Brian Duborg Ebbesen, Jakob Nebeling Hedegaard, Simon Grøntved, Rocco Giordano, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Lars Arendt-Nielsen
{"title":"Predictive Ability of Previous Pain and Disease Conditions on the Presentation of Post-COVID Pain in a Danish Cohort of Adult COVID-19 Survivors","authors":"Brian Duborg Ebbesen, Jakob Nebeling Hedegaard, Simon Grøntved, Rocco Giordano, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Lars Arendt-Nielsen","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70021","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Even though many post-COVID pain risk factors have been identified, little is known about the predictive profiles of these risk factors for the development of post-COVID pain.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Data was collected from two separate questionnaires assessing demographics, pre-existing medical comorbidities, pain history, and post-COVID pain experience. Socioeconomic data and COVID-19 RT-PCR test results were collected from Danish registries. The study cohort (<i>n</i> = 68,028) was stratified into two groups reporting pre-COVID pain (<i>n</i> = 9090) and no pre-COVID pain (<i>n</i> = 55,938). Forward-selection prediction models were employed to identify predictor profiles for post-COVID pain in the full study cohort (Model 1) and the stratified groups with (Model 2) and without (Model 3) pre-COVID pain from 58 potential risk factors.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Model 1 achieved a 5-fold cross-validated AUC (cvAUC) of 0.68. Use of pain medication, stress, high income, age, female gender, and weight were the top predictors contributing to 97% of the model performance. Model 2 (cvAUC = 0.69) identified use of pain medication, breathing pain, stress, height, physical activity, and weight as the top predictors contributing to 98.6% of model predictive performance. Model 3 (cvAUC = 0.65) identified stress, female gender, weight, higher education, age, high income, and physical activity as the top predictors contributing to 98.5% of model predictive performance. Height was unique to Model 2, while being female and higher income were unique to Model 3.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study highlights potential important predictors, and further research is needed to describe these in detail. The results may apply to the understanding of post-viral pain sequelae after other viral infections.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The explorative study investigates the predictive ability of a battery of pre-COVID risk factors potentially associated with the development of post-COVID pain. This article presents the profiles of predictors of interest in COVID-19 survivors with and without pre-COVID pain. The results will contribute to the understanding of patient profiles that might develop post-COVID pain conditions and provide a first step towards focused clinical predictive research.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70021","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143778235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fabian Tomschi, Alexander Schmidt, Thomas Cegla, Thomas Hilberg
{"title":"Cryo-Induced Hypoalgesia: The Effects of an Acute Cryochamber Exposure on Pain Perception—A Randomised Controlled Cross-Over Trial","authors":"Fabian Tomschi, Alexander Schmidt, Thomas Cegla, Thomas Hilberg","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70017","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a treatment that involves exposing the entire body to extremely cold temperatures and is used in therapeutic and sports scientific settings. Here, cryotherapy is often used to alleviate pain, but its underlying pain physiological effects are under-researched. This study aims to explore whether a 3-min cryochamber application results in cryo-induced hypoalgesia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>24 healthy male participants successfully conducted this randomised controlled crossover study consisting of a 3-min WBC (cryochamber at −87°C) and a 3-min control (ambient temperature) session. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT [Newton/cm<sup>2</sup>]) were measured at the rectus femoris, knee joint, deltoid muscle and sternum pre and post0, post5, post15 and post30.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Results revealed a significant ‘condition’ × ‘time’ interaction (<i>p</i> < 0.001, <i>η</i><sup>2</sup><sub>partial</sub> = 0.280) for PPT<sub>Total</sub> (pooled for one average value) with hypoalgesia observed after WBC (<i>p</i> < 0.001; pre: 77.0 ± 17.2, post0: 89.6 ± 18.6, post5: 83.6 ± 19.4, post15: 83.1 ± 18.2, post30: 80.8 ± 17.7) and no change following the control (<i>p</i> = 0.873; pre: 75.1 ± 18.8, post0: 75.3 ± 19.4, post5: 74.6 ± 19.2, post15: 75.7 ± 19.3, post30: 75.3 ± 19.1). The same pattern was observed for individual landmarks. Between-group differences were consistently observed, with higher values following the WBC. No significant ‘time’ × ‘intervention’ × ‘landmark’ interaction effect (<i>p</i> = 0.439) was found.