Impact of Long-Term Evoked Compound Action Potential Controlled Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation on Sleep Quality in Patients With Chronic Pain: An EVOKE Randomized Controlled Trial Study Subanalysis.

Objective: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is considered an effective interventional nonpharmacologic treatment option for several chronic pain conditions. Here we present the effects of the novel evoked compound action potential (ECAP) controlled closed-loop (ECAP-CL) SCS system on long-term sleep quality outcomes from the EVOKE study.

Materials And Methods: The EVOKE study is a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial conducted at 13 sites in the United States (N = 134 patients).

Lumbar spinal stenosis: therapeutic options review.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) functionally impacts significant numbers of Americans per year. Current estimates place the number of Americans suffering from senescent lumbar spinal stenosis at 400,000. The prevalence of this disorder in patients ranging from 60 to 69 years of age is very high.

Degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in diabetic dogs and mice: relationship to glycemic control and retinal capillary degeneration.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate (i) the effect of diabetes on retinal ganglion cell death in diabetic dogs and mice, (ii) the effect of prolonged glycemic control on diabetes-induced death of retinal ganglion cells, (iii) whether retinal ganglion cell death in diabetes is associated with degeneration of retinal capillaries, and (iv) the effect of diet on diabetes-induced degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in mice.

Methods: Diabetes was induced in dogs using streptozotocin, and levels of glycemic control (good, moderate, and poor) were maintained for 5 years. Diabetes was studied in two mouse models (diabetes induced in C57Bl/6J mice using streptozotocin and spontaneously diabetic Ins2Akita mice).

Value of the magnetic resonance imaging in patients with painful lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) undergoing lumbar epidural steroid injections.

Objectives: Purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, pain scores, and opiates use in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) undergoing lumbar epidural steroid (LES) injections by retrospective review of 719 patients' electronic medical records.

Methods: Reviewed were Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and opioid use before and 8 to 12 weeks after series of LES injections. The stenosis pain index (SPI) was produced by adding an assigned numerical value of severity (1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe) to the number of lumbar vertebral levels affected by LSS on MRI (lateral or central).