scholarly journals Capsaicin in the Treatment of Refractory Neuropathic Pain after Mastectomy Surgery: A Case Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 997-1001
Author(s):  
Lilit Flöther ◽  
David Avila-Castillo ◽  
Anna-Maria Burgdorff ◽  
Ralf Benndorf

A 62-year-old female patient with a history of mastectomy surgery and sentinel lymphadenectomy in the context of breast cancer therapy was referred to our clinic for the treatment of refractory neuropathic pain. She reported a complex set of symptoms including burning and electrical-like sensations as well as profound hyperesthesia, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. The symptoms persisted chronically over months with a strong intensity and did not sufficiently respond to oral pain medication and co-analgetics, that is, tapentadol and pregabalin. As the patient could hardly move her right upper arm due to the pain, the quality of life was greatly reduced. In addition, the patient reported pain-related anxiety and depression. Therefore, a therapy with capsaicin 8% patch was initiated. Treatment with capsaicin 8% led to pain relief without tolerance development and improved flexibility in the affected body area. Despite significant pain relief, previous oral pain medications (tapentadol, pregabalin) as well as the anti-depressant amitriptyline were maintained to fully resolve pain symptoms, anxiety, and depression. In conclusion, capsaicin 8% may represent an effective therapeutic alternative for patients suffering from refractory neuropathic pain.

2020 ◽  
pp. 105566562098133
Author(s):  
Alyssa Fritz ◽  
Diana S. Jodeh ◽  
Fatima Qamar ◽  
James J. Cray ◽  
S. Alex Rottgers

Introduction: Oronasal fistulae following palatoplasty may affect patients’ quality of life by impacting their ability to eat, speak, and maintain oral hygiene. We aimed to quantify the impact of previous oronasal fistula repair on patients’ quality of life using patient-reported outcome psychometric tools. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 8- to 9-year-old patients with cleft palate and/or lip was completed. Patients who had a cleft team clinic between September 2018 and August 2019 were recruited. Participants were divided into 2 groups (no fistula, prior fistula repair). Differences in the individual CLEFT-Q and Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Short Form 19 (COHIP-SF 19) Oral Health scores between the 2 groups were evaluated using a multivariate analysis controlling for Veau classification and syndromic diagnosis. Results: Sixty patients with a history of cleft palate were included. Forty-two (70%) patients had an associated cleft lip. Thirty-two (53.3%) patients had no history of fistula and 28 (46.7%) patients had undergone a fistula repair. CLEFT-Q Dental, Jaw, and Speech Function were all higher in patients without a history of a fistula repair; however, none of these differences were statistically significant. The COHIP-SF 19 Oral Health score demonstrated a significantly lower score in the fistula group, indicating poorer oral health ( P = .05). Conclusions: One would expect that successful repair of a fistula would result in improved function and patient satisfaction, but the consistent trend toward lower CLEFT-Q scores and significantly increased COHIP-SF 19 Oral Health scores in our study group suggests that residual effects linger and that the morbidity of a fistula may not be completely treated with a secondary correction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1011.2-1011
Author(s):  
Y. Olyunin ◽  
V. Rybakova ◽  
E. Likhacheva ◽  
E. Nasonov

Background:The patient-reported outcomes are important components of quantitative methods of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity assessment which are used to choose the appropriate drug therapy. The value of these parameters can be significantly affected not only by the inflammatory process, but also by the psychological characteristics of the patient and, in particular, by hardiness [1].Objectives:To study the relationship between psychological factors and signs of RA activity.Methods:Patients with RA who met the EULAR/ACR 2010 criteria, and observed at the V. A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology were included. Clinical examination was performed including patient global assessment (PGA), physician global assessment (PhGA), pain measurement on a visual analog scale, tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC). The functional status was determined by HAQ, the quality of life – by SF-36 EQ-5D, the nature of pain – by painDETECT, the presence of anxiety and depression – by HADS. Patients also completed Hardiness Survey questionnaire to assess hardiness (HDS) and 3 components of the HDS – commitment (CMT), control (CT) and challenge (CLN). Disease activity was evaluated with DAS28, CDAI, and RAPID3. All patients signed informed consent to participate in the study. Analysis of the data was performed using Spearman’s rank test, Fisher exact test, qui-square and t-tests.Results:85 patients with RA were included. There were 69 women and 16 men. Mean age was 56.7±13.1 years, disease duration – 7.6±2.7 years. 72 patients were positive for rheumatoid factor, 75 – for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody. CDAI showed high activity in 15, moderate – in 37, low – in 30, and remission in 3 patients, DAS 28 – in 10, 55, 12, and 8, and RAPID3 – in 24, 25, 15, and 21, respectively. 24 patients had subclinically or clinically expressed anxiety and 15 –subclinically or clinically expressed depression (≥8 according to HADS). In 31 patients, the painDETECT questionnaire revealed possible or probable neuropathic pain. Mean HDS was 84.8±21.7, CMT – 38.9±9.2, CT – 29.4±8.6, CLN – 17.3±7.1. These values were comparable with the corresponding population data for this age group. There was a significant inverse correlation between HDS and RA activity measures, including SJC, TJC, DAS28 (p<0.05), pain, PGA, PhGA, CDAI, RAPID3, and HAQ (p<0.01). In addition, HDS and all its components positively correlated with quality of life, assessed by SF-36 and EQ-5D (p<0.01). In patients with subclinically and clinically expressed anxiety and depression, HDS, CMT, and CT were significantly lower than in patients without anxiety and depression (p<0.01), while the values of CLN in these groups did not differ significantly.Conclusion:The results of the present study suggest that low HDS may be one of the significant factors determining RA activity level because it does not allow patients to adapt adequately to a stressful situation produced by the disease.References:[1]Maddi SR. Am Psychol. 2008 Sep;63(6):563-4.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. S237-S238
Author(s):  
C. van der Meulen ◽  
L.A. van de Stadt ◽  
F.P. Kroon ◽  
M.C. Kortekaas ◽  
A. Boonen ◽  
...  