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study demonstrates that a three-minute cryochamber exposure induces robust hypoalgesia in healthy participants, as indicated by increased PPT, lasting up to 30 min but gradually declining over time.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Whole-body cryotherapy significantly induces short-term hypoalgesia, with increased mechanical pain thresholds lasting up to 30 minutes. Compared to ambient temperature, cryotherapy provided greater pain relief across multiple body landmarks, with 82.6% of participants experiencing hypoalgesia. These findings highlight the potential of cryotherapy for pain management and support further research on its long-term efficacy and clinical applications.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143778371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tianqi Zhang, Naikun Wang, Tong Zhu, Jin Xu, Mengjiao Tan, Ran Wang, Ying Han
{"title":"Plasma Proteomic Analysis of Patients With Herpes Zoster to Identify Predictors of Postherpetic Neuralgia Risk","authors":"Tianqi Zhang, Naikun Wang, Tong Zhu, Jin Xu, Mengjiao Tan, Ran Wang, Ying Han","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70015","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common and severe complication of herpes zoster (HZ). However, the understanding of the pathological mechanism relevant in the earlier phase of PHN is limited. This study aimed to explore the association of plasma proteins with PHN risk and identify candidate proteins to predict PHN during the acute phase of HZ infection.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)-based proteomic technology was used to profile characteristic proteins in 31 patients with HZ infection.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The levels of 318 plasma proteins were quantified in acute HZ infected patients by untargeted proteomics. Twenty-four plasma proteins were dysregulated in HZ infected patients developing PHN compared with recovered patients. Among these proteins, 16 plasma proteins may be correlated with PHN risk. TTR, NCAM1 and SH3BGRL3 were first proposed as candidate biomarkers for PHN. The baseline level of TTR increased, and NCAM1 and SH3BGRL3 decreased in the PHN group. They may affect the prognosis of HZ through extracellular exosome and complement activation (classical pathway). Besides, the baseline level of TTR may positively correlate with the pain severity of PHN.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Altered abundance of plasma proteins in HZ infected patients was associated with PHN risk. In this study, TTR, NCAM1 and SH3BGRL3 were identified as potential predictors of PHN in early HZ infected patients. These results contribute to revealing the pathological mechanism and potential therapeutic targets of PHN.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study first proved that protein expression in HZ infected patients with opposite outcomes is different, and proposed three potential biomarkers to predict PHN risk in the acute phase of HZ infection. Further research is needed to determine whether protein expression is related to the severity of pain.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Vincenot, G. Léonard, C. Cloutier-Langevin, M. Bordeleau, L. Gendron, F. Camirand Lemyre, S. Marchand
{"title":"Exploring the Spectrum of Temporal Summation and Conditioned Pain Modulation Responses in Pain-Free Individuals Using a Tonic Heat Pain and Cold Pressor Test Paradigms","authors":"M. Vincenot, G. Léonard, C. Cloutier-Langevin, M. Bordeleau, L. Gendron, F. Camirand Lemyre, S. Marchand","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70019","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Temporal summation (TS) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) are impaired in many chronic pain individuals, although typical TS and CPM responses remain unclear. Providing a quantile distribution of TS and CPM values could help determine whether TS and CPM responses fall outside the usual ranges, thereby informing pain management strategies. The objective of this study was to provide a response distribution for these mechanisms in a large, pain-free cohort.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Pain-free participants (<i>n</i> = 347) were evaluated. TS was interpreted as the change in pain perception scores during a constant heat pain stimulus. CPM was assessed by the difference in pain perception scores induced by a tonic heat pain stimulus and a mechanical pain threshold, before and after a cold pressor test (CPT). Quantile regression was performed to identify the 5th to 95th percentiles, with a specific focus on the 75th, 90th and 95th percentiles and their confidence intervals, while considering age and sex.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Analyses revealed a particularly large range of TS and CPM responses, spanning from strong inhibition in CPM and strong summation in TS to moderate or even null effects. Notably, some responses deviated from the expected patterns, with certain individuals exhibiting hyperalgesic CPM effects and others displaying hypoalgesic TS responses. The highest percentiles of the TS distribution were influenced by age and gender, while CPM scores remained unchanged.