scholarly journals The Impact of Enrollment in a Specialized Interdisciplinary Neuropathic Pain Clinic

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Garven ◽  
Shauna Brady ◽  
Susan Wood ◽  
Melinda Hatfield ◽  
Jennifer Bestard ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain clinics have been created because of the increasing recognition of chronic pain as a very common, debilitating condition that requires specialized care. Neuropathic pain (NeP) is a multifaceted, specialized form of chronic pain that often requires input from multiple disciplines for assessment and management.OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of an interdisciplinary clinic for evaluation and treatment of patients with NeP.METHODS: Patients with heterogeneous etiologies for NeP were prospectively evaluated using an interdisciplinary approach every six months. Diagnostic evaluation, comorbidity evaluation, education, and pharmacological and/or nonpharmacological management were completed. Severity (visual analogue scale) and features of pain (Modified Brief Pain Inventory), sleep difficulties (Medical Outcomes Study – Sleep Scale), mood/anxiety disruption (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), quality of life (European Quality-of-Life Five-Domain index), health care resources use, patient satisfaction (Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale and Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory) and self-perceived change in well-being (Patient Global Impression of Change scale) were examined at each visit.RESULTS: Pain severity only decreased after one year of follow-up, while anxiety and quality-of-life indexes improved after six months. Moderate improvements of sleep disturbance, less frequent medication use and reduced health care resource use were observed during enrollment at the NeP clinic.DISCUSSION: Despite the limitations of performing a real-world, uncontrolled study, patients with NeP benefit from enrollment in a small interdisciplinary clinic. Education and a complete diagnostic evaluation are hypothesized to lead to improvements in anxiety and, subsequently, pain severity. Questions remain regarding the long-term maintenance of these improvements and the optimal structure of specialized pain clinics.

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hållstam ◽  
Monika Löfgren ◽  
Lina Benson ◽  
Christer Svensén ◽  
Britt-Marie Stålnacke

AbstractBackground and aimsPain is one of the most common reasons for patients to seek primary health care. Pain relief is likely to be achieved for patients suffering from acute pain, but for individuals with chronic pain it is more likely that the condition will persist. These patients have the option of being referred to specialised pain clinics. However, the complexity surrounding chronic pain patients is not well studied in these settings. This study aimed to describe patients with chronic pain referred to a pain clinic by using the information submitted during their first visit and one year later and also to identify associations between baseline characteristics and improvements in health-related quality of life in the follow-up.MethodsThis was a longitudinal observational study of a sample consisting of 318 patients referred to a pain clinic. One group of patients containing 271 individuals (median age 48, 64% females) was assessed and received conventional pain treatment (CPT group) and a second group of 47 patients (median age 53, 64% females) was assessed by a pain specialist and referred back to their physician with a treatment recommendation (assessment only, AO group). Patient-reported outcome measures in health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), pain intensity (VAS), mental health (HADS), insomnia (ISI), pain-related disability (PDI), kinesiophobia (TSK) and sense of coherence (SOC) were collected at the first visit and one year later.ResultsAt baseline, the CPT group reported a low EQ-5D Index (median (md) 0.157) and EQVAS (md 40) as well as considerable high, current pain intensity VAS (md 58), HADS anxiety (md 8), ISI (md 17), PDI (md 36) and TSK (md 39). The AO group showed similar problems (no significant differences compared to the CPT group), except for ISI, where the AO group reported less severe problems. At the one-year follow-up, the CPT group had a statistically significant improvement in EQ-5D, VAS, ISI, PDI and TSK. In the AO group no significant changes were observed. In the CPT group there was an association between a high ISI level at baseline and an improved EQ-5D Index in the follow-up.ConclusionsThe study describes rarely explored groups of patients with chronic pain at a pain clinic. Severe pain problems were present in both groups at their first visit. A statistically significant improvement could be seen in the group that was conventionally treated while this was not the case among those subjects who were assessed and referred. The results imply, that relatively limited treatment strategies were helpful for the patients’ health-related quality of life. Despite these improvements, the patients were not fully recovered, pointing to the chronicity of pain conditions and the need of support for many patients.ImplicationsIncreased knowledge about assessment, selection and treatment at pain clinics is important to improve the quality of the work performed at these clinics. Despite limited resources, further efforts should be made to collect comparable, valid data on a regular base from pain clinics in order to develop recommendation models.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hållstam ◽  
Monika Löfgren ◽  
Christer Svensén ◽  
Britt-Marie Stålnacke

