Pregabalin vs. gabapentin in the treatment of neuropathic pain: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness and safety.

Introduction: Neuropathic pain is a prevalent and burdensome condition, and both pregabalin and gabapentin are widely used for its treatment. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding their comparative efficacy and safety. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate and compare the effectiveness and safety of pregabalin vs.

An overview of the use and misuse/abuse of opioid analgesics in different world regions and future perspectives.

Opioids are an important therapeutic option for severe resistant chronic pain but, in the absence of proper oversight, their use has risks. The level of prescription opioid misuse/abuse differs among countries, due to differences in healthcare systems and pain management approaches. However, evaluating the true dimension of prescription opioid misuse/abuse is complicated by statistical reporting which often does not differentiate between prescription and illicit opioid use, or between prescription opioid use by patients and nonpatients, highlighting a need for greater uniformity.

Knowledge and attitudes in dementia held by general practitioners in the primary care setting of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Despite alarming evidence on dementia prevalence, the condition is still underdiagnosed by general practitioners (GPs) in primary care. Early detection of the disease is beneficial for patients and relatives, who should be provided comprehensive guidance on dealing with dementia complications, covering medical, family and social aspects, thereby providing an opportunity to plan for the future.

Localised neuropathic pain in the primary care setting: a cross-sectional study of prevalence, clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, quality of life and sleep performance.

Background: Localised Neuropathic Pain (LNP) is challenging to diagnose and manage in primary care.

Objective: To describe clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, quality of life and sleep performance of patients with LNP and estimate its prevalence in primary care.

Methods: Cross-sectional study in 4 European countries.

Current management of breakthrough cancer pain according to physicians from pain units in Spain.

Purpose: Current evidence suggests the need to improve the management of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP). For this reason, we aimed to assess the opinion of a panel of experts composed exclusively of physicians from pain units, who play a major role in BTcP diagnosis and treatment, regarding the key aspects of BTcP management.

Methods: An ad hoc questionnaire was developed to collect real-world data on the management of BTcP.

Comparing knowledge and attitudes to dementia care in Brazilian and UK GPs to guide future decisions about educational interventions.

: Dementia training for Brazilian general practitioners (GPs) is underdeveloped. We investigated knowledge and attitudes to dementia management among Brazilian GPs and compared these with previous UK findings to inform future decisions about how training is structured.: A total of 115 Brazilian GPs were asked to complete a Portuguese translation of a questionnaire previously used in the UK.

Diagnostic accuracy of an identification tool for localized neuropathic pain based on the IASP criteria.

Objective: Based on the clear neuroanatomical delineation of many neuropathic pain (NP) symptoms, a simple tool for performing a short structured clinical encounter based on the IASP diagnostic criteria was developed to identify NP. This study evaluated its accuracy and usefulness.

Methods: A case-control study was performed in 19 pain clinics within Spain.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Form to Brazil.

Background: The Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) paradigm is considered one of the most important strategies to respect patients' values at the end of life in the United States. The cross-cultural adaptation of POLST entailed several methodological considerations, which may be informative for international researchers who may also consider bringing POLST to their countries as a means to promote care at the end of life that is consistent with patients' preferences.

Objective: To report the methods and outcome of the cross-cultural adaptation of the POLST form to Brazil.

A Randomized Trial of Endovascular Embolization Treatment in Pelvic Congestion Syndrome: Fibered Platinum Coils versus Vascular Plugs with 1-Year Clinical Outcomes.

Purpose: To compare safety and efficacy of vascular plugs (VPs) and fibered platinum coils (FPCs) for embolization in pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS).

Materials And Methods: A randomized, prospective, single-center study enrolled 100 women with PCS from January 2014 to January 2015. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups, and embolization was performed with FPCs (n = 50) or VPs (n = 50).

Mild cognitive impairment and progression to dementia of Alzheimer's disease.

The increase in life expectancy in the Brazilian population raises questions about the preparation of the public health system in identifying elderly patients with signs of cognitive impairment. Currently, as a consequence of the long duration of preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease, efforts of early detection have been emphasized. Clinical dementia presents an important impact on the individual's caregivers, family, society and economy.