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The results of this study provide an overview of the possible spectra of responses for TS and CPM, potentially paving the way for their incorporation into pain management strategies.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study examines the spectrum and provides a distribution for TS and CPM values to better identify what may constitute a deficit in these mechanisms and enhance their clinical interpretation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Trial Registration</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>clinicaltrial.gov identifier: NCT03376867</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70019","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction to “Increased Behavioural Inhibition and Decreased Behavioural Activation in Whiplash-Associated Disorders: Associations With Health Outcomes”","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70020","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Filipe L. Souza, Hannah Bowman, Francis Yang, Negin Hesam-Shariati, Jackson Linke, Yannick L. Gilanyi, Matthew D. Jones, Rafael Z-Pinto, James H. McAuley, Rodrigo R. N. Rizzo
{"title":"Conversational Agents to Support Pain Management: A Scoping Review","authors":"Filipe L. Souza, Hannah Bowman, Francis Yang, Negin Hesam-Shariati, Jackson Linke, Yannick L. Gilanyi, Matthew D. Jones, Rafael Z-Pinto, James H. McAuley, Rodrigo R. N. Rizzo","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Pain-related conditions are the leading cause of years lived with disability globally. Managing pain presents significant challenges, including the need to address multiple biopsychosocial factors and the difficulty in delivering evidence-based treatments. Digital health technologies, such as conversational agents, offer the potential for personalised and accessible pain management. However, the characteristics and effectiveness of these interventions are not yet fully understood. This scoping review aims to comprehensively evaluate the applications and effectiveness of conversational agents in supporting pain management in adults (i.e., healthy individuals at risk of developing pain, individuals currently experiencing pain and healthcare providers or students involved in managing pain conditions).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Searches were systematically conducted across six databases—MEDLINE PubMed, ACM Digital Library, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL—and five trial registries from inception.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Twenty-eight studies were included, focusing on capturing health information (<i>n</i> = 8), providing emotional support (<i>n</i> = 7), facilitating adherence to self-management exercises (<i>n</i> = 6), delivering psychological treatment (<i>n</i> = 5), offering organisational support (<i>n</i> = 1) and educating healthcare providers (<i>n</i> = 1). These studies addressed conditions with pain as a central or common symptom, including dementia (<i>n</i> = 7), cancer (<i>n</i> = 5) and musculoskeletal disorders (<i>n</i> = 4), among others. None of the conversational agents on the market covered all four stages recommended for translational research (development, feasibility, effectiveness and implementation).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The use of conversational agents in pain management is relatively new and involves diverse and promising appllications. However, evidence supporting their effectiveness in improving pain-related outcomes remains limited and heterogeneous. Future reseacrh should prioritise feasibility, reliability, and user experience studies to inform the design of robust randomised controlled trials.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This scoping review comprehensively examines the use of conversational agents (CAs) in adult pain management. The study identified six applications of CAs to s","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143749821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Boris Kleber, Carol Sitges, Elvira Brattico, Peter Vuust, Anna M. Zamorano
{"title":"Association Between Interoceptive Accuracy and Pain Perception: Insights From Trained Musicians and Athletes","authors":"Boris Kleber, Carol Sitges, Elvira Brattico, Peter Vuust, Anna M. Zamorano","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The integration of concurrent endogenous and exogenous multisensory information throughout years of dedicated sensorimotor training is associated with enhanced interoceptive accuracy and altered pain perception in healthy individuals. However, this relationship remains inconclusive, with outcomes varying by training modality and pain stimulus. This study examines associations between distinct forms of sensorimotor training, interoception and pain perception.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Two groups of individuals performing extensive sensorimotor training, 17 musicians and 15 athletes, and 14 non-musicians/athletes were recruited. Participants completed a cardiac interoceptive accuracy (IAcc) task and quantitative sensory tests, including mechanical and electrical detection thresholds (MDTs and EDTs), pressure and heat pain thresholds (PPTs and HPTs), as well as music-related perceptual discrimination and self-reported physical activity assessments.