Opioid-like medications (OLM) are commonly used by patients with various types of chronic pain, but their long-term benefit is questionable. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been previously shown beneficial in reducing post-operative acute OLM consumption. In this pilot randomized controlled trial, the effect of EA on OLM usage and associated side effects in chronic pain patients was evaluated. After a two-week baseline assessment, participants using OLM for their non-malignant chronic pain were randomly assigned to receive either real EA (REA, n=17) or sham EA (SEA, n=18) treatment twice weekly for 6 weeks before entering a 12-week follow-up. Pain, OLM consumption and their side effects were recorded daily. Participants also completed the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), SF-36 and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at baseline, and at the 5th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th week. Nine participants withdrew during the treatment period with another three during the follow-up period. Intention to treat analysis was applied. At the end of treatment period, reductions of OLM consumption in REA and SEA were 39% and 25%, respectively (p=0.056), but this effect did not last more than 8 weeks after treatment. There was no difference between the two groups with respect to reduction of side effects and pain and the improvement of depression and quality of life. In conclusion, REA demonstrates promising short-term reduction of OLM for participants with chronic non-malignant pain, but such effect needs to be confirmed by trials with adequate sample sizes.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.10.003 | DOI Listing |
BMC Womens Health
December 2024
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
Background: Endometriosis, a condition that significantly impacts the quality of life for affected women, manifests with a spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. A previous single-center study suggested an elevated prevalence of endometriosis in Jordan, prompting the need for larger studies to confirm these findings.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving a sample of 866 women who underwent various laparoscopic procedures for different indications at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jordan University Hospital and Al-Karak Governmental Hospital, two tertiary referral hospitals in Jordan between January 2015 and March 2023.
Joint Bone Spine
December 2024
Rheumatology department, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 47-83 boulevard de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Pharmacologie et évaluation des soins, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Centre de la douleur, F75013, Paris, France.
Introduction: Patients with chronic low back pain face functional, psychological, social and professional difficulties. Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Programs (MRP) can be an effective treatment to help these patients to improve their condition and return to work.
Objective: To determine baseline predictors for return to work after an MRP for patients with chronic low back pain struggling to maintain their job.
Gene
December 2024
Translational Research Centre, Asian Healthcare Foundation, AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, India. Electronic address:
Background: A comprehensive understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis (CP), a fibroinflammatory disorder of the pancreas, is warranted for the development of targeted therapies. The current study focused on comparing the transcriptomes of pancreatic tissues obtained from patients with CP with those of two rodent models of chemically induced CP to identify dysregulated genes/signaling pathways.
Methods: Pancreatitis was induced in mice using cerulein and L-arginine.
Ann Vasc Surg
December 2024
Department of Vascular Surgery, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria, Negrar, VR, Italy.
Introduction: ProGlide is a suture-mediated vascular closure device (VCD) indicated for retrograde access closure at the common femoral artery (CFA). However, its off-label use for antegrade and/or superficial femoral artery (SFA) access has become common in many practices. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ProGlide for femoral artery access closure in patients undergoing antegrade infrainguinal endovascular procedures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Gastrointest Surg
December 2024
Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, Delhi, India. Electronic address:
Background: India has a high incidence of gallstones, which can cause chronic inflammation and increase the risk of gallbladder cancer. Understanding the age and composition of gallstones can provide insights into their formation and growth. This study used ¹⁴C dating, FTIR, and metagenome analysis to explore the natural history, deposition rate, and microbial/chemical composition of gallstones.
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