scholarly journals Initial Adjustment to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Associated Shutdown in Children and Adolescents With Chronic Pain and Their Families

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Kaczynski ◽  
Cindy Yu Hsing Chang ◽  
Justin Chimoff ◽  
Camila Koike ◽  
Charles B. Berde ◽  
...  

Objectives: Youth with chronic pain often struggle to function in multiple domains due to pain and associated psychosocial distress. In 2020, schools and businesses shut down and people were encouraged to remain at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eliminating or reducing stress due to functional difficulties. This study assessed whether pain and associated psychosocial outcomes improved in youth with chronic pain during the shutdown, compared with before the pandemic.Methods: Patients who completed clinical outcome measures during a multidisciplinary evaluation before the pandemic were readministered the same measures (PROMIS Anxiety, Depression, Sleep Disturbance, PCS, PedsQL) during the shutdown. At follow-up, patients also completed measures of adjustment to COVID-19 and their parents completed a measure of pandemic effects.Results: Participants included 47 patients ages 8–18 and a parent/guardian. The pandemic impacted families in both positive (e.g., more quality time with family) and negative ways (e.g., social isolation, disruption in care). Pain intensity and pain catastrophizing significantly decreased during the shutdown (ps <0.01). Change in pain catastrophizing was correlated positively with change in psychological stress (p = 0.004) and anxiety (p = 0.005) and negatively with change in quality of life (p = 0.024).Discussion: Pain and pain catastrophizing decreased initially during the shutdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Change in catastrophizing was associated with change in stress and anxiety. It may be that the reduction in functional demands contributed to this change. Functional difficulties should be addressed in treatment, including pain coping and also environmental modification to support optimal functioning in youth with chronic pain.

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Kyle D. Meeuwsen ◽  
Kayleah M. Groeneveld ◽  
Linda A. Walker ◽  
Anna M. Mennenga ◽  
Rachel K. Tittle ◽  
...  

Background: The three-month, multidomain Memory Boot Camp program incorporates z-score neurofeedback (NFB), heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback, and one-on-one coaching to teach memory skills and encourage behavior change in diet, sleep, physical fitness, and stress reduction. Objective: This prospective trial evaluates the Memory Boot Camp program for adults ages 55 to 85 with symptoms of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and subjective memory complaints. Methods: Participants were evaluated via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), NeuroTrax Global Cognitive Index, measures of anxiety, depression, sleep, quality of life, quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG), and HRV parameters at four timepoints: baseline, pre-program, post-program, and follow-up. The trial included a three-month waiting period between baseline and pre-program, such that each participant acted as their own control, and follow-up took place six months after completion of the program. Results: Participants’ MoCA scores and self-reported measures of anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and quality of life improved after treatment, and these changes were maintained at follow-up. Physiological changes in HRV parameters after treatment were not significant, however, breathing rate and QEEG parameters were improved at post-program and maintained at follow-up. Finally, participants’ improvement in MoCA score over the treatment period was correlated with their improvement in two brain oscillation parameters targeted by the z-score NFB protocol: relative power of delta and relative power of theta. Conclusions: Trial results suggest that the Memory Boot Camp program is a promising treatment strategy for older adults with symptoms of MCI and subjective memory complaints.


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.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Otones ◽  
Eva García ◽  
Teresa Sanz ◽  
Azucena Pedraz

Abstract Background Exercise have shown being effective for managing chronic pain and preventing frailty status in older adults but the effect of an exercise program in the quality of life of pre-frail older adults with chronic pain remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of multicomponent structured physical exercise program for pre-frail adults aged 65 years or more with chronic pain to improve their perceived health related quality of life, compared with usual care. Methods Open label randomized controlled trial. Participants were community-dwelling pre-frail older adults aged 65 years or older with chronic pain and non-dependent for basic activities of daily living attending a Primary Healthcare Centre. Forty-four participants were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 20) that received usual care or an intervention group (n = 24) that received an 8-week physical activity and education program. Frailty status (SHARE Frailty Index), quality of life (EuroQol-5D-5L), pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery) and depression (Yessavage) were assessed at baseline, after the intervention and after 3 months follow-up. The effect of the intervention was analysed by mean differences between the intervention and control groups. Results The follow-up period (3 months) was completed by 32 patients (73%), 17 in the control group and 15 in the intervention group. Most participants were women (78.1%) with a mean age (standard deviation) of 77.2 (5.9) years and a mean pain intensity of 48.1 (24.4) mm. No relevant differences were found between groups at baseline. After the intervention, mean differences in the EuroQol Index Value between control and intervention groups were significant (-0.19 95%CI(-0.33- -0.04)) and remained after three months follow-up (-0.21 95%CI(-0.37- -0.05)). Participants in the exercise group showed better results in pain intensity and frailty after the intervention, and an improvement in physical performance after the intervention and after three months. Conclusions An eight-week physical activity and education program for pre-frail older adults with chronic pain, compared with usual care, could be effective to improve quality of life after the intervention and after three-months follow-up. Study registration details: This study was retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04045535.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 774-782
Author(s):  
Brigitte Brouwer ◽  
Sophie Waardenburg ◽  
Christian Jacobs ◽  
Marjori Overdijk ◽  
Carsten Leue ◽  
...  