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (11) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
Greta Veličkaitė ◽  
Neringa Jucevičiūtė ◽  
Renata Balnytė ◽  
Ovidijus Laucius ◽  
Antanas Vaitkus

Background and objectives: Even though pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is common and possibly associated with reduced quality of life, its exact prevalence and characteristics remain vaguely understood. We aimed to estimate the true extent of pain and its associations with quality of life in Lithuanian MS patients and to compare this data with that of a control group. Materials and Methods: Data were collected prospectively at the Department of Neurology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics. A face-to-face structured interview and a questionnaire were used to collect demographic and clinical data of the MS (n = 120) and control (n = 120) groups. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used to quantify disability in the MS group. Scores ≥4/10 in the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire were classified as neuropathic pain. Patients were evaluated using the anxiety and depression subsets of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A and HADS-D), the physical and mental component subsets of the Short Form-12 questionnaire (PSC-12 and MSC-12). Results: The MS and control groups did not differ in pain prevalence (76.7% vs. 65.9%, p = 0.064) or intensity. Lhermitte sign, lower limb, and face pain were more common in the MS group, whereas subjects in the control group were more often affected by lower back, neck, and joint pain. Neuropathic pain and pain lasting longer than 2 years were more common among pain-affected MS patients than among controls. MS patients with pain had higher EDSS, HADS-D, and HADS-A and lower PSC-12 scores than those without pain; however, no difference was found regarding the duration of MS or age. Males with MS and pain had higher MSC-12 and HADS-D scores in comparison to the same subset of females. Conclusions: Pain affects approximately three out of four patients with MS in Lithuania and is negatively associated with the mental and physical aspects of quality of life.


Author(s):  
Helena Carreira ◽  
Rachael Williams ◽  
Harley Dempsey ◽  
Susannah Stanway ◽  
Liam Smeeth ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose There is limited high-quality evidence on quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in breast cancer survivors and women with no history of cancer. We aimed to address this by comparing patient-reported outcomes between breast cancer survivors and women with no history of breast cancer. Methods Breast cancer survivors and women with no prior cancer were selected from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD primary care database, which includes population-based primary care electronic health record data. Breast cancer survivors and controls were frequency matched by age and primary care practice. Outcomes were assessed with validated instruments via postal questionnaire. Linear and logistic regression models were fitted to estimate adjusted associations between breast cancer survivorship and outcomes. Results A total of 356 breast cancer survivors (8.1 years post diagnosis) and 252 women with no prior cancer participated in the study. Compared with non-cancer controls, breast cancer survivors had poorer QoL in the domains of cognitive problems (adjusted β (aβ) = 1.4, p = 0.01), sexual function (aβ = 1.7, p = 0.02) and fatigue (aβ = 1.3, p = 0.01), but no difference in negative feelings, positive feelings, pain, or social avoidance. Breast cancer survivors had higher odds of borderline-probable anxiety (score ≥ 8) (adjusted OR = 1.47, 95%CI:1.15–1.87), but no differences in depression. Advanced stage at diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment were associated with poorer QoL. Conclusions Compared with women with no history of cancer, breast cancer survivors report more problems with cognition, sexual function, fatigue, and anxiety, particularly where their cancer was advanced and/or treated with chemotherapy. Implications for Cancer Survivors Breast cancer survivors with more advanced disease and/or treated with chemotherapy should be closely monitored and, when possible, offered evidence-based intervention for fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and sexual problems.


