Fatigue and Depressive Mood in Chronic Low Back Pain.

Purpose: Fatigue is prevalent, problematic, and co-occurs in chronic low back pain. When left untreated, fatigue can increase depressive mood, and intensify pain burden and disability in patients with chronic low back pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of fatigue to depressive mood, pain severity, and pain interference in patients with chronic low back pain.

Composite Biomarkers, Behavioral Symptoms, and Comorbidities in Axial Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: Proinflammatory cytokines play a critical role in chronic inflammation and pain and contribute to behavioral symptoms (depressive symptoms, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance) and comorbidities (diabetes, cardiac diseases, cancer). Evidence is lacking on the specific proinflammatory cytokines associated with these behavioral symptoms/comorbidities co-occurring with axial low back pain (aLBP). This review aimed to systematically analyze the following: (1) specific proinflammatory cytokines associated with aLBP in adults, (2) associations among proinflammatory cytokines and behavioral symptoms in aLBP, and (3) relationships among proinflammatory cytokines and comorbidities in aLBP, to develop a new clinical framework for future diagnostic and intervention targets for patients with aLBP.

Opioid Knowledge and Prescribing Habits at a Large Tertiary Care Academic Center.

Background: Opioids are commonly prescribed medications for pain management with high risks associated with chronic use. The inherent risk associated with opioids is worsened by variable prescribing practices used by prescribers. In the midst of the "opioid epidemic," perceptions of opioid prescription among healthcare practitioners have not been widely investigated.

Correction: A Review of Non-Surgical Pain Management in Osteoarthritis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.10829.

Social Support Is Inversely Associated With Sleep Disturbance, Inflammation, and Pain Severity in Chronic Low Back Pain.

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a significant cause of disability, lost wages, and healthcare costs. Inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), have been associated with LBP severity. Patients with CLBP commonly experience sleep disturbance, and poor sleep has been shown to increase pain severity and inflammation.

Behavioral Symptom Clusters, Inflammation, and Quality of Life in Chronic Low Back Pain.

Background: Chronic low back pain is a prevalent condition, often involving an inflammatory process. Behavioral symptoms, including depressed mood, fatigue, and sleep disturbance, intensifies pain and reduces quality of life.

Aims: The objectives of this pilot study were to identify behavioral symptom clusters (depressive mood, fatigue, poor sleep) in individuals with chronic low back pain, and to determine whether there are differences in pain, quality of life and inflammation (plasma IL-6) based on cluster membership.