Background and objectivesChronic pain affects many adults. To improve our daily practice, we need to understand multidisciplinary approaches, integrated treatment plans and the biopsychosocial context of these patients. To date, almost 15 000 chronic pain patients have been referred to the Maastricht University Pain Center in the Netherlands.MethodsThis study describes 11 214 of these patients suffering from chronic pain. Chronic pain was analyzed using relevant Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials instruments.ResultsMost patients were female (59.3%). The prevalence of low education was 59%, and unemployment/disability was 35.9%. The mean age was 55.6 years. Severe pain (Numerical Rating Sale score 7–10) was reported by 71.9% of the patients; psychological and quality of life values deteriorated when pain severity increased. Approximately 36% of patients showed severe signs of depression or anxiety, and 39% displayed high pain catastrophizing. Of all patients, 17.8% reported high values for pain severity, catastrophizing and anxiety or depression.ConclusionsBased on baseline biopsychosocial values, this study shows the complexity of patients referred to pain centers. Pain management with a biopsychosocial approach in an integrated multidisciplinary setting is indispensable. Above all, adjusted education on chronic pain and attention to its biopsychosocial aspects are deemed necessary.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Vogel ◽  
Christian Riediger ◽  
Martin Krippl ◽  
Jörg Frommer ◽  
Christoph Lohmann ◽  
...  

Background. Type D personality (TDP) is a sign of tapered stress and compromises treatment outcomes including those of hip arthroplasty. The common dissatisfaction with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is predicted by fear avoidance, pain catastrophizing and emotional lability, with poor quality of life (QoL) reflecting these strains. This study is the first to investigate the influence of TDP on TKA assuming (1) negative affect (NA) to be linked to fear avoidance and to increased dissatisfaction with TKA and (2) the expression of NA and social inhibition (SI) to not be stable over time. Method. We studied 79 participants using the brief symptom inventory-18, the pain-catastrophizing scale, the Tampa scale of kinesiophobia, the SF-36, and the WOMAC preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. T-test and regression were used to compare the variables of interest between groups built based upon outcome severity. Result. NA at follow-up predicted knee pain (p=0.02) and knee function (p<0.01) at follow-up. Contrarily, increased expressions of NA/SI at follow-up were predicted by NA (p=0.04) and rumination (p=0.05) at the baseline. Conclusion. The present results suggest the postoperative increase of NA to be linked to dysfunctional outcomes of TKA due to an interaction with pain catastrophizing. Baseline self-rated physical health did not connect to the dissatisfaction with TKA 1-year postoperatively.