AbstractBackground and aimsMultimodal rehabilitation (MMR) programmes, including, physical training, educational and psychological interventions by an interdisciplinary team are found to be more successful for patients with disabling chronic pain compared with less comprehensive treatments. MMR programmes are based on the biopsychosocial model and the goal is usually to improve function, quality of life and facilitate and enable return to work. As pain clinics traditionally offer conventional medical pain treatment, there is limited knowledge about MMR given in this context. The aim of our study was to describe characteristics of patients with chronic pain, treated with a MMR programme at a conventional pain clinic, to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) from start to one year after, and to study possibly associated factors for the improvement of health-related quality of life after one year.MethodsA prospective, observational study with a one-year follow-up was performed.SubjectsA total of 42 individuals (38 females, age 44.0 ± 12.3 years and 4 men age 40 ± 8.5 years) with different pain diagnoses were included. After a team assessment, the patients began a programme that lasted about three months. The MMR programme contained coordinated, individually adapted treatments administered individually or in groups, and was based on cognitive behavioural principles. Questionnaires regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (EQ-5D), insomnia (ISI), mental health (HADS), painrelated disability (PDI), kinesiophobia (TSK), current pain intensity (VAS) and sense of coherence (SOC) were used at the start of the MMR and at follow-up. Demographic data were collected from the patient records.ResultsThe PROM at baseline showed substantial pain problems with low HRQoL (EQ-5D index of 0.1 ± 0.282, and EQ VAS of 32.67 ± 20.1), moderate insomnia (ISI 18.95 ± 6.7), doubtful cases of depression and anxiety (HADS-depression 9.35 ± 4.1 and HADS-anxiety 9.78 ± 3.95), presence of pain-related disability (PDI 39.48 ±12.64), kinesiophobia (TSK 40.8 ± 9.8), as well as moderate current pain (VAS 61.31 ± 20.4). The sense of coherence was weak (SOC of 51.37 ± 14). At one-year follow-up, significant (p ≥ 0.05) improvement occurred on the EQ-5D index, EQ VAS, ISI, PDI and TSK. In the logistic regression analysis, no significant associations could be identified.ConclusionsMMR for patients with complex pain problems can be a successful treatment alternative at conventional pain clinics.ImplicationsSince access to rehabilitation clinics in Sweden may be limited, the availability of MMR can increase by providing this type of intervention in pain clinics. Increased knowledge of MMR in different settings can also contribute to increased understanding and collaboration between pain clinics and rehabilitation units.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (21;1) ◽  
pp. E533-E543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrysanthi Batistaki

Background: Chronic pain is well known to be influenced by various social factors; however, the impact of financial issues on pain has not been extensively studied. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the economic crisis on pain and quality of life in Greek patients suffering from chronic pain. Study Design: The study employed a prospective, open-label design. Setting: The study setting was the Pain Unit of Attikon University Hospital in Athens, Greece. Methods: The study surveyed 200 randomly selected outpatients with chronic pain during two different time periods (2012 and 2016). Patients completed a structured questionnaire to assess the impact of the economic crisis on multiple aspects of pain and pain management, health care, and quality of life. Personality characteristics and stress were also evaluated using the DASS-42 and the LOT-R questionnaires. Results: Most patients in both periods believed that the economic crisis led to a worsening of their symptoms (75%) and quality of life (97%). Most patients (97.5%) also believed that the intensity of their pain would have been improved if their financial status had been better. Their main concerns about the future were “the possibility of not having access to health care facilities and medication” (94.5%), “stress” (43%), and “fear of financial strain” (30.5%). Higher levels of anxiety, stress, and pessimism were associated with higher levels of pain and lower quality of life. Limitations: The study is based on a small sample size. Conclusions: This study identified impacts of the financial crisis on chronic pain and quality of life, pointing to the need for measures to solve this problem. Key words: Pain, global financial crisis, quality of life, quality of health care, psychosocial factors


