Role of group II and group III metabotropic glutamate receptors in spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) produces an increase in extracellular excitatory amino acid (EAA) concentrations that results in glutamate receptor-mediated excitotoxic events. An important class of these receptors is the metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). mGluRs can activate a number of intracellular pathways that increase neuronal excitability and modulate neurotransmission. Group I mGluRs are known to modulate EAA release and the development of chronic central pain (CCP) following SCI; however, the role of group II and III mGluRs remains unclear. To begin evaluating group II and III mGluRs in SCI, we administered the specific agonists for group II, APDC, or group III, L-AP4, by interspinal injection immediately following SCI. Contusion injury was produced at spinal segment T10 with a New York University impactor (12.5-mm drop, 10-g rod 2 mm in diameter) in 30 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (175-200 g). Evoked and spontaneous behavioral measures of CCP, locomotor recovery, changes in mGluR expression, and amount of spared tissue were examined. Neither APDC nor L-AP4 affected locomotor recovery or the development of thermal hyperalgesia; however, L-AP4 and APDC attenuated changes in mechanical thresholds and changes in exploratory behavior indicative of CCP. APDC- and L-AP4-treated groups had higher expression levels of mGluR2/3 at the epicenter of injury on post contusion day 28; however, there was no difference in the amount of spared tissue between treatment groups. These results demonstrate that treatment with agonists to group II and III mGluRs following SCI affects mechanical responses, exploratory behavior, and mGluR2/3 expression without affecting the amount of tissue spared, suggesting that the level of mGluR expression after SCI may modulate nociceptive responses.     

Study on Tongkuaixiao Babu plaster in treating cancer pain

Objective: To explore the efficacy of Tongkuaixiao Babu plaster (TKXBBP) in treating cancer pain.Methods: In the clinical observation, sixty-five patients with moderate or severe cancer pain were randomly divided into two groups: 32 in the treated group (TKXBBP group) and 33 in the control group (Bucinnazine group). The therapeutic effects in relieving pain, improving quality of life (QOL), and the rate of satisfaction the patients felt of the two groups were compared respectively. Results: TKXBBP was effective in treating cancer pain. There wasn’t any statistically significant difference in total effective rate (P>0.05), but the statistical difference was significant in obvious remission rate (P<0.05) between the treated and control group, and the effect on serious pain shown in the treated group was better than that of the control group (P<0. 05). The difference in the initiation time of relieving cancer pain was insignificant (P>0.05), while in the remission period, the treated group showed its treatment was obviously superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). TKXBBP showed better effect in the improvement of QOL (P<0.05) and satisfaction rate, with significant difference between the treated and the control groups (P<0.01).Conclusion: TKXBBPs effect in treating cancer pain was obvious, its application was safe and convenient. It was shown that the external treatment with this kind of Chinese medicine had great advantage in treating cancer pain.     

VALUE OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY FOR EVALUATING THE INJECTION SITE IN ENDOSONOGRAPHY‐GUIDED CELIAC PLEXUS NEUROLYSIS

Endosonography‐guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS‐CPN) safely and effectively relieves pain associated with intra‐abdominal malignancies when the neurolytic is accurately injected. We applied contrast medium to evaluate the ethanol injection sites in patients who received EUS‐CPN due to abdominal pain caused by malignancies. We injected, under the guidance of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), ethanol containing 10% contrast medium into the celiac plexus of patients with intra‐abdominal pain due to malignancies. Immediately after the endoscopic therapy, patients underwent computed tomography (CT) to confirm the injection site. Images of distribution of injected solutions were classified into three groups. Injected solution dispersed in unilateral and bilateral anterocrural space was defined as ‘unilateral injection’ or ‘bilateral injection’, respectively. Injected solution located out of the anterocrural space was defined as ‘inappropriate injection’. Pre‐ and postprocedure pain was assessed using a standard analog scale. Before and 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after the procedure, pain scores were evaluated. From April 2003 to May 2005, 13 patients were enrolled in this study. Improvement of pain score in the ‘bilateral injection’ and ‘unilateral injection’ groups was significantly superior to the change in the ‘inappropriate injection’ group. Although EUS‐CPN was effective in eight of 13 patients (61.5%), additional EUS‐CPN to the ‘inappropriate injection group’ increased the response rate to 84.6%. Injection of ethanol to the anterocrural space by EUS‐CPN produced adequate pain relief. Immediate examination by CT for confirmation of injection sites after EUS‐CPN would increase the likelihood of induction of pain relief.     

氟西汀治疗持续的躯体形式疼痛障碍的成本-效果分析

目的 初步探索氟西汀治疗持续的躯体形式疼痛障碍(PSPD)的成本-效果分析.方法 将80例PSPD患者随机分为氟西汀组和安慰剂组,每组各40例,分别服用氟西汀胶囊(20 ms/d)和安慰剂胶囊(1粒/d)8周,研究者和患者双肓.调查入组前后直接医疗成本,计算两组患者入组前后共4个月的成本与效果比值.结果 (1)氟西汀组有效率为40%,安慰剂组有效率为8%.(2)氟西汀组和安慰剂组成本与效果比值分别为0.53万元(5345元)和1.83万元(18 345元).(3)敏感度分析,氟西汀组和安慰剂组的成本与效果比值分别为0.40万元(4033元)和1.22万元(12 188元).结论 应用氟西汀治疗PSPD的成本与效果比值较低,具有较好的药物经济学价值.     