Pain Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 1977-1984
Author(s):  
Carolyn J Gibson ◽  
Joseph Grasso ◽  
Yongmei Li ◽  
Natalie Purcell ◽  
Jennifer Tighe ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Biopsychosocial integrated pain team (IPT) care models are being implemented in Veterans Health Administration (VA) and other health care systems to address chronic pain and reduce risks related to long-term opioid therapy, with little evaluation of effectiveness to date. We examined whether IPT improves self-reported pain-related outcomes and opioid misuse. Design Single-group quality improvement study. Setting Large VA health care system. Subjects Veterans with chronic pain (N = 99, 84% male, mean age [SD] = 60 [13] years). Methods Using paired t tests and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks tests, we examined pain experience (Brief Pain Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale), opioid misuse (Current Opioid Misuse Measure), treatment satisfaction (Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale), and pain management strategies among patients with chronic pain before and after three or more IPT encounters. Results After an average (SD) of 14.3 (9) weeks engaged in IPT, patients reported improvement in pain interference (mean [SD] = 46.0 [15.9] vs 40.5 [16.2], P &lt; 0.001), pain catastrophizing (mean [SD] = 22.9 [13.0] vs 19.3 [14.1], P = 0.01), treatment satisfaction (i.e., “very satisfied” = 13.1% at baseline vs 25.3% at follow-up, P = 0.01), and reduced opioid misuse (mean [SD] = 11.0 [7.5] vs 8.2 [6.1], P = 0.01). Patients reported increased use of integrative (i.e., acupuncture, 11% at baseline vs 26% at follow-up, P &lt; 0.01) and active pain management strategies (i.e., exercise, 8% at baseline vs 16% at follow-up, P &lt; 0.01) and were less likely to use only pharmacological pain management strategies after IPT engagement (19% at baseline vs 5% at follow-up, P &lt; 0.01). Conclusions Biopsychosocial, integrated pain care may improve patient-centered outcomes related to opioid misuse and the subjective experience and nonpharmacological self-management of chronic pain.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 1304-1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Breitbart ◽  
Shannon Poppito ◽  
Barry Rosenfeld ◽  
Andrew J. Vickers ◽  
Yuelin Li ◽  
...  

Purpose Spiritual well-being and sense of meaning are important concerns for clinicians who care for patients with cancer. We developed Individual Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (IMCP) to address the need for brief interventions targeting spiritual well-being and meaning for patients with advanced cancer. Patients and Methods Patients with stage III or IV cancer (N = 120) were randomly assigned to seven sessions of either IMCP or therapeutic massage (TM). Patients were assessed before and after completing the intervention and 2 months postintervention. Primary outcome measures assessed spiritual well-being and quality of life; secondary outcomes included anxiety, depression, hopelessness, symptom burden, and symptom-related distress. Results Of the 120 participants randomly assigned, 78 (65%) completed the post-treatment assessment and 67 (56%) completed the 2-month follow-up. At the post-treatment assessment, IMCP participants demonstrated significantly greater improvement than the control condition for the primary outcomes of spiritual well-being (b = 0.39; P <.001, including both components of spiritual well-being (sense of meaning: b = 0.34; P = .003 and faith: b = 0.42; P = .03), and quality of life (b = 0.76; P = .013). Significantly greater improvements for IMCP patients were also observed for the secondary outcomes of symptom burden (b = −6.56; P < .001) and symptom-related distress (b = −0.47; P < .001) but not for anxiety, depression, or hopelessness. At the 2-month follow-up assessment, the improvements observed for the IMCP group were no longer significantly greater than those observed for the TM group. Conclusion IMCP has clear short-term benefits for spiritual suffering and quality of life in patients with advanced cancer. Clinicians working with patients who have advanced cancer should consider IMCP as an approach to enhance quality of life and spiritual well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 601
Author(s):  
Joana Fernandes ◽  
Liliana Fontes ◽  
Isabel Coimbra ◽  
José Artur Paiva

Introduction: Long-term health impairments are often experienced among survivors of critical illness, which may have a negative impact on their quality of life. The aim of this study was to characterize COVID-19 survivors of critical illness and to evaluate health-related quality of life and disability following hospital discharge.Material and Methods: This is a retrospective case-series study that included COVID-19 survivors admitted to the Intensive Care Medicine Department of a University Hospital. Follow-up evaluation was performed between the 30th and the 90th day after discharge. Quality of life was explored using the five-level version of the EQ-5D instrument (EQ-5D-5L) and functionality using the 12-question World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0).Results: Forty-five survivors were enrolled, 28 (62.2%) men, median age 63.0 years. The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire showed moderate to extreme problems in some dimension in 29 patients (64.4%): mobility in six (13.3%), self-care in seven (13.3%), usual activities in 23 (51.1%), pain/discomfort in 14 (31.1%) and anxiety/depression in 17 (37.8%). When using the 12-question WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire, moderate to extreme disability was reported in some question in 37 patients (82.2%): 19 (42.2%) in standing for long periods, 18 (40.0%) in long-distance walking; 14 (31.1%) on taking care of household responsibilities and 17 (37.8%) in their day-to-day work; 23 (51.1%) felt emotionally affected by their health problems.Discussion: Based on COVID-19 survivors-reported outcomes after critical illness, mobility, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression were the main problems that persisted one to three months after hospital discharge.Conclusion: An organized follow-up structure is crucial to improve health-related quality of life in critical COVID-19 survivors.


