The Effect of Sedation on Diagnostic Lumbar Medial Branch Blocks for Facetogenic Low Back Pain: An Observational Study.

Background: Lumbar medial branch blocks (MBB) are some of the most commonly performed pain procedures in the United States. Diagnostic MBBs are performed to confirm if the generator of low back pain is the facet joint. However, with diagnostic injections, false positive blocks may occur.

The Impact of Tobacco Smoking on Spinal Cord Stimulation Effectiveness in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Patients.

Objectives: We aim to investigate the correlation of smoking and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) effectiveness for pain relief in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) patients while controlling for possible confounding factors including opioid intake.

Materials And Methods: Following Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed by collecting data for all CRPS patients treated with SCS at Cleveland Clinic between 1998 and 2013. We divided patients into three groups based on their smoking status at the time of SCS device implant: Current smokers, former smokers, or nonsmokers.

Association between Blood Viscosity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Arterial Hypertension in a High Altitude Setting.

Background  Blood viscosity is a determinant of vascular resistance, and it is expected to contribute to blood pressure. Arterial hypertension (HTN), in addition to other cardiovascular risk factors, contribute to cardiac morbidity. Our study aimed to establish the association between cardiovascular risk factors including HTN and whole blood viscosity in Ecuadorian patients.