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Results revealed superior IAcc and PPTs in athletes compared to controls. Musicians exhibited increased heat pain sensitivity. While IAcc in musicians did not reach significance, training duration significantly predicted IAcc across both groups. PPTs correlated positively with both IAcc and accumulated training, but mediation analyses revealed that training effects on PPTs occurred independently of IAcc, suggesting distinct pathways for interoception and pain modulation. Additionally, physical activity levels correlated positively with both IAcc and PPTs across participants.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings support the emerging view that individuals engaging in sensorimotor training routines, which require embodied multisensory integration for optimal performance, enhance interoceptive accuracy. They also confirm that pain processing varies by training modality. Furthermore, they suggest that the type of acute pain stimulus may explain inconsistencies in the interoception–pain relationship in healthy populations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study advances our understanding of the interoception–pain-training nexus by revealing two distinct pathways: one linking sensorimotor training, interoceptive accuracy and pressure pain perception and another showing that accumulated sensorimotor training independently elevates pain thresholds. By ","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70012","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143749752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prevalence of Painful Temporomandibular Disorders and Overlapping Primary Headaches Among Young Adults","authors":"Cristina Rocha Exposto, Mojdeh Mansoori, Bodil Hammer Bech, Lene Baad-Hansen","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Large population-based estimates of the prevalence of painful temporomandibular disorders (p-TMD) utilising standardised screening tools are scarce and have not investigated the prevalence of overlapping primary headaches. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of p-TMD in a large population of young adults (18 to 23 years) and to estimate the co-occurrence of p-TMD and two primary headaches, migraine and tension-type headache (TTH). The study also aimed to examine the extent of psychological (PHQ-4) and physical (PHQ-15) comorbidities and report prevalence across three gender categories (<i>women</i>, <i>men</i> and <i>other</i>).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Survey data from the Danish National Birth Cohort were collected (<i>n</i> = 11,982), in a cross-sectional observational design. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to address participation bias, revealing minimal impact on the estimates.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The overall prevalence of p-TMD was 26.4% with gender-specific prevalence of <i>women:</i> 31.5%, <i>other:</i> 39.2% and <i>men:</i> 16.8%. Among those with p-TMD, 80.5% reported headaches at least once a month, and 13.8% over 15 days monthly. For the p-TMD individuals with a medical headache diagnosis, 31.9% experienced TTH and 10.9% migraine. The study also identified a higher proportion of moderate/severe psychological distress and physical symptoms in the p-TMD group compared to the non-p-TMD group. Logistic regression revealed a positive association between PHQ-4 and p-TMD, modified by gender (<i>p</i> = 0.016).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>High overall prevalence of p-TMD and overlapping primary headaches was found in young adults. In addition, the study reports gender-specific associations between p-TMD, psychological distress and physical comorbidities indicating that this association is stronger for men than for women.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study found a higher-than-expected prevalence of painful temporomandibular disorders in young adults. It is based on a large population cohort and used standardised and validated screening tools. The study also reported common co-occurrence of primary headaches and explored gender differences. The study raises awareness for a possibly underestimated health burden in young individuals, particularly among individuals experiencing psychological distres","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143717028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Konrad Streitberger, Michael A. Harnik, Anna Saliba, Nina Bischoff, Larissa T. Blättler, Kyrill Schwegler, Christine Baumgartner, Nora Sutter, Maria M. Wertli
