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Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2024: Pelvic insufficiency fractures (PIF) are typical in geriatric populations with reduced bone quality, most commonly in elderly postmenopausal women. These fractures are... (Review)
Review
: Pelvic insufficiency fractures (PIF) are typical in geriatric populations with reduced bone quality, most commonly in elderly postmenopausal women. These fractures are usually caused by low-energy forces over the bones during ordinary life and cause disabling pain. Treatment options range from conservative to operative. The aim of this study is to assess the outcomes of treatments for pelvic insufficiency fractures, determining optimal approaches between surgical intervention and conservative management. : This literature review systematically examines articles focusing on patients with PIF, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and using PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane Library database. We took into account only full-text articles in indexed journals with available English abstracts, considering data about patient demographics, surgery, and outcomes. After screening 128 articles, this study reviewed 20 manuscripts involving 1499 patients, mostly elderly females and focusing on sacrum fractures. Common treatments included conservative methods and sacroplasty, with a few complications reported. Osteoporosis was the prevalent comorbidity, and the survival rate post-treatment was high at 92.3%. Mobility outcomes varied, with some patients experiencing significant autonomy loss. The average follow-up period was over 17 months. : This study found a cautious approach to surgery (timing of three weeks), which is reserved only for specific patterns, and it leads to increased autonomy and a lower risk of mortality. Due to the lack of pre- and postoperative scores as well as conflicting results, it is imperative to undertake further studies and research to be able to compare the alternative treatments efficiently.
PubMed: 38892887
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113176 -
Nutrients May 2024Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) emerged over the years as a promising approach in the management of chronic pain. Despite the fact that the efficacy of micron-size PEA... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) emerged over the years as a promising approach in the management of chronic pain. Despite the fact that the efficacy of micron-size PEA formulations appears to be time-dependent, the optimal timing has not yet been elucidated. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to estimate the possible advantage of an extended treatment in the relief of chronic pain. The literature search was conducted consulting scientific databases, to identify clinical trials in which micron-size PEA was administered for at least 60 days, and pain assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) or Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Nine studies matched the required criteria, for a total of 742 patients involved. The meta-analysis showed a statistically and clinically significant pain intensity reduction after 60 days of micron-size PEA supplementation, compared to 30 days (1.36 points, < 0.01). The secondary analysis revealed a weighted NRS/VAS score decrease of 2.08 points within the first month of treatment. These two obtained scores corresponded to a 35.1% pain intensity reduction within the first month, followed by a further 35.4% during the second month. Overall, these results confirm the clinically relevant and time-depended pain-relieving effect of micron-size PEA and therefore the advantage of an extended treatment, especially in patient with incomplete pain management.
Topics: Palmitic Acids; Humans; Amides; Ethanolamines; Chronic Pain; Pain Measurement; Administration, Oral; Treatment Outcome; Analgesics
PubMed: 38892586
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111653 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Whilst pharmacological therapies remain the cornerstone of pain management in chronic pain, factors including the current opioid epidemic have led to non-pharmacological... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Whilst pharmacological therapies remain the cornerstone of pain management in chronic pain, factors including the current opioid epidemic have led to non-pharmacological techniques becoming a more attractive proposition. We explored the prevalence of medical device use and their treatment efficacy in non-cancer pain management. A systematic methodology was developed, peer reviewed and published in PROSPERO (CRD42021235384). Key words of medical device, pain management devices, chronic pain, lower back pain, back pain, leg pain and chronic pelvic pain using Science direct, PubMed, Web of Science, PROSPERO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PorQuest and ClinicalTrials.gov. All clinical trials, epidemiology and mixed methods studies that reported the use of medical devices for non-cancer chronic pain management published between the 1st of January 1990 and the 30th of April 2022 were included. 13 studies were included in systematic review, of these 6 were used in the meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis for pain reduction showed that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation combined with instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization treatment and pulsed electromagnetic therapy produced significant treatment on chronic lower back pain patients. Pooled evidence revealed the use of medical device related interventions resulted in 0.7 degree of pain reduction under a 0-10 scale. Significant improvement in disability scores, with a 7.44 degree reduction in disability level compared to a placebo using a 50 score range was also seen. Our analysis has shown that the optimal use of medical devices in a sustainable manner requires further research, needing larger cohort studies, greater gender parity, in a more diverse range of geographical locations.
Topics: Humans; Chronic Pain; Pain Management; Bayes Theorem; Low Back Pain; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; Equipment and Supplies; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38866854
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63499-6 -
BMJ Open Jun 2024
Meta-Analysis
Topics: Humans; Pregnancy; Female; Pelvic Pain; Low Back Pain; Acupuncture Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Pregnancy Complications
PubMed: 38862225
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056878ret -
Turkish Journal of Obstetrics and... Jun 2024Endometriosis is a prevalent condition in women that causes pelvic pain and fertility issues due to the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus during menstrual...
