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Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Feb 2003While morphine is historically the gold standard for the management of severe cancer pain, some patients either do not achieve adequate analgesia, or suffer intolerable... (Review)
Review
While morphine is historically the gold standard for the management of severe cancer pain, some patients either do not achieve adequate analgesia, or suffer intolerable side effects from this drug. For these patients, alternatives such as hydromorphone are recommended. This review explores the evidence for the efficacy of hydromorphone in the management of pain. A systematic search, from 1966 to 2000, of published and unpublished randomized trials that involved the administration of hydromorphone for both acute and chronic pain conditions in adults and children, was conducted. Forty-three studies were included in the review; 11 involved chronic cancer pain and 32 acute pain. Approximately half the studies received a low quality score. In addition, the heterogeneity of the studies precluded combination of data and results. Overall, hydromorphone appears to be a potent analgesic. The limited number of studies available suggests that there is little difference between hydromorphone and other opioids in terms of analgesic efficacy, adverse effect profile and patient preference. However, most studies involved small numbers of patients and wide ranges in equianalgesic dose ratios, making it difficult to determine real differences between interventions.
Topics: Acute Disease; Analgesics, Opioid; Chronic Disease; Humans; Hydromorphone; Pain; Palliative Care
PubMed: 12590032
DOI: 10.1016/s0885-3924(02)00643-7 -
JAMA Network Open Nov 2021The use of intercostal nerve block (ICNB) analgesia with local anesthesia is common in thoracic surgery. However, the benefits and safety of ICNB among adult patients... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
The use of intercostal nerve block (ICNB) analgesia with local anesthesia is common in thoracic surgery. However, the benefits and safety of ICNB among adult patients undergoing surgery is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the analgesic benefits and safety of ICNB among adults undergoing thoracic surgery.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic search was performed in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases using terms for ICNB and thoracic surgery (including thoracic surgery, thoracoscopy, thoracotomy, nerve block, intercostal nerves). The search and results were not limited by date, with the last search conducted on July 24, 2020.
STUDY SELECTION
Selected studies were experimental or observational and included adult patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery in which ICNB was administered with local anesthesia via single injection, continuous infusion, or a combination of both techniques in at least 1 group of patients. For comparison with ICNB, studies that examined systemic analgesia and different forms of regional analgesia (such as thoracic epidural analgesia [TEA], paravertebral block [PVB], and other techniques) were included. These criteria were applied independently by 2 authors, and discrepancies were resolved by consensus. A total of 694 records were selected for screening.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline. Data including patient characteristics, type of surgery, intervention analgesia, comparison analgesia, and primary and secondary outcomes were extracted independently by 3 authors. Synthesis was performed using a fixed-effects model.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The coprimary outcomes were postoperative pain intensity (measured as the worst static or dynamic pain using a validated 10-point scale, with 0 indicating no pain and 10 indicating severe pain) and opioid consumption (measured in morphine milligram equivalents [MMEs]) at prespecified intervals (0-6 hours, 7-24 hours, 25-48 hours, 49-72 hours, and >72 hours). Clinically relevant analgesia was defined as a 1-point or greater difference in pain intensity score at any interval. Secondary outcomes included 30-day postoperative complications and pulmonary function.
