Publications by authors named "Leon-Casasola O"

Background: Prescription rates for buprenorphine in opioid use disorder are increasing, and recent guidelines recommend its continuation during and after surgery; however, evidence from clinical outcome studies is limited. We tested the hypotheses that 1) perioperative continuation of buprenorphine does not result in higher pain scores and 2) that this approach does not result in higher supplemental postoperative opioid requirements.

Methods: The Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse was queried for patients who underwent surgery while being prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder between 2010 and 2020.

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Introduction: Multi-modal analgesia is desirable for the management of acute pain since it can provide effective pain relief at lower doses, thereby aiding tolerability. Co-crystal of tramadol-celecoxib (CTC) provides effective analgesia in models of acute pain. Co-crystallization can alter the pharmacokinetics of individual components, potentially improving tolerability.

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Background: In the randomized, phase 3, SUSA-301 trial, celecoxib-tramadol co-crystal (CTC) provided significantly greater analgesia compared with celecoxib, tramadol, or placebo in adults with acute, moderate-to-severe, postoperative pain. This post hoc, secondary analysis further evaluated the use of rescue medication and the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).

Methods: Patients (N = 637) were randomized 2:2:2:1 to receive oral CTC 200 mg twice daily (BID; n = 184), tramadol 50 mg four times daily (QID; n = 183), celecoxib 100 mg BID (n = 181), or placebo QID (n = 89).

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Background And Objectives: New acute pain medications are needed that provide effective analgesia while minimizing side effects and opioid exposure. Clinical trials of co-crystal of tramadol-celecoxib (CTC) have demonstrated an improved benefit/risk profile versus tramadol or celecoxib alone. We pooled data from two phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of CTC 200 mg twice daily (BID) in acute moderate-to-severe pain.

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Objective: This narrative review aims to provide a clinical perspective on the potential role of co-crystal of tramadol-celecoxib (CTC) in the management of acute moderate-to-severe pain by synthesizing the available preclinical and clinical data, with emphasis on phase 3 trials.

Methods: A non-systematic literature review was performed using a targeted PubMed search for articles published between January 1, 2000, and May 2, 2023; all publication types were permitted, and selected articles were limited to those published in English. Search results were manually reviewed to identify references based on their preclinical and clinical relevance to CTC and management of acute moderate-to-severe pain.

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Article Synopsis
  • Postoperative pain management remains a significant challenge despite the high volume of surgeries, often treated inadequately, leading to chronic pain in some patients based on the type of surgery and individual factors.
  • Using a multimodal approach that combines opioids, nonopioid pain relievers, adjuvants, and nonpharmacologic methods is recommended for better pain relief and to reduce reliance on opioids.
  • Guidelines from specialty societies highlight the importance of tailored pain management strategies for specific populations, like children and pregnant patients, stressing caution with medications like codeine for pediatric patients due to potential safety risks.
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Importance: Changes in postsurgical opioid prescribing practices may help reduce chronic opioid use in surgical patients.

Objective: To investigate whether postsurgical acute pain across different surgical subspecialties can be managed effectively after hospital discharge with an opioid supply of 3 or fewer days and whether this reduction in prescribed opioids is associated with reduced new, persistent opioid use.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this prospective cohort study with a case-control design, a restrictive opioid prescription protocol (ROPP) specifying an opioid supply of 3 or fewer days after discharge from surgery along with standardized patient education was implemented across all surgical services at a tertiary-care comprehensive cancer center.

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I am as deeply inspired and humbled to receive this prestigious award, as I am profoundly indebted to the Bonica Award selection committee and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Board of Directors for recognizing my contributions to the development, teaching, and practice of pain medicine in the tradition of Dr John J Bonica. I would also like to recognize my parents, Aura and Tito for providing me with the support and the environment to fulfill my professional goals. Moreover, the support that I have gotten from my team at the hospital, and the Chair of my Department, Dr Mark Lema needs to be underscored.

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Background: Celecoxib-tramadol co-crystal (CTC) is a first-in-class analgesic co-crystal of celecoxib and racemic tramadol with an improved pharmacologic profile, conferred by the co-crystal structure, compared with its active constituents administered alone/concomitantly.