Quantitative Thermal Testing Profiles as a Predictor of Treatment Response to Topical Capsaicin in Patients with Localized Neuropathic Pain.

There are no reliable predictors of response to treatment with capsaicin. Given that capsaicin application causes heat sensation, differences in quantitative thermal testing (QTT) profiles may predict treatment response. The aim of this study was to determine whether different QTT profiles could predict treatment outcomes in patients with localized peripheral neuropathic pain (PeLNP).

The 5% Lidocaine-Medicated Plaster: Its Inclusion in International Treatment Guidelines for Treating Localized Neuropathic Pain, and Clinical Evidence Supporting its Use.

When peripheral neuropathic pain affects a specific, clearly demarcated area of the body, it may be described as localized neuropathic pain (LNP). Examples include postherpetic neuralgia and painful diabetic neuropathy, as well as post-surgical and post-traumatic pain. These conditions may respond to topical treatment, i.

The topical 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in localized neuropathic pain: a reappraisal of the clinical evidence.

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.

Knowledge and attitudes towards dementia in a sample of medical residents from a university-hospital in São Paulo, Brazil.

Unlabelled: An estimated 61% of the 24.3 million people diagnosed with dementia worldwide live in underdeveloped countries, including Brazil, where a public healthcare system covers the majority of the population. This care is usually provided by General Practitioners (GP) and in Brazil many doctors recently graduated from medical school and residents of different medical specialties practice as GPs.

Is an easy and reliable diagnosis of localized neuropathic pain (LNP) possible in general practice? Development of a screening tool based on IASP criteria.

Background And Objective: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a common type of chronic pain in which 60% of patients present with localized symptoms. Early diagnosis of NP is often a challenge in primary care. Moreover, so far no standard diagnostic procedure for localized NP (LNP) is available.

Association between signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders and pregnancy (case control study).

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a combination of multifactoral etiological muscular-skeletal symptoms. Prevalence is greater in women, where sexual hormones are important in pathogenesis, and its behavior at different stages of the reproductive life of women has never been fully documented. The general objective was to determine the association between signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders and pregnancy.

Collaborative intervention to improve airway assessment and safety in management for anaesthesia: the Qualitat & Via Aèria (QUAVA) study.

Background: Airway assessment and management are cornerstones of anaesthesia, yet airway complications remain an important source of morbidity.

Objective: We performed a before-and-after evaluation of a collaborative intervention to improve adherence to airway assessment and management guidelines in patients scheduled for surgery under general anaesthesia.

Design: A prospective, multicentre before-and-after evaluation of a collaborative intervention.

Is interfascial block with ultrasound-guided puncture useful in treatment of myofascial pain of the trapezius muscle?

Objectives: Ultrasound-guided puncture is indispensable for the injection of local anesthetic in the interfascial space, the space between 2 muscle fasciae. Interfascial infiltration or block may be useful in treating myofascial pain in the trapezius muscle.

Methods: (1) In 5 cadavers, we studied the diffusion of a physiological saline and latex solution in the interfascial space of the upper muscles of the back, and performed a histological study of the fasciae.

[Ultrasound-guided puncture: applications in a chronic pain clinic].

Ultrasonography provides an excellent tool for the real-time visualization of peripheral nerve structures in regional anesthesia. Techniques are enhanced further when the progress of the needle and diffusion of the anesthetic can be observed. In a chronic pain clinic, ultrasound-guided puncture offers the advantages of accurate images of structures where pain arises: muscles, fascias, tendons, periostea, and joint structures.

5% lidocaine medicated plaster versus pregabalin in post-herpetic neuralgia and diabetic polyneuropathy: an open-label, non-inferiority two-stage RCT study.

Objective: To compare efficacy and safety of 5% lidocaine medicated plaster with pregabalin in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) or painful diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).

Study Design And Methods: This was a two-stage adaptive, randomized, open-label, multicentre, non-inferiority study. Data are reported from the initial 4-week comparative phase, in which adults with PHN or painful DPN received either topical 5% lidocaine medicated plaster applied to the most painful skin area or twice-daily pregabalin capsules titrated to effect according to the Summary of Product Characteristics.