{"title":"A Utilization Review of Patients That Respond to Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for Chronic Pain at a Single Institution.","authors":"Joshua Pogue, Diane Johnson, Andrew Burch","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2358941","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2358941","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studies have demonstrated the benefits of LDN for various pain indications. This review describes the utilization of and response to LDN in patients with chronic pain within the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital (Madison VA). This was a retrospective, single center, chart review of patients that were prescribed LDN for chronic pain. The primary outcome, change in subjective pain report via numeric rating scale (NRS), was analyzed through Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and descriptive statistics. A total of 136 participants were included. Patients had an average pain score of 7.1 per NRS at baseline. At the initial follow up visit, participants had an average pain of 6.4 (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Additionally, 17.1% of patients had a greater than or equal to 30% pain reduction from baseline. At subsequent follow up, patients reported an average pain of 5.5 (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) per NRS. At the end of the study, 31.6% of patients were maintained on LDN at an average dose of 3.8 mg. This retrospective review demonstrated that LDN may be an effective modality for some chronic pain indications. Reported pain scores were significantly lower at initial follow up compared to baseline for the total population, and for patients with fibromyalgia (FM) specifically.</p>","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"406-413"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141248127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Krzysztof Wilczyński, Adam Mazurski, Kornela Kotucha
{"title":"Antidepressant Efficacy in Managing Nonspecific Chronic Lower Back Pain Among Older Adults: A Review.","authors":"Krzysztof Wilczyński, Adam Mazurski, Kornela Kotucha","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2384961","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2384961","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This review evaluates the use of antidepressants in older patients for the treatment of nonspecific chronic lower back pain (LBP), emphasizing age-related physiological changes and common degenerative conditions in this age group. We conducted a comprehensive search targeting studies on antidepressant use in older patients with LBP. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, while effective for mood regulation, show limited benefits for LBP. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, particularly duloxetine, demonstrate potential in managing LBP, though further research is needed to confirm these findings. Tricyclic antidepressants have shown potential for pain relief, with limited evidence for LBP, but have a substantial side effect profile, including cardiotoxicity, weight gain, and severe anticholinergic effects. The evidence for trazodone in the treatment of LBP is limited. When prescribing new medications for older adults, it is crucial to carefully consider the patient's overall health, potential drug interactions, and sensitivity to side effects, ensuring that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks. This review underscores the need for further research to understand the long-term effects and benefits of antidepressants in older patients with LBP, aiming to balance pain relief, mood stabilization, and minimized side effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"379-393"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141971317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effectiveness and Safety of Sublingual Fentanyl in the Treatment of Breakthrough Cancer Pain in Older Patients with Cancer: Results from a Retrospective Observational Study.","authors":"Jordi Guitart-Vela, Ángela Magrone, Gloria González, Jordi Folch","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2385680","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2385680","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study assessed sublingual fentanyl citrate (SFC) effectiveness and safety for breakthrough cancer pain (BtCP) in older patients. A multicenter, retrospective, observational study was conducted in three subgroups of cancer patients aged over 65 years with BtCP. The reports were collected by 20 oncologists across 12 hospitals. The primary goal was to measure changes in BtCP intensity with SFC treatment over 30 days; secondary objectives included pain relief onset and adverse events. A total of 127 patients with long-term cancer (mean: 3.3 years) were recruited. All of them had BtCP, mostly of mixed origin (62.5%). A significantly lower dose was needed in the high-age group at the final visit compared to baseline (212.90 ± 200.45 mcg vs. 206 ± 167.08 mcg; <i>p</i> = 0.000). Pain intensities at the beginning of the flare and at 30 min after SFC administration were significantly lower when the last and first visits were compared (1.9 vs. 2.3, <i>p</i> = 0.000; and 6.2 vs. 6.8 <i>p</i> = 0.006, respectively). The onset of analgesia was significantly more rapid for half of the patients ≥75 years, compared with 65-69 and 70-74 age groups. SFC appears then to be effective, well-tolerated, and safe to treat BtCP in older cancer patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"355-366"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141902091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"2024: Putting the <i>Our</i> in Journal.","authors":"Laura Meyer-Junco","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2453775","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15360288.2024.2453775","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":"38 4","pages":"319-321"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143623493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Memory with the Malady.","authors":"Dalmacito Cordero","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2393843","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2393843","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"324"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142086124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Integrating Non-Pharmacological and Complementary Therapies into the Pharmacotherapist's Toolkit.","authors":"Laura Meyer-Junco, Marina Buksov, Paige Mathew","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2413794","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15360288.2024.2413794","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":"38 3","pages":"187-190"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142770028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: Reasons for Conflicting Evidence Regarding Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP).","authors":"Myron Nicholas Senchyshak","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2406284","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2406284","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"204-205"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142502371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Role of Health Coaching in Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Practice.","authors":"Lee A Kral","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2023.2268039","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2023.2268039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Whole-person care is essential in the management of patients with chronic pain and serious illness. Pain, suffering, and comfort do not fall under typical chronic disease management and cannot be boxed nicely into algorithms of evidence-focused, biomarker-based goal achievement like hypertension or diabetes. Current therapies, including surgical, interventional, and analgesic modalities may be only marginally effective, and have brought with them questionable practices, high cost, and an opioid epidemic. Patient-focused goals are gaining favor, and exploration of methods to enhance this approach include health coaching. In the setting of pain management, this would include pain coaching. This commentary will highlight the role of health coaching in the setting of chronic disease and pain management, and the pharmacists' qualifications and potential contributions to health and pain coaching.</p>","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"281-286"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49678570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pain Neuroscience Education: Teaching People About Pain.","authors":"Adriaan Louw, Veronica Riera-Gilley","doi":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2424853","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15360288.2024.2424853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic pain is an ever-increasing global challenge, and few strategies have been shown to significantly alter this trajectory, and a pure pharmaceutical approach, especially opioids, is not the answer. To truly impact a person with chronic pain's life, current best-evidence supports changing their cognitions (how they think about their pain), moving more, and calming the peripheral and central nervous system, including non-pharmacological strategies. All healthcare providers, however, must use a unified strategy regardless of their professional designation, skillset, and clinical setting. One variable that spans all patient interactions is communication. All healthcare providers talk to patients, be it during informal, casual conversation or during specific medical education tied to diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, reassurance, and more. Current evidence supports teaching patients more about their pain experience, called pain neuroscience education (PNE), which has significant clinical benefits. Any provider may offer PNE, from physicians, pharmacists, therapists, psychologists, nurses, etc. Pain neuroscience education is shown to positively influence self-reported pain, disability, fear-avoidance, pain catastrophizing, movement, and healthcare utilization in patients with chronic pain. This commentary aims to introduce all healthcare providers to PNE, and how, along with non-pharmacological treatments (PNE+) have the ability to positively impact people's lives living with chronic pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":16645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"292-301"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142622382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}