Frequency and characteristics of patient exclusion criteria in Canadian multidisciplinary pain treatment facilities: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for patients with complex chronic pain (CP). Many multidisciplinary pain treatment facilities (MTPFs) use patient exclusion criteria but little is known about their characteristics. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and characteristics of exclusion criteria in public Canadian MTPFs.

Chronic pain experience and health inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: qualitative findings from the chronic pain & COVID-19 pan-Canadian study.

Background: Chronic pain affects about 20 % of the Canadian population and can lead to physical, psychological and social vulnerabilities. However, this condition remains poorly recognized and undertreated. During 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily living and health care systems, the situation of people with chronic pain has drawn little public attention.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pharmacological, physical, and psychological treatments of pain: findings from the Chronic Pain & COVID-19 Pan-Canadian Study.

Introduction: Multimodal treatment is recognized as the optimal paradigm for the management of chronic pain (CP). Careful balance between pharmacological and physical/psychological approaches is thus desirable but can be easily disrupted.

Objectives: This study aimed at exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacological and physical/psychological treatments of CP.

A cross-sectional study of pain status and psychological distress among individuals living with chronic pain: the Chronic Pain & COVID-19 Pan-Canadian Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, including individuals with chronic pain. We examined associations between geographical variations in COVID-19 infection rates, stress and pain severity, and investigated factors associated with changes in pain status and psychological distress among individuals living with chronic pain during the pandemic.

Methods: This investigation is part of a larger initiative, the Chronic Pain & COVID-19 Pan-Canadian Study, which adopted a cross-sectional observational design.

Accessing care in multidisciplinary pain treatment facilities continues to be a challenge in Canada.

Background: Multidisciplinary pain treatment facilities (MPTFs) are considered the optimal settings for the management of chronic pain (CP). This study aimed (1) to determine the distribution of MPTFs across Canada, (2) to document time to access and types of services, and (3) to compare the results to those obtained in 2005-2006.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used the same MPTF definition as in 2005-2006-that is, a clinic staffed with professionals from a minimum of three different disciplines (including at least one medical specialty) and whose services were integrated within the facility.

Evaluation of the clinimetric properties of the Early Inflammatory Arthritis--self-administered comorbidity questionnaire.

Objectives: To adapt the self-administered comorbidity questionnaire (SCQ) into the Early Inflammatory Arthritis-SCQ (EIA-SCQ) and assess its clinimetric properties in EIA.

Methods: The EIA-SCQ and indices of disease activity, function, pain, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and health resource utilization were administered to 320 patients with EIA. Twenty patients completed the EIA-SCQ a second time 1 week later.

Extracellular localization of galectin-3 has a deleterious role in joint tissues.

In this study we examine the extracellular role of galectin-3 (gal-3) in joint tissues. Following intra-articular injection of gal-3 or vehicle in knee joints of mice, histological evaluation of articular cartilage and subchondral bone was performed. Further studies were then performed using human osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes and subchondral bone osteoblasts, in which the effect of gal-3 (0 to 10 microg/ml) was analyzed.