Reciprocal relationship between pain and depression: a 12-month longitudinal analysis in primary care.

Unlabelled: Pain and depression are the most prevalent physical and psychological symptom-based disorders, respectively, and co-occur 30 to 50% of the time. However, their reciprocal relationship and potentially causative effects on one another have been inadequately studied. Longitudinal data analysis involving 500 primary care patients with persistent back, hip, or knee pain were enrolled in the Stepped Care for Affective Disorders and Musculoskeletal Pain (SCAMP) study.

Comparative mortality among Department of Veterans Affairs patients prescribed methadone or long-acting morphine for chronic pain.

Data on comparative safety of opioid analgesics are limited, but some reports suggest disproportionate mortality risk associated with methadone. Our objective was to compare mortality rates among patients who received prescribed methadone or long-acting morphine for pain. This is a retrospective observational cohort drawn from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care databases, January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2007.

Primary care monitoring of long-term opioid therapy among veterans with chronic pain.

Objective: To characterize long-term opioid prescribing and monitoring practices in primary care.

Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Setting: Primary care clinics associated with a large Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center.

Association between opioid prescribing patterns and opioid overdose-related deaths.

Context: The rate of prescription opioid-related overdose death increased substantially in the United States over the past decade. Patterns of opioid prescribing may be related to risk of overdose mortality.

Objective: To examine the association of maximum prescribed daily opioid dose and dosing schedule ("as needed," regularly scheduled, or both) with risk of opioid overdose death among patients with cancer, chronic pain, acute pain, and substance use disorders.

Quantitation of branched-chain amino acids in ascites by capillary electrophoresis with light-emitting diode-induced fluorescence detection.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are one of the important biomarkers for monitoring liver disease such as hepatitis or hepatoma. In this communication, we present the determination of the concentrations of BCAA in ascites by CE light-emitted diode-induced fluorescence (LEDIF) using 1.5% m/v poly(ethylene oxide) (average M(v) : ~8 000 000 g/mol) that was prepared in 10 mM sodium tetraborate solution (pH 9.

Antioxidative status of patients with alcoholic liver disease in southeastern Taiwan.

Aim: To investigate the antioxidative status of patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in southeastern Taiwan.

Methods: Our study comprised 27 patients with ALD recruited from Taitung Mackay Memorial Hospital, located in southeastern Taiwan. Patients with ALD included 12 non-aborigines (12 men) and 15 aborigines (11 men and 4 women).

The patient-provider relationship in chronic pain care: providers' perspectives.

Background: Pain is the most commonly reported symptom in primary care and is a leading cause of disability. Primary care providers (PCPs) face numerous challenges in caring for patients with chronic pain including communication and relational difficulties.

Objective: The objective of the study was to elicit providers' perspectives on their experiences in caring for patients with chronic pain.

Comparative responsiveness of pain outcome measures among primary care patients with musculoskeletal pain.

Background: Comparative responsiveness data are needed to inform choices about pain outcome measures.

Objectives: To compare responsiveness of pain intensity, pain-related function, and composite measures, using data from a randomized trial and observational study.

Research Design: Analysis of responsiveness.

Correlates of depression among people with diabetes: The Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study.

Aim: The broad objective of this study was to examine multiple dimensions of depression in a large, diverse population of adults with diabetes. Specific aims were to measure the association of depression with: (1) patient characteristics; (2) outcomes; and (3) diabetes-related quality of care.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were performed using survey and chart data from the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study, including 8790 adults with diabetes, enrolled in 10 managed care health plans in 7 states.

Perforated peptic ulcer in southeastern Taiwan.

Background: No studies focus on the population with perforated peptic ulcer in southeastern Taiwan. The present study aimed to assess the differences between the different races and the risk factors related to mortality and morbidity in postoperative patients in southeastern Taiwan.

Methods: The medical records of 237 patients were reviewed retrospectively.

The Pragmatic-Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary (PRECIS) instrument was useful for refining a randomized trial design: experiences from an investigative team.

Objective: A recently published instrument (PRECIS) was designed to assist investigative teams in understanding the various design decisions that need to be made regarding pragmatic vs. explanatory trials. Our team used this instrument during an investigators' meeting to organize our discussion regarding the design of a planned trial and to determine the extent of consensus among the study investigators.

Prevalence of pain and association with quality of life, depression and glycaemic control in patients with diabetes.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of pain and its association with glycaemic control, mental health and physical functioning in patients with diabetes.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from a multi-site, prospective cohort study of 11 689 participants with diabetes. We analysed the associations of pain severity and interference with glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) measurements and Medical Outcomes Study SF-Mental and Physical Component Summary-12 (MCS-12 and PCS-12) scores.