Aim: We evaluated CTC in moderate-to-severe acute postoperative pain.

Materials And Methods: This randomized, double-blind, factorial, active- and placebo-controlled phase 3 trial (NCT03108482) was conducted at 6 US clinical research centers.

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Postoperative pain is prevalent and often undertreated. There is a risk that untreated or suboptimally treated postoperative pain may transition into chronic postoperative pain, which can be challenging to treat. Clinical guidelines recommend the use of multimodal analgesia, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, and, in some cases, opioids.

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Background: Physician burnout may be at 'epidemic' proportions due to factors associated with modern healthcare practice and technology. Practice attributes vary appreciably among subspecialists. Understanding burnout incidence and its associated factors could illuminate potential causes and interventions.

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Objectives: Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is a phenomenon whereby opioids increase patients' pain sensitivity, complicating their use in analgesia. We explored practitioners' attitudes towards, and knowledge concerning diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment of OIH.

Materials And Methods: We administered an 18-item cross-sectional survey to 850 clinicians that managed chronic pain with opioid therapy.

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Importance: Opioids are routinely prescribed for postoperative home pain management for most patients in the United States, with limited evidence of the amount needed to be dispensed. Opioid-based treatment often adversely affects recovery. Prescribed opioids increase the risk of chronic opioid use, abuse, and diversion and contribute to the current opioid epidemic.

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Background And Objectives: Dosage of local anesthetics (LAs) used for regional anesthesia in children is not well determined. In order to evaluate and come to a consensus regarding some of these controversial topics, The European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) developed a Joint Committee Practice Advisory on Local Anesthetics and Adjuvants Dosage in Pediatric Regional Anesthesia.

Methods: Representatives from both ASRA and ESRA composed the joint committee practice advisory.

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Topical 5% lidocaine medicated plasters represent a well-established first-line option for the treatment of peripheral localized neuropathic pain (LNP). This review provides an updated overview of the clinical evidence (randomized, controlled, and open-label clinical studies, real-life daily clinical practice, and case series). The 5% lidocaine medicated plaster effectively provides pain relief in postherpetic neuralgia, and data from a large open-label controlled study indicate that the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster is as effective as systemic pregabalin in postherpetic neuralgia and painful diabetic polyneuropathy but with an improved tolerability profile.

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Unlabelled: Most patients who undergo surgical procedures experience acute postoperative pain, but evidence suggests that less than half report adequate postoperative pain relief. Many preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative interventions and management strategies are available for reducing and managing postoperative pain. The American Pain Society, with input from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, commissioned an interdisciplinary expert panel to develop a clinical practice guideline to promote evidence-based, effective, and safer postoperative pain management in children and adults.

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Unlabelled: Acute postoperative pain is a common clinical condition that, when poorly controlled, can result in a number of significant negative consequences. The American Pain Society commissioned an evidence-based guideline on the management of postoperative pain to promote evidence-based, safe, and effective perioperative pain management. An interdisciplinary panel developed 31 key questions and inclusion criteria to guide the evidence review.

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The prevalence of opioid use in the North America and some countries of the European Union has resulted in an increase in the number of patients who may exhibit opioid tolerance when requiring postoperative pain management. The approach to postoperative pain control in these patients is different from the strategies used in opioid-naïve patients. Better understanding of the cellular mechanisms of opioid tolerance in animals has resulted in the transfer of these concepts from the basic research to the clinical arena.

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Objective: To review the literature on the progression from acute to chronic postoperative pain, to evaluate the evidence for the risk of progressing to persistent postoperative and chronic pain, and to identify characteristics of pharmacologic treatments to best tailor therapy to an individual patient's pain profile.

Background: Pain is most commonly classified by duration (acute, chronic) and pathophysiology (nociceptive, neuropathic); however, these descriptors alone incompletely describe pain. Additionally, the transition between acute and chronic postoperative pain is not well understood.

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In the United States, the prevalence and burden of chronic pain is large and still growing. Older adults (aged ≥65 years) make up a large portion of the population with chronic pain, and their presentation, diagnosis, and treatment tends to be more complicated because of age-related physiological changes and comorbidities. Guidelines on treating patients with severe back pain recommend opioids as an option for those who do not find adequate pain relief from acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

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