{"title":"Two-Phase Inpatient Withdrawal Programme for Long-Term Opioid Use in Non-Cancer Pain","authors":"Konrad Streitberger, Michael A. Harnik, Anna Saliba, Nina Bischoff, Larissa T. Blättler, Kyrill Schwegler, Christine Baumgartner, Nora Sutter, Maria M. Wertli","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70010","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejp.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>High-dose long-term opioid treatment for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has become an increasing burden in industrialised countries. Opioid tapering and withdrawal in patients with CNCP remain challenging. This study evaluated a two-phase inpatient opioid withdrawal (OW) programme aimed at safely discontinuing opioid use in CNCP patients.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This prospective observational study was conducted from 2018 to 2023 at a Swiss tertiary care centre, involving CNCP patients on long-term opioid therapy (≥ 6 months, ≥ 100 mg morphine equivalent daily dose) who had failed outpatient withdrawal attempts. The programme consisted of a withdrawal phase (Phase 1) followed by multimodal pain rehabilitation (Phase 2). Outcomes included the proportion of patients opioid-free after Phase 2 (primary) and at 3 months, pain intensity changes, and adverse events (secondary).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Among the 38 enrolled patients (58% female, median age 54 years [IQR 49, 62]), 34 (89%) completed both phases, and 32 (84%) were opioid-free at the end of Phase 2. At 3 months, 23 patients (61%) remained opioid-free, while 4 (11%) resumed opioids, and 11 (29%) were lost to follow-up. Median pain intensity remained stable after discharge. One patient died by suicide 10 days post-withdrawal.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This two-phase inpatient withdrawal and rehabilitation programme enabled most CNCP patients to discontinue opioids without increased pain intensity, with a majority remaining opioid-free at 3 months. These findings highlight the importance of ongoing psychological support and careful patient selection in OW management.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study introduces a structured inpatient opioid withdrawal model tailored for chronic non-cancer pain patients on high-dose opioid therapy, demonstrating that high cessation rates can be achieved without worsening pain intensity. By addressing the gap in care for patients who fail outpatient tapering, this research provides clinical insights into optimising withdrawal protocols and highlights the need for targeted resource allocation for intensive, multidisciplinary pain management. These findings support evidence-based decision-making in designing more effective opioid tapering strategies.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11926771/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143669504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Attachment in Young Adults With Chronic Pain: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Appraisals in the Relationship Between Attachment Security, Pain Coping and Functioning","authors":"Nicole Harte, Olivia Noon, Andreea Heriseanu, Blake F. Dear, Joanne Dudeney","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70008","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejp.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Attachment styles can influence how individuals perceive and cope with chronic pain. This study examined the relationships between attachment security, pain coping and functioning in young adults with chronic pain, focusing on the mediating role of cognitive appraisals.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This cross-sectional study included 206 young adults attending university aged 17–29 with chronic pain (<i>M</i>age = 19.24, <i>SD</i> = 2.03) and 346 without pain (<i>M</i>age = 19.11, <i>SD</i> = 1.79). Participants completed measures assessing pain characteristics, attachment security, pain coping strategies, physical and social functioning and cognitive appraisals relating to bodily and social threat bias and pain catastrophising. SPSS PROCESS macro was used to test mediational hypotheses.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Young adults with chronic pain had greater insecure attachment than controls (Mann–Whitney <i>U</i> = 41639.50, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Insecure attachment was significantly associated with poorer solution-focused coping and social functioning (<i>r</i> = −0.330 and − 0.355 respectively), and increased emotion-focused avoidance (<i>r</i> = 0.317). Social threat bias partially mediated the effects of attachment security on emotion-focused avoidance and social functioning. Pain catastrophising partially mediated the effects of attachment security on solution-focused coping and social functioning, and fully mediated its effects on emotion-focused avoidance. An indirect effect of attachment security on reframing and distraction was found via social threat and pain catastrophising.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Insecure attachment is heightened in young adults with chronic pain and may contribute to poorer pain coping and social functioning through cognitive appraisals, specifically social threat and pain catastrophising. These may be useful targets for intervention.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11926775/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143669451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}