intervention at the return office visit.     

Pilot Study of Human Recombinant Hyaluronidase–Enhanced Subcutaneous Hydration and Opioid Administration for Sickle Cell Disease Acute Pain Episodes

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of protocol-driven human recombinant hyaluronidase (rHuPH20)-enhanced subcutaneous (SC) hydration and opioid administration in adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) with sickle cell disease acute pain episodes (SCDAPE). Adults with SCDAPE were given 150 U of rHuPH20 and normal saline subcutaneously. Opioids were administered SC every 15 minutes for 4 hours until numerical rating scale (NRS) pain intensity scores fell to <5, or Ramsay Sedation Scores were >4. Pain intensity and pain relief were recorded hourly. Total morphine equivalents and fluid volume, total pain relief (TOTPAR), patient- and physician-perceived global efficacy, patient-perceived global SC needle discomfort, physician-rated ease of needle placement, and adverse effects were noted. Ten patients (6 males, 4 females), mean age 32.9 years (23–56 years) completed the trial. Mean pain intensity scores fell 25% (from 9.2 to 6.9) from baseline and mean 4-hour TOTPAR score was 4 (maximum: 16). A mean total of 119 mg (70–170 mg) morphine equivalents and 846 mL (200–1650 mL) normal saline were administered. Mean patient and physician global perceived efficacy ratings were 3.4 and 4.2 (of 5). Patient global discomfort of SC needle presence was 2.7 (of 10), and ease of needle placement was physician rated at 4 (of 4; easiest). Patients experienced mild swelling and stinging at the SC site, and no infusion required discontinuation. The authors conclude that rHuPH20-enhanced subcutaneous hydration and opioid administration appear feasible from this pilot study. These results need confirmation in a controlled clinical trial.     

Effect of Propranolol as Antiadhesive Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle red blood cells (SSRBCs) adhere to both endothelial cells (ECs) and the extracellular matrix. Epinephrine elevates cyclic adenosine monophosphate in SSRBCs and increases adhesion of SSRBCs to ECs in a β‐adrenergic receptor and protein kinase A‐dependent manner. Studies in vitro as well as in vivo have suggested that adrenergic stimuli like epinephrine may contribute to vaso‐occlusion associated with physiologic stress. We conducted both animal studies and a Phase I dose‐escalation study in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients to investigate whether systemically administered propranolol inhibits SSRBC adhesion and to document the safety of propranolol in SCD. Systemically administered propranolol prevented SSRBC adhesion and associated vaso‐occlusion in a mouse model. In patients receiving a single oral dose of 10, 20, or 40 mg propranolol, SSRBC adhesion to ECs was studied before and after propranolol, with and without stimulation with epinephrine. Propranolol administration significantly reduced epinephrine‐stimulated SSRBC adhesion in a dose dependent manner (p = 0.03), with maximum inhibition achieved at 40 mg. Adverse events were not severe, did not show dose dependence, and were likely unrelated to drug. No significant heart rate changes occurred. These results imply that β‐blockers may have a role as antiadhesive therapy for SCD. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 437–444     

Gender Differences in Pain and Pain Behavior: The Role of Catastrophizing

This research examined gender differences in catastrophizing and pain in 80 healthy students (42 women, 38 men) who participated in an experimental pain procedure. Participants completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS; Sullivan, Bishop & Pivik, 1995) prior to immersing one arm in ice water for 1 minute. Participants were later interviewed to assess the strategies they used to cope with their pain. Independent raters examined videotape records and coded participants' pain behavior during and following the ice water immersion. Results showed that women reported more intense pain and engaged in pain behavior for a longer period of time than men. When PCS scores were statistically controlled, gender was no longer a significant predictor of pain or pain behavior. For women, the helplessness subscale of the PCS contributed unique variance to the prediction of pain and pain behavior. For men, none of the PCS subscales contributed unique variance to the prediction of pain and pain behavior. Discussion addresses the social learning factors that may contribute to gender differences in pain. Discussion also addresses the limitations and clinical implications of the findings.     