RESULTS
Of 694 records screened, 608 were excluded based on prespecified exclusion criteria. The remaining 86 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 20 of those articles were excluded. All of the 66 remaining studies (5184 patients; mean [SD] age, 53.9 [10.2] years; approximately 59% men and 41% women) were included in the qualitative analysis, and 59 studies (3325 patients) that provided data for at least 1 outcome were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Experimental studies had a high risk of bias in multiple domains, including allocation concealment, blinding of participants and personnel, and blinding of outcome assessors. Marked differences (eg, crossover studies, timing of the intervention [intraoperative vs postoperative], blinding, and type of control group) were observed in the design and implementation of studies. The use of ICNB vs systemic analgesia was associated with lower static pain (0-6 hours after surgery: mean score difference, -1.40 points [95% CI, -1.46 to -1.33 points]; 7-24 hours after surgery: mean score difference, -1.27 points [95% CI, -1.40 to -1.13 points]) and lower dynamic pain (0-6 hours after surgery: mean score difference, -1.66 points [95% CI, -1.90 to -1.41 points]; 7-24 hours after surgery: mean score difference, -1.43 points [95% CI, -1.70 to -1.17 points]). Intercostal nerve block analgesia was noninferior to TEA (mean score difference in worst dynamic panic at 7-24 hours after surgery: 0.79 points; 95% CI, 0.28-1.29 points) and marginally inferior to PVB (mean score difference in worst dynamic pain at 7-24 hours after surgery: 1.29 points; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.41 points). The largest opioid-sparing effect of ICNB vs systemic analgesia occurred at 48 hours after surgery (mean difference, -10.97 MMEs; 95% CI, -12.92 to -9.02 MMEs). The use of ICNB was associated with higher MME values compared with TEA (eg, 48 hours after surgery: mean difference, 48.31 MMEs; 95% CI, 36.11-60.52 MMEs) and PVB (eg, 48 hours after surgery: mean difference, 3.87 MMEs; 95% CI, 2.59-5.15 MMEs).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this study, single-injection ICNB was associated with a reduction in pain during the first 24 hours after thoracic surgery and was clinically noninferior to TEA or PVB. Intercostal nerve block analgesia had opioid-sparing effects; however, TEA and PVB were associated with larger decreases in postoperative MMEs, suggesting that ICNB may be most beneficial for cases in which TEA and PVB are not indicated.
Topics: Acute Pain; Analgesia, Epidural; Anesthesia, Epidural; Female; Humans; Intercostal Nerves; Male; Nerve Block; Pain, Postoperative; Thoracic Surgical Procedures
PubMed: 34779845
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.33394 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Jul 2021For most procedures, there is insufficient evidence to guide clinicians in the optimal timing of advanced analgesic methods, which should be based on the expected time...
BACKGROUND
For most procedures, there is insufficient evidence to guide clinicians in the optimal timing of advanced analgesic methods, which should be based on the expected time course of acute postoperative pain severity and aimed at time points where basic analgesia has proven insufficient.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic search of the literature of analgesic trials for total hip arthroplasty (THA), extracting and pooling pain scores across studies, weighted for study size. Patients were grouped according to basic anaesthetic method used (general, spinal), and adjuvant analgesic interventions such as nerve blocks, local infiltration analgesia, and multimodal analgesia. Special consideration was given to high-risk populations such as chronic pain or opioid-dependent patients.
RESULTS
We identified and analysed 71 trials with 5973 patients and constructed pain trajectories from the available pain scores. In most patients undergoing THA under general anaesthesia on a basic analgesic regimen, postoperative acute pain recedes to a mild level (<4/10) by 4 h after surgery. We note substantial variability in pain intensity even in patients subjected to similar analgesic regimens. Chronic pain or opioid-dependent patients were most often actively excluded from studies, and never analysed separately.
CONCLUSIONS
We have demonstrated that it is feasible to construct procedure-specific pain curves to guide clinicians on the timing of advanced analgesic measures. Acute intense postoperative pain after THA should have resolved by 4-6 h after surgery in most patients. However, there is a substantial gap in knowledge on the management of patients with chronic pain and opioid-dependent patients.
Topics: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Clinical Trials as Topic; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Elective Surgical Procedures; Humans; Pain Management; Pain Measurement; Pain, Postoperative
PubMed: 34147158
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2021.02.036 -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Jul 2011Acute gastroenteritis results from infection of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly with a virus. It is characterised by rapid onset of diarrhoea with or without... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Acute gastroenteritis results from infection of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly with a virus. It is characterised by rapid onset of diarrhoea with or without vomiting, nausea, fever, and abdominal pain. Diarrhoea is defined as the frequent passage of unformed, liquid stools. Regardless of the cause, the mainstay of management of acute gastroenteritis is provision of adequate fluids to prevent and treat dehydration.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to prevent acute gastroenteritis in children? What are the effects of treatments for acute gastroenteritis in children? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to March 2010 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 42 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of: rotavirus vaccines for the prevention of gastroenteritis; enteral rehydration solutions (oral or gastric), lactose-free feeds, loperamide, probiotics, and zinc for the treatment of gastroenteritis; and ondansetron for the treatment of vomiting.
Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Oral; Child; Dehydration; Gastroenteritis; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Loperamide; Nausea; Probiotics; Time Factors
PubMed: 21791124
DOI: No ID Found -
The Western Journal of Emergency... May 2023Ketamine can be particularly helpful in situations where the clinician is not able to administer opioids and require an alternate analgesic, such as for patients who are... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Ketamine can be particularly helpful in situations where the clinician is not able to administer opioids and require an alternate analgesic, such as for patients who are already on high-dose opioids, have a history of addiction, or for opioid-naïve children and adults. In this review, our goal was to obtain a comprehensive estimate of the efficacy and safety of low-dose ketamine (dose less than 0.5 milligrams per kilogram or equivalent) compared to opiates for the control of acute pain in the emergency setting.
METHODS
We conducted systematic searches in PubMed Central, EMBASE, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar from inception until November 2021. We used the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool to assess the quality of included studies.
RESULTS
We carried out a meta-analysis with a random-effects model and reported pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals depending on the type of the outcome. We analyzed a total of 15 studies with 1,613 participants. Half of them had high risk of bias and were conducted in the United States of America. The pooled SMD for pain score was -0.12 (95% CI -0.50-0.25; I2=68.8%) within 15 minutes, -0.45 (95% CI -0.84--0.07; I2=83.3%) within 30 minutes, -0.05 (95% CI -0.41-0.31; I2=86.9%) within 45 minutes, -0.07 (95% CI -0.41-0.26; I2=82%) within 60 minutes, and after 60 minutes the pooled SMD was 0.17 (95% CI -0.07-0.42; I2=64.8%). The pooled RR for need of rescue analgesics was 1.35 (95% CI 0.73-2.50; I2=82.2%). The pooled RRs were as follows: 1.18 (95% CI 0.76-1.84; I2=28.3%) for gastrointestinal side effects; 1.41 (95% CI 0.96-2.06; I2=29.7%) for neurological side effects; 2.83 (95% CI 0.98-8.18; I2=47%) for psychological side effects; and 0.58 (95% CI 0.23-1.48; I2=36.1%) for cardiopulmonary side effects.
CONCLUSION
Low-dose ketamine might have higher or equivalent efficacy and safety when compared to opioids for managing acute pain among patients presenting to the emergency setting. However, further studies are required to establish conclusive evidence, owing to the heterogeneity and poor quality of existing studies.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Analgesics, Opioid; Ketamine; Acute Pain; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Analgesics
PubMed: 37278798
DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2023.2.58368 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Jan 2015We performed this systematic review to assess the analgesic efficacy of perioperative pregabalin. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to assess the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
We performed this systematic review to assess the analgesic efficacy of perioperative pregabalin. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to assess the impact of individual dose and frequency of pregabalin administration on analgesic efficacy. We included 55 studies. When all doses and administration regimens were combined, pregabalin was associated with a significant reduction in pain scores at rest and during movement and opioid consumption at 24 h compared with placebo {mean difference [95% confidence interval (CI)]=-0.38 (-0.57, -0.20), -0.47 (-0.76, -0.18), and -8.27 mg morphine equivalents (-10.08, -6.47), respectively}. Patients receiving pregabalin had less postoperative nausea and vomiting and pruritus compared with placebo [relative risk (RR) (95% CI)=0.62 (0.48, 0.80) and 0.49 (0.34, 0.70), respectively]. Sedation, dizziness, and visual disturbance were more common with pregabalin compared with placebo [RR (95% CI)=1.46 (1.08, 1.98), 1.33 (1.07, 1.64), and 3.52 (2.05, 6.04), respectively]. All doses of pregabalin tested (≤75, 100-150, and 300 mg) resulted in opioid sparing at 24 h after surgery. There were no significant differences in acute pain outcomes with pregabalin 100-300 mg between single preoperative dosing regimens and those including additional doses repeated after surgery. Data were insufficient to reach conclusions regarding persistent pain, but limited data available from two studies suggested that pregabalin might be effective for the reduction of neuropathic pain. In conclusion, this review suggests that pregabalin improves postoperative analgesia compared with placebo at the expense of increased sedation and visual disturbances.