2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 5069-5069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sten Nilsson ◽  
Michael Tomblyn ◽  
Paul Cislo ◽  
Jonathan Reuning-Scherer ◽  
Chris Parker

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Laugharne ◽  
Deborah Marshall ◽  
Jon Laugharne ◽  
Alan Hassard

Many patients with a functional psychosis are likely to have a history of trauma and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); some may be traumatized by their psychotic symptoms. We present a series of vignettes to describe eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment of 4 patients suffering from a functional psychotic illness who had a significant history of trauma. After receiving EMDR, each patient showed an improvement in their PTSD symptoms and reported an improvement in the quality of their lives. Follow-up at 3–6 years indicated that the treatment effects were maintained, with changes evident in elimination of trauma-related delusions, reduction in anxiety and depression, fewer hospital admissions, and overall improved quality of life. Because a history of trauma and PTSD symptoms are more frequent in patients with a psychosis, and trauma may be an etiological component of psychosis, EMDR treatment needs to be researched and explored as a treatment opportunity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 17;1 (1;17) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie André-Obadia

Background: A positive effect of motor cortex stimulation (MCS) (defined as subjective estimations of pain relief ≥ 30%) has been reported in 55 – 64% of patients. Repetitive magnetic cortical stimulation (rTMS) is considered a predictor of MCS effect. These figures are, however, mostly based on subjective reports of pain intensity, and have not been confirmed in the long-term. Objectives: This study assessed long-term pain relief (2 – 9 years) after epidural motor cortex stimulation and its pre-operative prediction by rTMS, using both intensity and Quality of Life (QoL) scales. Study Design: Analysis of the long-term evolution of pain patients treated by epidural motor cortex stimulation, and predictive value of preoperative response to rTMS. Setting: University Neurological Hospital Pain Center. Methods: Patients: Twenty patients suffering chronic pharmaco-resistant neuropathic pain. Intervention: All patients received first randomized sham vs. active 20Hz-rTMS, before being submitted to MCS surgery. Measurement: Postoperative pain relief was evaluated at 6 months and then up to 9 years post-MCS (average 6.1 ± 2.6 y) using (i) pain numerical rating scores (NRS); (ii) a combined assessment (CPA) including NRS, drug intake, and subjective quality of life; and (iii) a short questionnaire (HowRu) exploring discomfort, distress, disability, and dependence. Results: Pain scores were significantly reduced by active (but not sham) rTMS and by subsequent MCS. Ten out of 20 patients kept a long-term benefit from MCS, both on raw pain scores and on CPA. The CPA results were strictly comparable when obtained by the surgeon or by a third-party on telephonic survey (r = 0.9). CPA scores following rTMS and long-term MCS were significantly associated (Fisher P = 0.02), with 90% positive predictive value and 67% negative predictive value of preoperative rTMS over long-term MCS results. On the HowRu questionnaire, long-term MCSrelated improvement concerned “discomfort” (physical pain) and “dependence” (autonomy for daily activities), whereas “disability” (work, home, and leisure activities) and “distress” (anxiety, stress, depression) did not significantly improve. Limitations: Limited cohort of patients with inhomogeneous pain etiology. Subjectivity of the reported items by the patient after a variable and long delay after surgery. Predictive evaluation based on a single rTMS session compared to chronic MCS. Conclusions: Half of the patients still retain a significant benefit after 2 – 9 years of continuous MCS, and this can be reasonably predicted by preoperative rTMS. Adding drug intake and QoL estimates to raw pain scores allows a more realistic assessment of long-term benefits and enhance the rTMS predictive value. The aims of this study and its design were approved by the local ethics committee (University Hospitals St Etienne and Lyon, France). Key words: Neuropathic pain, chronic refractory pain, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTMS, epidural motor cortex stimulation, MCS, quality of life, predictive value


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Lombardo ◽  
Richard Shaw ◽  
Kathleen Sayles ◽  
Dorothea Altschul

Abstract Background: Observe the relationship of anxiety and depression on quality of life outcomes after open and endovascular cerebrovascular procedures. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 349 patients who underwent a procedure for aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, carotid stenosis, acute stroke, and conventional catheter angiogram over three years at a community hospital. We correlated pre-procedural anxiety and depression with Global Physical Health, Global Mental Health, and Modified Rankin Scale scores. We performed univariate and multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses adjusting for past medical history and sociodemographic factors. Results: Anxiety or depression occurred in eighteen percent of patients. Patients with anxiety or depression were more likely to be female (81% vs 60.8%; p=0.002) and younger (54 vs. 59 years old; p=0.025). The groups did not differ in type or urgency of procedure, smoking or history of diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. Patients with anxiety or depression reported lower mental health scores at 30 days (45.1 vs 48.2; p=0.002) post-procedure. In multivariate analyses, anxious or depressed patients had worse mental health scores at 30 days (t=-2.893; p=0.008) than those who did not have a history of anxiety or depression. There was no difference between groups in length of stay, mortality, physical health t-scores, functionality scores, or six month quality of life outcomes. Conclusions: Patients undergoing cerebrovascular procedures who self-reported anxiety or depression showed a significant difference in mental health outcomes at 30 days, but six month mental health and other medical and functional outcomes measures were similar to patients without these diagnoses.


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