Endometriosis is a prevalent condition in women that causes pelvic pain and fertility issues due to the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus during menstrual cycles. Steroid hormones play a crucial role in the development and growth of endometriosis lesions; therefore, researchers have investigated several effective drugs that target hormones for treating this disease. One such drug is bazedoxifene, but despite several animal studies, there has yet to be a comprehensive evaluation of their combined results. A systematic search was conducted across several databases (Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sciences) to identify studies investigating the effectiveness of bazedoxifene in animal models of endometriosis. Meta-analysis was performed using the size of endometriosis implants before and after drug administration in the case and control groups, along with the p-value of the associations. Begg's and Egger's tests were used to assess publication bias. This study included four eligible studies consisting of 45 endometrial animal models and 35 control subjects. The meta-analysis showed that bazedoxifene significantly reduced the size of endometriosis implants in animal models compared with the control group (odds ratio: 0.122, 95% confidence interval: 0.050-0.298, p<0.001). Detailed investigation determined that there was no significant heterogeneity between the studies (I2=38.81, and p-value of the Q test=0.179). However, according to Egger's test, the study showed publication bias (p=0.035). This study found that bazedoxifene is a promising treatment option for endometriosis in animal models. However, more research on animals and humans is required to confirm these results.
PubMed: 38853494
DOI: 10.4274/tjod.galenos.2024.82610 -
BMC Women's Health Jun 2024Violence against women is a phenomenon that involves at least 35% of women worldwide. Violence can be sexual, physical, and/or psychological, perpetrated by the partner,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Violence against women is a phenomenon that involves at least 35% of women worldwide. Violence can be sexual, physical, and/or psychological, perpetrated by the partner, another family member, or a stranger. Violence is a public health problem because its consequences include higher morbidity, higher mortality, and short and long-term physical and psychological health diseases. Most studies prove an association between any type of violence and some chronic pain diagnoses but no one has done a complete collection of this evidence. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether this association is statistically significant, including the largest number of studies. Through the inclusion of 37 articles, the association has been demonstrated. Compared with no history of violence, women who did experience violence showed 2 times greater odds of developing chronic pain. The impact of violence was significant also on fibromyalgia separately, but not on pelvic pain.PROSPERO registrationPROSPERO CRD42023425477.
Topics: Humans; Chronic Pain; Female; Pelvic Pain; Fibromyalgia
PubMed: 38834977
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-024-03097-w -
Sports Medicine - Open Jun 2024Abnormal posture (e.g. loss of lordosis) has been associated with the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. Stretching tight muscles while strengthening the antagonists...
BACKGROUND
Abnormal posture (e.g. loss of lordosis) has been associated with the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. Stretching tight muscles while strengthening the antagonists represents the most common method to treat the assumed muscle imbalance. However, despite its high popularity, there is no quantitative synthesis of the available evidence examining the effectiveness of the stretch-and-strengthen approach.
METHODS
A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted, searching PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar. We included controlled clinical trials investigating the effects of stretching or strengthening on spinal and lumbopelvic posture (e.g., pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, head tilt) in healthy individuals. Effect sizes were pooled using robust variance estimation. To rate the certainty about the evidence, the GRADE approach was applied.
RESULTS
A total of 23 studies with 969 participants were identified. Neither acute (d = 0.01, p = 0.97) nor chronic stretching (d=-0.19, p = 0.16) had an impact on posture. Chronic strengthening was associated with large improvements (d=-0.83, p = 0.01), but no study examined acute effects. Strengthening was superior (d = 0.81, p = 0.004) to stretching. Sub-analyses found strengthening to be effective in the thoracic and cervical spine (d=-1.04, p = 0.005) but not in the lumbar and lumbopelvic region (d=-0.23, p = 0.25). Stretching was ineffective in all locations (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Moderate-certainty evidence does not support the use of stretching as a treatment of muscle imbalance. In contrast, therapists should focus on strengthening programs targeting weakened muscles.
PubMed: 38834878
DOI: 10.1186/s40798-024-00733-5 -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Jun 2024Perineal massage, as a preventive intervention, has been shown to reduce the risk of perineal injuries and may have a positive impact on pelvic floor function in the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Perineal massage, as a preventive intervention, has been shown to reduce the risk of perineal injuries and may have a positive impact on pelvic floor function in the early postpartum period. However, there is still debate concerning the best period to apply perineal massage, which is either antenatal or in the second stage of labor, as well as its safety and effectiveness. Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the effect of implementing perineal massage in antenatal versus the second stage of labor on the prevention of perineal injuries during labor and early postpartum pelvic floor function in primiparous women.
METHODS
We searched nine different electronic databases from inception to April 16, 2024. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) we included assessed the effects of antenatal and second-stage labor perineal massage in primiparous women. All data were analyzed with Revman 5.3, Stata Statistical Software, and Risk of Bias 2 was used to assess the risk of bias. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the different periods of perineal massage. The primary outcomes were the incidence of perineal integrity and perineal injury. Secondary outcomes were perineal pain, duration of the second stage of labor, postpartum hemorrhage, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and flatus incontinence.