Author(s):  
Hafdís Skúladóttir ◽  
Herdis Sveinsdottir ◽  
Janean E. Holden ◽  
Thóra Jenný Gunnarsdóttir ◽  
Sigridur Halldorsdottir ◽  
...  

Multidisciplinary pain-management programs have the potential to decrease pain intensity, improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and increase sleep quality. In this longitudinal prospective cohort study, the aim was to investigate the long-term effects of multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation interventions in Iceland. More precisely, we (a) explored and described how individuals with chronic pain evaluated their pain severity, sleep, and HRQOL at pre-treatment and at one-year follow-up and (b) examined what predicted the participants’ one-year follow-up HRQOL. Seventy-nine patients aged 20–68 years, most of whom were women (85%), responded. The participants scored their pain lower at one-year follow-up (p < 0.001). According to their response, most of them had disrupted sleep, mainly because of pain. One year after the treatment, more participants slept through the night (p = 0.004), and their HRQOL increased. Higher pre-treatment mental component summary (MCS) scores and having pursued higher education predicted higher MCS scores at one-year follow-up, and higher pre-treatment physical component summary (PCS) scores predicted higher PCS scores at one-year follow-up. Sleep problems, being a woman, and having children younger than 18 years of age predicted lower MCS scores at one-year follow-up. These findings are suggestive that patients should be examined with respect to their mental status, and it could be beneficial if they received some professional support after completing the intervention.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 4749-4749
Author(s):  
Ariel Gliksberg ◽  
Christopher McCauley ◽  
Lewis L. Hsu

Abstract Background: TranscranialDoppler ultrasound (TCD) screening for stroke risk is one of the major advances in pediatric sickle cell disease, since the landmark STOP study. TCD screening is among the measures for quality of pediatric sickle cell care proposed by expert consensus (Wang 2011, NHLBI guidelines 2014). Reeves et al 2016 shows that TCD screening rates are low but still improving (22% in 2006 -44% in 2010). To improve the quality-of-care provided to pediatric sickle cell patients at University of Illinois Hospital, we conducted chart review in 2014 to establish a baseline report of UI Hospitalsadherence to the expert care standards. At that time TCD screening rates were much lower than immunization rates. We then introduced a reminder table in the electronic medical record. 18 months since this change in EMR we re-evaluated our compliance with TCDs. Objectives: To evaluate the improvement atUIHealthpediatric sickle cell clinic compliance with annual TCD. Methods: A manual chart review of these pediatric sickle cell patients was employed to determine adherence to TCD screening standards. All patients ages 2-16yowith SCD-SS and SCD-S/Beta-0-thalassemia that were seen in pediatric sickle cell clinic and adolescent-adult transition clinics two times over 15 months from 2/1/15-5/1/16 were included in study. TCD compliance was determined if patient had TCD between 5/1/2015 through 5/31/16. 5-15 minutes per patient was spent evaluating EMR for TCD compliance Data from the 2014 previous study was also re-evaluated using the same criteria of 2 visits within 15 months of original study date and TCD within 1 year of study. Results: In this work, the charts of 91 pediatric SCD-SS and SCD-S/Beta0 patients were reviewed (ages 2-16 years; M: 34 F 28, 5 ineligible [2 on chronic transfusion, 1 high hemoglobin, 1 yearly MRI, 1 last visit before 2yo]. Lost to follow-up (Seen in clinic since 2014 but not 2 visits from 2/1/15-5/1/16): 24 The rate of TCD screening among these eligible children was 53 out of 62, or 85.5% in 2016. Comparable figures from the 2014 chart review were 17 out of 27, or 63% in 2014. Fishers exact test indicates that this was a significant improvement, p=0.05. Conclusions: We focused our quality-improvement efforts onTranscranialDoppler screening, adding a reminder table in the Electronic Medical Record then re-assessing 18 months later. The rate of TCD screening significantly improved from 63% to 85%. Although less than 100%, these compare favorably to other published TCD rates (Table). The next step is to improve clinic attendance and tracking, to reduce the rate of patients who are "lost to follow-up." To facilitate future chart reviews we have incorporated the key parameters into our "Screening & Management Table" as a component of the electronic medical record. Table Table. Disclosures Hsu: Purdue Pharma: Research Funding; Mast Therapeutics: Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; Sancilio: Research Funding; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; EMMI Solutions: Consultancy; Gerson Lehman Group: Consultancy; Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; Hilton Publishing: Consultancy, Research Funding.


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