Applying evidence-based cross-disciplinary concepts helps to explain the heterogeneity in pain, function, and biological measures in individuals with knee pain with/at risk of osteoarthritis.

Introduction: Factors contributing to individual differences in knee osteoarthritis remain elusive. Dispositional traits and socioeconomic status are independent predictors of mental and physical health, although significant variability remains. Dispositional traits serve as the biological interface for life experiences.

Association of neighborhood-level disadvantage beyond individual sociodemographic factors in patients with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is a risk factor for poorer pain-related outcomes. Further, the neighborhood environments of disadvantaged communities can create a milieu of increased stress and deprivation that adversely affects pain-related and other health outcomes. Socioenvironmental variables such as the Area Deprivation Index, which ranks neighborhoods based on socioeconomic factors could be used to capture environmental aspects associated with poor pain outcomes.

Self-regulated analgesia in males but not females is mediated by endogenous opioids.

Converging lines of preclinical and clinical research indicate that females, in stark contrast to males, display an increased prevalence of chronic pain. Females also demonstrate weaker analgesic efficacy in response to opioid therapies when compared with males. These sex-specific differences may be driven by dimorphic endogenous opioidergic responses.

Household Income Is Associated with Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain among Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study Using NHIS Data.

Pain is a prevalent issue among cancer patients, yet its link with socioeconomic status has not been thoroughly examined. This study investigated chronic pain (lasting ≥3 months) and high-impact pain (chronic pain limiting activities) among cancer survivors based on household income relative to the federal poverty level (FPL), using data from the National Health Interview Survey (2019-2020). Of the 4585 participants with a history of solid cancers, 1649 (36.

Implementing a pragmatic clinical trial to tailor opioids for chronic pain on behalf of the IGNITE ADOPT PGx investigators.

Chronic pain is a prevalent condition with enormous economic burden. Opioids such as tramadol, codeine, and hydrocodone are commonly used to treat chronic pain; these drugs are activated to more potent opioid receptor agonists by the hepatic CYP2D6 enzyme. Results from clinical studies and mechanistic understandings suggest that CYP2D6-guided therapy will improve pain control and reduce adverse drug events.

Clinical and Adverse Outcomes Associated With Concomitant Use of CYP2D6-Metabolized Opioids With Antidepressants in Older Nursing Home Residents : A Target Trial Emulation Study.

Background: Limited evidence exists on the safety of pharmacokinetic interactions of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 (CYP2D6)-metabolized opioids with antidepressants among older nursing home (NH) residents.

Objective: To investigate the associations of concomitant use of CYP2D6-metabolized opioids and antidepressants with clinical outcomes and opioid-related adverse events (ORAEs).

Design: Retrospective cohort study using a target trial emulation framework.

Understanding the biopsychosocial knee osteoarthritis pain experience: an ecological momentary assessment.

Introduction: Psychological, social, and lifestyle factors contribute to the knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain experience. These factors could be measured more accurately using smartphone ecological momentary assessment (EMA).

Objectives: The objective of this study was to characterise the pain experiences of those with knee OA by a smartphone EMA survey and explain how momentary psychological and social states influence knee OA pain experiences.

Use of CYP2D6 Inhibitors with CYP2D6 Opioids: Association with Emergency Department Visits for Pain.

Hydrocodone, tramadol, codeine, and oxycodone are commonly prescribed opioids that rely on activation by cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6). CYP2D6 inhibitors can significantly decrease CYP2D6 activity, leading to reduced generation of active metabolites, and impairing pain control. To understand this impact, we assessed emergency department (ED) visits in patients initiating these CYP2D6-dependent opioids while on CYP2D6-inhibitor antidepressants vs.

Identifying barriers and facilitators for using a smartwatch to monitor health among older adults.

Smartwatches are a type of wearable device that enable continuous monitoring of an individual's activities and critical health metrics. As the number of older adults age 65+ continues to grow in the U.S.

A domain-oriented approach to characterizing movement-evoked pain.

Introduction: Movement-evoked pain (MEP) impacts a substantial proportion of US adults living with chronic pain. Evidence suggests that MEP is influenced by numerous biopsychosocial factors and mediated by mechanisms differing from those of spontaneous pain. However, both characteristic and mechanistic knowledge of MEP remain limited, hindering effective diagnosis and treatment.

