Sleep disordered breathing and chronic respiratory failure in patients with chronic pain on long term opioid therapy.

Study Objectives: The use of opioid medication for chronic pain has been increasing. The main aim of this study was to assess how many patients on opioids for chronic pain had sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and the type of SDB. The impact of these medications on daytime arterial blood gas (ABG) measurements and psychomotor vigilance was also studied.

Six month post-treatment deterioration in acceptance (CPAQ-8) and cognitions following multidisciplinary pain treatment.

Pain acceptance contributes significantly to the effectiveness of pain treatment outcomes. Nevertheless, little research has been conducted to examine whether a decrease in acceptance contributes to a deterioration in post treatment functioning. The aim of this study was to assess the role of pain acceptance in relation to process and outcome variables in the six-months following the conclusion of a pain program.

Validation of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire-8 in an Australian pain clinic sample.

Background: Recently, an 8-item short-form version of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8) was developed predominantly in an internet sample. Further investigation of the factor structure in a multidisciplinary pain clinic sample is required. Investigation of the concurrent validity of the CPAQ-8 after accounting for the effects of variables commonly measured in the pain clinic setting is also necessary.

Management of occupation-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Occupation-related musculoskeletal disorders are a common clinical problem. Management presents challenges in understanding the factors that give rise to work loss and disability. To improve outcomes, practitioners need to screen for risk factors, understand the demands of work and workplaces and be prepared to actively assist the process of work return.

Neuropathic pain and diabetes.

Neuropathic pain is a common phenomenon resulting from injury to the central or peripheral nervous system. The means by which diabetes results in nerve injury is unclear but the effect is to cause injury at all levels of the nervous system from the level of the peripheral nerves to the brain. Nerve injury causes pain through a cascade of mechanisms resulting in altered processing of sensory input into the nervous system.