Osteoporosis and Back Pain among the Elderly

Questionnaire responses from 120 men and 337 women over the age of 50 years were studied to determine the prevalence of back pain among the elderly. In order to gain a rough indication of the back pain among elderly women which might be due to osteoporosis, the prevalence was compared in the two sexes. The prevalence of back pain without radiation to the legs and concomitant morbidity was found to be similar among men and women up to the 70–79-year age-group. After this age the prevalence was higher in women. Those with exceptional loss of body height or kyphosis had a high prevalence of back pain, while those who had sustained previous hip or radius fractures did not. There was increasing prevalence of back pain among women with increasing number of previous fractures. The study gives little indication of serious morbidity of osteoporosis in the form of back pain before very old age.     

A blinded,controlled evaluation of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia,as measured by standardized psychometric interview scales

The objective of the study was to evaluate the presence of psychopathology in fibromyalgia patients compared with a control group of other rheumatologic patients with pain. Forty-nine fibromyalgia patients and 33 control patients were interviewed blinded, using standardized psychometric scales. Pain was scored on a visual analogue scale. Fibromyalgia patients scored significantly higher than the controls on the Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale, the Atypical Depression Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. On the Newcastle Depression Scale there was no difference. In both groups a correlation was found between pain score and psychometric scoring. The fibromyalgia patients scored significantly higher on pain than the controls. After correcting for this difference, the fibromyalgia patients still scored higher on anxiety and depression.     

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF HIP ARTHROPLASTY

The impact of total hip arthroplasty on psychological functioning was examined in 51 patients; 25 females and 26 males with a mean age of 65 years (range 42–81 years). Assessments of psychological well-being and distress were made with the Mental Health Inventory. Life satisfaction, self-rated health, and pain ratings were also obtained. Assessments were made prior to surgery, immediately after surgery, and at a 2 month follow-up. The operation produced significant improvements in psychological well-being (P < 0.001), psychological distress (P < 0.001). life satisfaction (P < 0.01), self-rated health (P < 0.001), and pain (P < 0.001). It is concluded that the changes in medical and functional status following hip arthroplasty documented in previous research are accompanied by substantial improvements in psychological state, and that the inclusion of psychological factors in hip arthroplasty research will provide a more comprehensive assessment of outcome.     

Does an oral analgesic protocol improve pain control for patients with cancer? An intergroup study coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

BACKGROUND: Cancer pain is highly prevalent and commonly undertreated. This study was designed to determine whether dissemination of a clinical protocol for pain management would improve outcomes in community oncology practices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A pain management protocol was developed based on accepted guidelines. After baseline assessment, oncology practices were randomly assigned to 'analgesic protocol' (AP) sites, where oncologists implemented the guidelines in a group of lung or prostate cancer patients, or to 'physician discretion' (PD) sites, where customary treatment was continued. Patients treated on protocol and a comparison group of patients with pain due to breast cancer or myeloma were monitored for change in pain using the Brief Pain Inventory, and for change in other symptoms or mood. RESULTS: The protocol terminated early because of poor accrual. We compared groups using proportions of patients who had no or mild pain at follow-up. Although measures of protocol adherence did not suggest the occurrence of major practice change, the proportion of lung or prostate cancer patients with no or mild pain increased significantly from baseline for those treated at AP sites compared with those treated at PD sites. There was no significant difference between the breast and myeloma patients treated at AP sites versus those treated at PD sites. CONCLUSION: A protocol for cancer pain management can improve pain control. Diffusion of these benefits to other patients was not confirmed. Given the small sample size, these findings require confirmation in a larger trial.     

妇产科患者术后使用镇痛泵引发尿路感染的临床探讨

目的 了解留置导尿所致尿路感染的发病率及影响因素。方法 采用前瞻性调查与回顾性调查相结合的方法,对妇产科手术后患者留置尿管而引发泌尿系感染率增高的原因进行调查和分析。结果 使用镇痛泵患者留置导尿后尿路感染率为5.45％,未用镇痛泵者的尿路感染率为0.21％,两者之间差异有高度显著性(P<0.005)。结论 镇痛泵不能滥用,使用时要避免诱发感染的因素。     

Development of the Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Conscious Sedation and Pain Control) Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney

The Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Conscious Sedation and Pain Control) of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, is the first dedicated programme devoted to this field in Australia. Its development followed a decision by the Dental Board of New South Wales to require a formal qualification from the University of Sydney before dental practitioners could offer sedation and pain management in practice.
The programme is conducted at Westmead Hospital in conjunction with the Department of Anaesthetics, and satisfies the guidelines developed by the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
The course is conducted either over one or two years, with block sessions requiring attendance at Westmead Hospital, together with assignments which are completed outside the block sessions. In this way, a dental practitioner enrolled in the programme is able to continue practice.
The block sessions need not be completed over one year, but must be completed within two years.