Ethnocultural and sex characteristics of patients attending a tertiary care pain clinic in Toronto, Ontario.

Background: Ethnocultural factors and sex may greatly affect pain perception and expression. Emerging literature is also documenting racial and ethnic differences in pain access and care.

Objective: To define the sex and ethnocultural characteristics of patients attending a tertiary care, university-affiliated pain clinic in Toronto, Ontario.

Pain characteristics and demographics of patients attending a university-affiliated pain clinic in Toronto, Ontario.

Background: Pain clinics tend to see more complex chronic pain patients than primary care settings, but the types of patients seen may differ among practices.

Objective: The aim of the present observational study was to describe the pain and demographic characteristics of patients attending a university-affiliated tertiary care pain clinic in Toronto, Ontario.

Methods: Data were collected on 1242 consecutive new patients seen over a three-year period at the Comprehensive Pain Program in central Toronto.

Are we paying a high price for surgical sympathectomy? A systematic literature review of late complications.

The purpose of this article was to systematically review the literature in order to assess (1) the current indications for surgical sympathectomy and (2) the incidence of late complications collectively and per indication. All types of upper or lower limb surgical sympathectomies are included. An extensive search strategy looked for controlled trials and observational studies or case series with an english abstract.

Unexplainable nondermatomal somatosensory deficits in patients with chronic nonmalignant pain in the context of litigation/compensation: a role for involvement of central factors?

Objective: To address the prevalence and characteristics of nondermatomal somatosensory deficits (NDSD) in subjects with chronic pain in the context of compensation/litigation.

Methods: Data were collected via standardized history, examination, and patient- as well as physician-drawn body maps in a consecutive series of 194 subjects seen for the purpose of an independent medical examination.

Results: Forty-nine subjects (25.

Thoracic outlet syndrome after motor vehicle accidents in a Canadian pain clinic population.

Objective: To record symptoms and signs, operative findings, and long-term outcome in operated and nonoperated patients with the diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome after a motor vehicle accident.

Design: Descriptive prospective study.

Setting: Pain clinic population in the Toronto Hospital (Western Division), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Alterations of the three-phase bone scan after sympathectomy.

Objective: To evaluate alterations of the three-phase bone scan (TPBS) in patients with the clinical diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) before and after surgical or chemical sympathectomy.

Design: The TPBS was done after i.v.

Regional neuroprotective effects of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) in hypoglycemic brain damage.

Current evidence points to an important role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation in the pathogenesis of hypoglycemic neuronal death. MK-801 [dizocilpine maleate, (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-di[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine] is an anticonvulsant compound also known to be a potent noncompetitive antagonist at NMDA receptors, readily crossing the blood-brain barrier after parenteral administration. Treatment of rats with dizocilpine (1.

Brain and plasma quinolinic acid in profound insulin-induced hypoglycemia.

Profound insulin-induced hypoglycemia is associated with early-onset neuronal damage that resembles excitotoxic lesions and is attenuated in severity by antagonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Hypoglycemia increases L-tryptophan concentrations in brain and could increase the concentration of the L-tryptophan metabolite quinolinic acid (QUIN), an agonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and an excitotoxin in brain. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 40 min of profound hypoglycemia (isoelectric EEG) and 1-2 h of normoglycemic recovery on the concentrations of QUIN in brain tissue, brain extracellular fluid, and plasma in male Wistar rats.