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-255
Author(s):  
P. Vartiainen ◽  
T. Heiskanen ◽  
R.P. Roine ◽  
E. Kalso

Abstract Aims To assess the change in quality of life and factors predicting this change in 1425 chronic pain patients treated in a multidisciplinary pain clinic. Methods This is an observational follow-up study using the 15D generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument. Patients filled in the HRQoL questionnaire at baseline, and 6 and 12 months after discharge. To assess if mental factors predicted treatment success, the changes in the overall 15D score were compared and related to the baseline variables of depression and distress. The group of patients, who scored 4 or 5 on the 1–5 scale for the depression and distress dimensions of the 15D instrument, were considered mentally distressed (N =199). They were compared with the non-distressed patients (i.e. those who scored 1; N = 401). Results Pain was associated to depression and distress: 85.4% of mentally distressed patients scored 4 or 5 also on the discomfort and symptoms dimension, vs. 51.4% of the non-distressed (p < 0.001). The mean 15D score of the mentally distressed patients improved statistically significantly more (from 0.572 to 0.636, N =141) during the first six months after treatment compared with the 15D of those who were not mentally distressed, who improved only marginally (0.790–0.803, N = 294; p < 0.001). Conclusions Patients with more severe depression or distress at baseline appear to gain more from the treatment than those who have less mental distress. In our ongoing study more baseline factors will be evaluated to assess their effect on the success of treatment.


Author(s):  
David J. Keene ◽  
Ruth Knight ◽  
Julie Bruce ◽  
Susan J. Dutton ◽  
Elizabeth Tutton ◽  
...  

Aims To identify the prevalence of neuropathic pain after lower limb fracture surgery, assess associations with pain severity, quality of life and disability, and determine baseline predictors of chronic neuropathic pain at three and at six months post-injury. Methods Secondary analysis of a UK multicentre randomized controlled trial (Wound Healing in Surgery for Trauma; WHiST) dataset including adults aged 16 years or over following surgery for lower limb major trauma. The trial recruited 1,547 participants from 24 trauma centres. Neuropathic pain was measured at three and six months using the Doleur Neuropathique Questionnaire (DN4); 701 participants provided a DN4 score at three months and 781 at six months. Overall, 933 participants provided DN4 for at least one time point. Physical disability (Disability Rating Index (DRI) 0 to 100) and health-related quality-of-life (EuroQol five-dimension five-level; EQ-5D-5L) were measured. Candidate predictors of neuropathic pain included sex, age, BMI, injury mechanism, concurrent injury, diabetes, smoking, alcohol, analgaesia use pre-injury, index surgery location, fixation type, Injury Severity Score, open injury, and wound care. Results The median age of the participants was 51 years (interquartile range 35 to 64). At three and six months post-injury respectively, 32% (222/702) and 30% (234/787) had neuropathic pain, 56% (396/702) and 53% (413/787) had chronic pain without neuropathic characteristics, and the remainder were pain-free. Pain severity was higher among those with neuropathic pain. Linear regression analyses found that those with neuropathic pain at six months post-injury had more physical disability (DRI adjusted mean difference 11.49 (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.84 to 15.14, p < 0.001) and poorer quality of life (EQ-5D utility -0.15 (95% CI -0.19 to -0.11), p < 0.001) compared to those without neuropathic characteristics. Logistic regression identified that prognostic factors of younger age, current smoker, below knee fracture, concurrent injuries, and regular analgaesia pre-injury were associated with higher odds of post-injury neuropathic pain. Conclusion Pain with neuropathic characteristics is common after lower limb fracture surgery and persists to six months post-injury. Persistent neuropathic pain is associated with substantially poorer recovery. Further attention to identify neuropathic pain post-lower limb injury, predicting patients at risk, and targeting interventions, is indicated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 168.2-168
Author(s):  
L. Wagner ◽  
S. Sestini ◽  
C. Brown ◽  
A. Finglas ◽  
R. Francisco ◽  
...  

