Clinical Challenges and Considerations in Management of Chronic Pain Patients During a COVID-19 Pandemic.

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was deemed a pandemic on 11 March 2020, we have seen exponential increases in the number of cases and deaths worldwide. The rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation requires revisions to clinical practice to defer non-essential clinical services to allocate scarce medical resources to the care of the COVID-19 patient and reduce risk to healthcare workers. Chronic pain patients require long-term multidisciplinary management even during a pandemic.

Metabolic and endocrinal effects of epidural glucocorticoid injections.

Introduction: Epidural steroid injections are an integral part of nonsurgical management of radicular pain from lumbar spine disorders. We studied the effect of dexamethasone 8 mg epidural injections on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and serum glucose control of Asian patients.

Methods: 18 patients were recruited: six diabetics and 12 non-diabetics.

Pregabalin and Radicular Pain Study (PARPS) for Cervical Spondylosis in a Multiracial Asian Population.

Background: Pain from cervical spondylosis (CS) may result from degenerative spinal canal stenosis (cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM)) or lateral recesses compromise, leading to nerve root compression (cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR)). Pregabalin was shown to be effective in randomized, placebo-controlled trials for post-herpetic neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy. We evaluate its efficacy in CS with underlying CSR or CSM in a prospective study comprising Asian patients for the first time.

Use of strong opioids for chronic non-cancer pain: a retrospective analysis at a pain centre in Singapore.

Introduction: The use of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is controversial, as it presents both benefits and risks. There is currently no available data on the incidence, prescription pattern, functional outcomes and adverse effects of opioids in patients with CNCP in Singapore. This study aimed to address the aforementioned deficit.

Evidence-based guidelines on the use of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain--a consensus statement by the Pain Association of Singapore Task Force.

Introduction: While opioids are effective in carefully selected patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), they are associated with potential risks. Therefore, treatment recommendations for the safe and effective use of opioids in this patient population are needed.

Materials And Methods: A multidisciplinary expert panel was convened by the Pain Association of Singapore to develop practical evidence-based recommendations on the use of opioids in the management of CNCP in the local population.

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of repetitive spinal magnetic stimulation in lumbosacral spondylotic pain.

Objective: Lumbar spondylosis is a degenerative disorder of the spine, whereby pain is a prominent feature that poses therapeutic challenges even after surgical intervention. There are no randomized, placebo-controlled studies utilizing repetitive spinal magnetic stimulation (SMS) in pain associated with lumbar spondylosis. In this study, we utilize SMS technique for patients with this condition in a pilot clinical trial.