Advancing the Science of Mentorship: Future Directions for Sustainable Implementation and Evaluation of Mentorship Education for the Clinical and Translational Science Workforce.

The Advancing the Science of Mentorship: Future Directions for Sustainable Implementation and Evaluation of Mentorship Education for the Clinical and Translational Science Workforce conference was held in Madison, Wisconsin, in April 2023. The conference provided an engaging and scholarly forum for clinical and translational researchers from diverse backgrounds and career stages (including leaders at Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs and affiliated institutions) with a professional interest and commitment to improving and diversifying workforce development and fostering a climate of inclusive excellence through best practices in mentorship. Outcomes from the conference include an online resource and a new Community of Practice.

Environmental and sociocultural factors are associated with pain-related brain structure among diverse individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain: intersectional considerations.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain including knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Previous research indicates ethnic-race groups differ in the pain and functional limitations experienced with knee OA. However, when socioenvironmental factors are included in analyses, group differences in pain and function wane.

Dispositional traits help explain individual differences in relationships between a radiographic knee osteoarthritis measure, pain, and physical function.

Background: The concordance between radiograph-derived Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scores for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and experimental and clinical pain and KOA-related physical function is conflicting.

Objectives: We investigate whether the inclusion of dispositional traits reduces variability between KOA radiographic findings, experimental pain, clinical pain, and function in individuals with knee pain.

Design: This study is a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected from the UPLOAD-II study.

Short- and long-term safety of discontinuing chronic opioid therapy among older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.

Background: Limited evidence exists on the short- and long-term safety of discontinuing versus continuing chronic opioid therapy (COT) among patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Methods: This cohort study was conducted among 162,677 older residents with ADRD and receipt of COT using a 100% Medicare nursing home sample. Discontinuation of COT was defined as no opioid refills for ≥90 days.

Activity-related pain and sensitization predict within- and between-person pain experience in people with knee osteoarthritis: An ecological momentary assessment study.

Background And Objectives: Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that often results in pain and disability. Determining factors predicting variability in pain experience is critical to improving clinical outcomes. Underlying pain sensitization and its clinical manifestations, such as activity-related pain, may better predict the knee OA pain experience.

Self-regulation training for people with knee osteoarthritis: a protocol for a feasibility randomised control trial (MiNT trial).

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic secondary musculoskeletal pain condition resulting in disability, reduced quality of life, and high societal costs. Pain associated with knee OA is linked to increased sensitivity in sensory, cognitive, and emotional areas of the brain. Self-regulation training targeting brain functioning related to pain experience could reduce pain and its associated disability.

Redefining sensitization could be a sensitive issue.

van den Broeke EN, Crombez G, Vlaeyen JWS. Reconceptualizing sensitization in pain: back to basics. PAIN Reports 2024;9:e1125.

A Secondary Analysis: Comparison of Experimental Pain and Psychological Impact in Individuals with Carpometacarpal and Knee Osteoarthritis.

Purpose: Evaluate sensory and psychological differences in individuals with thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain. This secondary analysis focuses on comparing the effects of OA at large and small joints in community-dwelling adults.

Patients And Methods: A total of 434 individuals were recruited from communities in Gainesville, FL and Birmingham, AL.

Whole-genome methylation profiling reveals regions associated with painful temporomandibular disorders and active recovery processes.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), collectively representing one of the most common chronic pain conditions, have a substantial genetic component, but genetic variation alone has not fully explained the heritability of TMD risk. Reasoning that the unexplained heritability may be because of DNA methylation, an epigenetic phenomenon, we measured genome-wide DNA methylation using the Illumina MethylationEPIC platform with blood samples from participants in the Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment (OPPERA) study. Associations with chronic TMD used methylation data from 496 chronic painful TMD cases and 452 TMD-free controls.

Greater socioenvironmental risk factors and higher chronic pain stage are associated with thinner bilateral temporal lobes.

Introduction: Previous research indicates ethnic/race group differences in pain and neurodegenerative diseases. Accounting for socioenvironmental factors reduces ethnic/race group differences in clinical and experimental pain. In the current study sample, we previously reported that in individuals with knee pain, ethnic/race group differences were observed in bilateral temporal lobe thickness, areas of the brain associated with risk for Alzheimer's disease, and related dementias.