Topics: Acute Pain; Analgesics; Chronic Pain; Humans; Pain, Postoperative; Pregabalin; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
PubMed: 25209095
DOI: 10.1093/bja/aeu293 -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Sep 2009Acute gastroenteritis results from infection of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly with a virus. It is characterised by rapid onset of diarrhoea with or without... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Acute gastroenteritis results from infection of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly with a virus. It is characterised by rapid onset of diarrhoea with or without vomiting, nausea, fever, and abdominal pain. Diarrhoea is defined as the frequent passage of unformed, liquid stools. Regardless of the cause, the mainstay of management of acute gastroenteritis is provision of adequate fluids to prevent and treat dehydration.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to prevent acute gastroenteritis in children? What are the effects of treatments for acute gastroenteritis in children? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to August 2007 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 20 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of: rotavirus vaccines for the prevention of gastroenteritis; enteral rehydration solutions (oral or gastric), lactose-free feeds, and loperamide for the treatment of gastroenteritis; and ondansetron for the treatment of vomiting.
Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Oral; Child; Diarrhea; Gastroenteritis; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Rehydration Solutions; Rotavirus Infections; Rotavirus Vaccines
PubMed: 21726481
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinical and Translational Radiation... Nov 2023Pain is the most common acute symptom following radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). The multifactorial origin of RT-induced pain makes it highly... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE
Pain is the most common acute symptom following radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). The multifactorial origin of RT-induced pain makes it highly challenging to manage. Multiple studies were conducted to identify genetic variants associated with cancer pain, however few of them focused on RT-induced acute pain. In this review, we summarize the potential mechanisms of acute pain after RT in HNC and identify genetic variants associated with RT-induced acute pain and relevant acute toxicities.
METHODS
A comprehensive search of Ovid Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science databases using terms including "Variants", "Polymorphisms", "Radiotherapy", "Acute pain", "Acute toxicity" published up to February 28, 2022, was performed by two reviewers. Review articles and citations were reviewed manually. The identified SNPs associated with RT-induced acute pain and toxicities were reported, and the molecular functions of the associated genes were described based on genetic annotation using The Human Gene Database; GeneCards.
RESULTS
A total of 386 articles were identified electronically and 8 more articles were included after manual search. 21 articles were finally included. 32 variants in 27 genes, of which 25% in inflammatory/immune response, 20% had function in DNA damage response and repair, 20% in cell death or cell cycle, were associated with RT-inflammatory pain and acute oral mucositis or dermatitis. 4 variants in 4 genes were associated with neuropathy and neuropathic pain. 5 variants in 4 genes were associated with RT-induced mixed types of post-RT-throat/neck pain.
CONCLUSION
Different types of pain develop after RT in HNC, including inflammatory pain; neuropathic pain; nociceptive pain; and mixed oral pain. Genetic variants involved in DNA damage response and repair, cell death, inflammation and neuropathic pathways may affect pain presentation post-RT. These variants could be used for personalized pain management in HNC patients receiving RT.
PubMed: 37954025
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctro.2023.100669 -
Pain Practice : the Official Journal of... Mar 2015Acupuncture is commonly used as a complimentary treatment for pain management. However, there has been no systematic review summarizing the current evidence concerning... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
Acupuncture is commonly used as a complimentary treatment for pain management. However, there has been no systematic review summarizing the current evidence concerning the effectiveness of acupuncture for acute postoperative pain after back surgery. This systematic review aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for acute postoperative pain (≤1 week) after back surgery.
METHODS
We searched 15 electronic databases without language restrictions. Two reviewers independently assessed studies for eligibility and extracted data, outcomes, and risk of bias. Random effect meta-analyses and subgroup analyses were performed.
RESULTS
Five trials, including 3 of high quality, met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed positive results for acupuncture treatment of pain after surgery in terms of the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain intensity 24 hours after surgery, when compared to sham acupuncture (standard mean difference -0.67 (-1.04 to -0.31), P = 0.0003), whereas the other meta-analysis did not show a positive effect of acupuncture on 24-hour opiate demands when compared to sham acupuncture (standard mean difference -0.23 (-0.58 to 0.13), P = 0.21).
CONCLUSION
Our systematic review finds encouraging but limited evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for acute postoperative pain after back surgery. Further rigorously designed clinical trials are required.
Topics: Acupuncture Therapy; Acute Pain; Humans; Orthopedic Procedures; Pain Management; Pain Measurement; Pain, Postoperative; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Spine; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 24766648
DOI: 10.1111/papr.12208