RESULTS
This review comprised a total of 10 studies that covered 1057 primigravid women. The results of the analysis showed that perineal massage during the second stage of labor reduced the perineal pain of primigravid women in the immediate postpartum period compared to the antenatal period, with a statistical value of (MD = -2.29, 95% CI [-2.53, -2.05], P < 0.001). Additionally, only the antenatal stage reported that perineal massage reduced fecal incontinence (P = 0.04) and flatus incontinence (P = 0.01) in primiparous women at three months postpartum, but had no significant effect on urinary incontinence in primiparous women at three months postpartum (P = 0.80).
CONCLUSIONS
Reducing perineal injuries in primiparous women can be achieved by providing perineal massage both antenatally and during the second stage of labor. Pelvic floor function is improved in the postnatal phase by perineal massage during the antenatal stage.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
CRD42023415996 (PROSPERO).
Topics: Humans; Female; Perineum; Massage; Pregnancy; Pelvic Floor; Parity; Postpartum Period; Labor Stage, Second; Obstetric Labor Complications; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Fecal Incontinence
PubMed: 38831257
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06586-w -
BMJ Open Jun 2024Synthesis of the experience of women with pain from pelvic or vaginal mesh or its removal, to identify pain-related problems and to formulate psychological aspects of...
OBJECTIVES
Synthesis of the experience of women with pain from pelvic or vaginal mesh or its removal, to identify pain-related problems and to formulate psychological aspects of pain.
DESIGN
Systematic review and thematic analysis of qualitative studies of pain from pelvic or vaginal mesh, or mesh removal, in women over 18 years, using individual interviews, focus groups, free text, or written or oral contributions to formal enquiries.
DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase and PsycINFO, from inception to 26 April 2023.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Qualitative studies of pain and other symptoms from pelvic or vaginal mesh or its removal; adults; no language restriction.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Line-by-line coding of participant quotations and study author statements by one author to provide codes that were applied to half the studies by another author and differences resolved by discussion. Codes were grouped into subthemes and themes by both authors, then scrutinised and discussed by a focus group of mesh-injured women for omissions, emphasis and coherence. Studies were appraised using an amalgamation of the CASP and COREQ tools.
RESULTS
2292 search results produced 9 eligible studies, with 7-752 participants, a total of around 2000. Four recruited patients, four totally or partially from mesh advocacy groups, and two were national enquiries (UK and Australia). Four major themes were as follows: broken body, broken mind; distrust of doctors and the medical industry; broken life and keeping going-a changed future. Psychological content mainly concerned the loss of trust in medical care, leaving women unsupported in facing an uncertain future. Mesh-injured women strongly endorsed the findings.
CONCLUSIONS
Pain and other problems associated with pelvic mesh are profound and far-reaching for women affected. Worse, they feel subject to continued gaslighting, including denial of their mesh-related problems and dismissal of their concerns about continued mesh insertion.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42022330527.
Topics: Humans; Female; Surgical Mesh; Qualitative Research; Pelvic Organ Prolapse; Pelvic Pain
PubMed: 38830733
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085879 -
PloS One 2024The primary challenge encountered by individuals diagnosed with endometriosis is the experience of pain. Emerging research indicates that oxidative stress is implicated... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Vitamin C and E antioxidant supplementation may significantly reduce pain symptoms in endometriosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND
The primary challenge encountered by individuals diagnosed with endometriosis is the experience of pain. Emerging research indicates that oxidative stress is implicated in the initiation of pain associated with endometriosis. Vitamins C and E are known for their antioxidative properties. The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of antioxidant supplementation, consisting of these vitamins, in the management of pain associated with endometriosis.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted on the ClinicalTrials.gov, Scopus, Europe PMC, and Medline databases up until August 23rd, 2023, utilizing a combination of relevant keywords. This review incorporates literature that examines the relationship between antioxidant supplementation and pain in endometriosis. We employed fixed-effect models to analyze the risk ratio (RR) and present the outcomes together with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS
A total of five RCTs were incorporated. The results of our meta-analysis indicated that antioxidant supplementation with vitamin C and E combination was associated with higher proportion of endometriosis patients reporting reduced chronic pelvic pain (RR 7.30; 95%CI: 3.27-16.31, p<0.00001, I2 = 0%), alleviations of dysmenorrhea (RR 1.96; 95%CI: 1.25-3.07, p = 0.003, I2 = 39%), and dyspareunia (RR 5.08; 95%CI: 2.10-12.26, p = 0.0003, I2 = 0%) than patients only receiving placebo.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests the potential ability of vitamin C and E in alleviating pain symptoms experienced by individuals with endometriosis.
Topics: Female; Humans; Ascorbic Acid; Endometriosis; Antioxidants; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Dietary Supplements; Vitamin E; Dysmenorrhea; Pelvic Pain; Dyspareunia
PubMed: 38820340
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301867