Successful and unsuccessful recruitment and retainment strategies in a UK multicentre drug trial for a rare chronic pain condition which performed above target.

Introduction: Recruitment into trials in rare chronic pain conditions can be challenging, so such trials consequently are underpowered or fail.

Methods: Drawing from our experience in conducting, to date, the largest academic trial in a rare chronic pain condition, complex regional pain syndrome, we have identified recruitment and retention strategies for successful trial conduct.

Results: We present 13 strategies grouped across the categories of 'setting the recruitment rate', 'networking', 'patient information', 'trial management' and 'patient retention'.

Cascade Programming for 10 kHz Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Single Center Case Series of 114 Patients With Neuropathic Back and Leg Pain.

Objective: Ten kilohertz spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is usually initiated in a single-bipolar configuration over the radiological reference point T9/T10 intervertebral disc space for neuropathic back and leg pain. Cascade is a duty-cycled, multi-bipolar contact configuration across an entire eight-contact lead. Potential advantages by using a broader area of SCS coverage include mitigation against minor lead migration and a reduction in the need for reprogramming.

Low-Dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment for Long-Standing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Two small trials suggest that low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) may improve the symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a rare posttraumatic pain condition.

Objective: To confirm the efficacy of low-dose IVIg compared with placebo in reducing pain during a 6-week period in adult patients who had CRPS from 1 to 5 years.

Design: 1:1 parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial for 6 weeks, with an optional 6-week open extension.

Low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for complex regional pain syndrome (LIPS): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Longstanding complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is refractory to treatment with established analgesic drugs in most cases, and for many patients, alternative pain treatment approaches, such as with neuromodulation devices or rehabilitation methods, also do not work. The development of novel, effective treatment technologies is, therefore, important. There are preliminary data suggesting that low-dose immunoglobulin treatment may significantly reduce pain from longstanding CRPS.