Fear of Pain, Pain Catastrophizing, and Acute Pain Perception: Relative Prediction and Timing of Assessment

Pain-related fear and catastrophizing are important variables of consideration in an individual's pain experience. Methodological limitations of previous studies limit strong conclusions regarding these relationships. In this follow-up study, we examined the relationships between fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and experimental pain perception. One hundred healthy volunteers completed the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ-III), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Catastrophizing scale (CSQ-CAT) before undergoing the cold pressor test (CPT). The CSQ-CAT and PCS were completed again after the CPT, with participants instructed to complete these measures based on their experience during the procedure. Measures of pain threshold, tolerance, and intensity were collected and served as dependent variables in separate regression models. Sex, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related fear were included as predictor variables. Results of regression analyses indicated that after controlling for sex, pain-related fear was a consistently stronger predictor of pain in comparison to catastrophizing. These results were consistent when separate measures (CSQ-CAT vs PCS) and time points (pretask vs “in vivo”) of catastrophizing were used. These findings largely corroborate those from our previous study and are suggestive of the absolute and relative importance of pain-related fear in the experimental pain experience.

Perspective

Although pain-related fear has received less attention in the experimental literature than pain catastrophizing, results of the current study are consistent with clinical reports highlighting this variable as an important aspect of the experience of pain.     

Daily Functioning and Quality of Life in Children With Sickle Cell Disease Pain: Relationship With Family and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Distress

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between individual/family and neighborhood socioeconomic distress, pain, and functional outcomes in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). We hypothesized that both individual economic distress as well as residence in neighborhoods of severe economic distress would predict children's level of pain-related functional disability and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Participants (mean age, 12.14 years; 57% male, n = 56) were recruited from an outpatient hematology clinic at a Midwestern tertiary referral hospital. Questionnaires assessing pain, depression, functional disability, and HRQOL were completed by children and their caregivers. Individual socioeconomic data including parental education and family income were reported by caregivers. Neighborhood socioeconomic distress was identified using publicly available census tract data and was based on neighborhood poverty, female head of household, male unemployment, and high school dropout levels. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that individual/family socioeconomic distress was a significant predictor of children's functional disability and physical and psychosocial HRQOL. Neighborhood socioeconomic distress emerged as a significant independent predictor of physical HRQOL only, where living in a distressed neighborhood predicted diminished physical HRQOL. Findings suggest that individual socioeconomic status and neighborhood economic distress play similar but independent roles in predicting children's functional outcomes related to SCD pain.

Perspective

Little is known about the influence of either individual/family or neighborhood socioeconomic factors on pain and functioning in children with SCD. Our findings suggest that socioeconomic distress defined at both the individual level and at the neighborhood/community level are significant independent predictors of pain-related disability and HRQOL in children with SCD.     

Health Care Provider Attitudes,Beliefs, and Perceived Confidence in Managing Patients With Cancer Pain and Nonmedical Opioid Use

ContextHealth care provider education is an effective strategy to improve knowledge and competencies in opioid-prescribing practices. However, there are very few studies regarding this among providers of patients with cancer pain and nonmedical opioid use (NMOU). The aim of our study was to assess participants' attitudes, beliefs, and self-perceived confidence in caring for patients with cancer pain and NMOU before and after attending an opioid educational seminar on the use and nonmedical use of opioids in patients with cancer.MethodsAn anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted among health care providers who attended an opioid educational event in April 2018 and May 2019.ResultsThe overall response rate was 63% (129 of 206). Approximately 72% of participants had concerns about NMOU in patients with cancer, 69% felt that such patients are frequently underdetected, and 63% felt that cancer pain is frequently undertreated. At baseline, only 23% reported adequate knowledge and 35% reported confidence in caring for patients with cancer with NMOU-related issues. Among those who completed both the preseminar and postseminar surveys, these numbers improved significantly at the end of the seminar (26% vs. 71% and 43% vs. 84%, respectively; all P < 0.001).ConclusionMost health care providers expressed concerns about underdetection of NMOU and undertreatment of pain among patients with cancer. Many self-reported knowledge and confidence deficits in caring for patients with cancer with NMOU. Seminar participation was associated with an increase in the number of participants with self-perceived knowledge and confidence. Future studies are needed to ascertain the impact of such opioid educational events on patient care practices.