Background:Inborn metabolic disorders (IMDs) currently encompass more than 1,500 diseases with new ones still to be identified1. Each of them is characterised by a genetic defect affecting a metabolic pathway. Only few of them have curative treatments, that target the respective metabolic pathway. Commonly, treatment examples include diet, substrate reduction therapies, enzyme replacement therapies, gene therapy and biologicals, enabling IMD-patient now to survive to adulthood. About 30 % of all IMDs involve the musculoskeletal system and are here referred to as rare metabolic RMDs. Generally, IMDs are very heterogenous with respect to symptoms and severity, often being systemic and affecting more children than adults. Thus, challenges include certified advanced training of adult metabolic experts, standardised transition plans, social support and development of therapies for diseases that do not have any cure yet.Objectives:Introduction of MetabERN, its structure and objectives, highlighting on the unique features and challenges of metabolic RMDs and describing the involvement of patient representation in MetabERN.Methods:MetabERN is stratified in 7 subnetworks (SNW) according to the respective metabolic pathways and 9 work packages (WP), including administration, dissemination, guidelines, virtual counselling framework, research/clinical trials, continuity of care, education and patient involvement. The patient board involves a steering committee and single point of contacts for each subnetwork and work package, respectively2. Projects include identifying the need of implementing social science to assess the psycho-socio-economic burden of IMDs, webinars on IMDs and their transition as well as surveys on the impact of COVID-193 on IMD-patients and health care providers (HCPs), social assistance for IMD-patients and analysing the transition landscape within Europe.Results:The MetabERN structure enables bundling of expertise, capacity building and knowledge transfer for faster diagnosis and better health care. Rare metabolic RMDs are present in all SNWs that require unique treatments according to their metabolic pathways. Implementation of social science to assess the psycho-socio-economic burden of IMDs is still underused. Involvement of patient representatives is essential for a holistic healthcare not only focusing on clinical care, but also on the quality of life for IMD-patients. Surveys identified unmet needs of patient care, patients having little information on national support systems and structural deficits of healthcare systems to ensure HCP can provide adequate clinical care during transition phases. These results are collected by MetabERN and forwarded to the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) of the European Commission (EC) to be addressed further.Conclusion:MetabERN offers an infrastructure of virtual healthcare for patients with IMDs. Thus, in collaboration with ERN ReCONNET, MetabERN can assist in identifying rare metabolic disorders of RMDs to shorten the odyssey of diagnosis and advise on their respective therapies. On the other hand, MetabERN can benefit from EULAR’s longstanding experience regarding issues affecting the quality of life, all RMD patients are facing, such as pain, stiffness, fatigue, rehabilitation, maintaining work and disability claims.References:[1]IEMbase - Inborn Errors of Metabolism Knowledgebase http://www.iembase.org/ (accessed Jan 29, 2021).[2]MetabERN: European Refence Network for Hereditary Metabolic Disorders https://metab.ern-net.eu/ (accessed Jan 29, 2021).[3]Lampe, C.; Dionisi-Vici, C.; Bellettato, C. M.; Paneghetti, L.; van Lingen, C.; Bond, S.; Brown, C.; Finglas, A.; Francisco, R.; Sestini, S.; Heard, J. M.; Scarpa, M.; MetabERN collaboration group. The Impact of COVID-19 on Rare Metabolic Patients and Healthcare Providers: Results from Two MetabERN Surveys. Orphanet J. Rare Dis.2020, 15 (1), 341. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-020-01619-x.Acknowledgements:The authors thank the MetabERN collaboration group, the single point of contacts (SPOC) of the MetabERN patient board and the Transition Project Working Group (TPWG)Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Bjarke Vaegter ◽  
Mette Terp Høybye ◽  
Frederik Hjorth Bergen ◽  
Christine E. Parsons

