Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for August 2010. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Exercise Alters Pain Sensitivity in Veterans With Chronic Pain
MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Veterans of the first Gulf War (GVs) with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) appear to be more sensitive to heat-pain stimuli after acute exercise, according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of Pain.
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Benefit Seen in RA From Combo of Rituximab, Methotrexate
FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Rituximab plus methotrexate is associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate, according to research published in the September issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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Myopathy Patients With Novel Autoantibodies Identified
FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified a subgroup of necrotizing myopathy patients with novel autoantibodies who are potential candidates for immunosuppressive therapy, according to a study in the September issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Sustained Response to Repeat Rituximab Seen in RA
MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Three rituximab (RTX) dosing regimens have similar efficacy for rheumatoid arthritis that is no longer responding to methotrexate, and retreatment after 24 weeks results in a more sustained response through to 48 weeks, according to a study in the September issue of Rheumatology.
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Health Costs Likely High in LBP Patients With High Disability
MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Low back pain (LBP) patients with high levels of disability have an increased likelihood of incurring high health care costs, and depression appears to play an important role in back pain patients' direct health care utilization, according to research published in the Aug. 15 issue of Spine.
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MRI May Not Explain Long-Term Whiplash Pain
FRIDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Although some patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) continue to experience neck pain in the long term, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may not explain their symptoms, according to a study in the Aug. 15 issue of Spine.
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Sham, Real Acupuncture Result in Similar Pain Relief in OA
THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) is no better than sham acupuncture for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, but patients whose acupuncturist communicates positive expectations have better pain reduction and satisfaction than patients whose acupuncturist has a neutral communication style, according to a study in the September issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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Lifestyle Choices Affect Headache Frequency in Teens
THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Low physical activity, smoking, and being overweight all significantly increase the odds of recurrent headache in adolescents, according to research published online Aug. 18 in Neurology.
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Tai Chi Shows Benefits in Treating Fibromyalgia
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Tai chi may be useful in treating fibromyalgia, according to research published in the Aug. 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Single Genetic Factor Related to Pain at Many Body Sites
MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- A single, heritable pain factor underlies 46 percent of chronic musculoskeletal pain reported at many different anatomical sites, according to research published in the September issue of Rheumatology. This is in contrast to findings from previous research on osteoarthritis pain which showed that the propensity to report pain is determined by genetic factors specific to each anatomical site.
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Adherence to Discography Guidelines Is Lackluster
THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- National compliance with professional guidelines for discography, a controversial procedure to diagnose disc damage contributing to back pain, ranges from poor to fair, according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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Some Adversity Exposure May Improve Back Pain Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Among individuals with chronic back pain (CBP), those with some lifetime exposure to adverse events report less impairment and health care use than those with a high level of exposure to adverse events or no exposure to adversity, according to a study in the September issue of PAIN.
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Primary Dysmenorrhea May Change Brain Structure
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Women with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) have abnormal changes in brain gray matter volume regardless of whether they are experiencing pain, according to a study in the September issue of PAIN.
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Vertebroplasty Found Beneficial for Fracture Pain Control
TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Pain control with percutaneous vertebroplasty is superior to pain control with conservative management for acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, according to research published online Aug. 10 in The Lancet.
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TNFα Blockers May Raise Risk of Malignancies in Children
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Children taking tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) blockers may be at increased risk for developing malignancies, but confounding factors make it difficult to establish a causal relationship, according to research published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Pain in Fibromyalgia Patients Tied to Altered Brain Functions
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- In people with fibromyalgia, there appears to be an association between resting brain activity in multiple brain networks and spontaneous clinical pain, according to research published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Industry-Funded Clinical Trials Yield More Positive Outcomes
TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Drug clinical trials supported by industry are more likely to produce favorable results than trials supported by government or nonprofit/nonfederal organizations, and they are less likely to be published within two years of the study being completed, according to research published in the Aug. 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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