Abstract Objectives Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in patients with chronic pain. However, the majority of studies to date examining sleep disturbances in patients with chronic pain have been population-based cross-sectional studies. The aims of this study were to 1) examine the frequency of sleep disturbances in patients referred to two interdisciplinary chronic pain clinics in Denmark, 2) explore associations between sleep disturbances and pain intensity, disability and quality of life at baseline and follow-up, and 3) explore whether changes in sleep quality mediated the relationships between pain outcomes at baseline and pain outcomes at follow-up. Methods We carried out a longitudinal observational study, examining patients enrolled in two chronic pain clinics assessed at baseline (n=2,531) and post-treatment follow-up (n=657). Patients reported on their sleep disturbances using the sleep quality subscale of the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire (KSQ), their pain intensity using 0–10 numerical rating scales, their pain-related disability using the Pain Disability Index (PDI), and quality of life using the EuroQol-VAS scale. The average time between baseline and follow-up was 207 days (SD=154). Results At baseline, the majority of patients reported frequent sleep disturbances. We found a significant association at baseline between self-reported sleep disturbances and pain intensity, pain-related disability, and quality of life, where greater sleep disturbance was associated with poorer outcomes. At follow-up, patients reported significant improvements across all pain and sleep outcomes. In two mediation models, we showed that changes in sleep disturbances from baseline to follow-up were significantly associated with (i) pain intensity at follow-up, and (ii) pain disability at follow-up. However, baseline pain intensity and disability scores were not associated with changes in sleep disturbances and, we did not find evidence for significant mediation of either pain outcome by changes in sleep disturbances. Conclusions Self-reported sleep disturbances were associated with pain outcomes at baseline and follow-up, with greater sleep disturbances associated with poorer pain outcomes. Changes in sleep quality did not mediate the relationships between baseline and follow-up scores for pain intensity and disability. These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence confirming an association between sleep and chronic pain experience, particularly suggestive of a sleep to pain link. Our data following patients after interdisciplinary treatment suggests that improved sleep is a marker for a better outcome after treatment.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 816
Author(s):  
Rosmara Infantino ◽  
Consalvo Mattia ◽  
Pamela Locarini ◽  
Antonio Luigi Pastore ◽  
Sabatino Maione ◽  
...  

Chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, represents an untreated disease with important repercussions on the quality of life and huge costs on the national health system. It is well known that opioids are the most powerful analgesic drugs, but they represent the second or third line in neuropathic pain, that remain difficult to manage. Moreover, these drugs show several side effects that limit their use. In addition, opioids possess addictive properties that are associated with misuse and drug abuse. Among available opioids compounds, buprenorphine has been suggested advantageous for a series of clinical reasons, including the effectiveness in neuropathic pain. Some properties are partly explained by its unique pharmacological characteristics. However, questions on the dynamic profile remain to be answered. Pharmacokinetics optimization strategies, and additional potentialities, are still to be explored. In this paper, we attempt to conceptualize the potential undiscovered dynamic profile of buprenorphine.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 602
Author(s):  
Mila Triana Sari ◽  
Hartati Sandora ◽  
Haflin Haflin

The solitory custom community of Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) is one of group society whose life are depend to the natural researches in the forest. It is needed an effort to provide service in order to meet their needed, especially health care service for improving their quality of life in the solitary custom Community of Suku Anak Dalam.  This research was conducted in order to know about the persepsion of SAD society towards Health Care Service in the Working Area of Puskesmas Pematang Kabau. This research was conducted on Januari until February 2017 for the purpose of getting understanding about persepsion of solitary custom Community of Suku Anak Dalam towards health care service, the number of participants were 15 people. This is qualitative research with purposive sampling method. The research instruments were indepth interview and interview guide. The result of the research analyzed by using Colaizzi Technique. The finding of the research showed five themes:  the reason of SAD Society in terms of receiving care service. Secondly, the respond of SAD society, thirdly, about the changing and the impact of SAD society. Fourth, the meaning of health care service to SAD society. And fifth the experience of SAD society towards health and service.SAD society gave respond about perception or possitive support towards Health Care Service.


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