Scandinavian Journal of Pain最新文献

{"title":"To speak or not to speak? A secondary data analysis to further explore the context-insensitive avoidance scale.","authors":"Pernilla Abrahamsson, Katja Boersma, Monica Buhrman","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0039","DOIUrl":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Inflexibly relying on avoidance of expression may increase and perpetuate pain-related emotional distress in patients with chronic pain. The context-insensitive avoidance (CIA) scale was recently developed to measure the degree to which patients avoid expressing their pain and distress in social situations. This study explored the psychometric properties of the CIA scale in a new sample.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study uses baseline data from a treatment trial for <i>n</i> = 115 patients with chronic pain and co-occurring emotional distress. Reliability and construct and criteria validity were studied using the same instruments as in the original psychometric study and further explored in two new measures. A series of multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between the CIA scale and criteria variables compared to the other psychological constructs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The CIA scale showed good reliability. Significant correlations between high scores on the CIA scale and low scores on self-compassion and activity engagement could be replicated. Significant correlations between high scores on the CIA scale and high scores of pain intensity and pain interference could also be replicated. In the exploring part of this study, validity was extended to general problems with emotion regulation and to satisfaction with life in general and contact with friends but not to satisfaction with family, partner, or sexual life. Avoidance of expression was the only significant predictor of pain intensity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study could replicate acceptable psychometric properties of a scale measuring CIA of expression. As in the original study, avoidance of expression was associated with increased suffering. Clinically, this instrument may be used to identify patients who may otherwise remain in aggravating silence. Theoretically, it introduces the important concept of context sensitivity to the field of chronic pain. Limitations include uncertainty about causal relationships, and that several important social situations were not examined.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142570016","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":"Dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the Finnish version of the pain catastrophizing scale in chronic low back pain.","authors":"Jani Mikkonen, Ville Leinonen, Tuomas Lähdeoja, Riikka Holopainen, Kristian Ekström, Petteri Koho, Olavi Airaksinen, Juan V Luciano, Jaime Navarrete, Randy Neblett","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2024-0034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The 13-item pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) is the most commonly used measure of pain catastrophizing. A validated Finnish version of the PCS has previously been unavailable. The objectives were to translate the original English version of the PCS into Finnish (PCS-FI), then to evaluate (i) structural validity of the PCS-FI with a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (ii) internal reliability with Cronbach's alpha, Omega, and Omega hierarchical, (iii) convergent validity with measures of well-being, quality of life, sleep quality, symptoms of central sensitization, and anxiety, and (iv) known-groups validity between participants with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and pain-free controls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The translation process was performed with established guidelines. The PCS-FI was psychometrically validated using 92 participants with CLBP and 53 pain-free controls.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Structural validity with CFA supported a bifactor solution. However, low reliability was found for the three specific factors (<i>ω</i> _h ranging from 0.14 to 0.18) compared to the general factor (<i>ω</i> _h = 0.88) suggesting that only the total score should be used. Convergent validity analysis showed satisfactory correlations and medium effect sizes with the other patient-reported outcome measures. Participants with CLBP had significantly higher total PCS-FI scores than pain-free controls.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The PCS-FI appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing pain-related catastrophizing in Finnish-speaking populations. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Savo Hospital District, identification number 2131/2022, on the 31st of January 2022.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142570014","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":"Intrathecal pain treatment for severe pain in patients with terminal cancer: A retrospective analysis of treatment-related complications and side effects.","authors":"Linda Bengtsson, Sven-Egron Thörn, Lars-Erik Dyrehag, Olaf Gräbel, Paulin Andréll","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2024-0041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Two-thirds of patients with advanced cancer experience pain. Some of these patients have severe pain refractory to oral and parenteral medication, for whom intrathecal pain treatment could be an option. While intrathecal therapy is presently used with good results in clinical practice, the current evidence is limited. Hence, increased knowledge of intrathecal pain treatment is needed. This retrospective study aimed to assess complications and side effects related to intrathecal pain treatment in patients with terminal cancer.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective study on all patients who received intrathecal treatment with morphine and bupivacaine through externalized catheters for cancer-related pain at a single university hospital during a 5-year period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Treatment-related complications were reported in 24 out of 53 patients. The most common complications were catheter dislocation (13%), catheter occlusion (9%), falls due to bupivacaine-related numbness or weakness (9%), and reversible respiratory depression (8%). There were five serious complications, i.e., meningitis or neurological impairment, of which four were reversible. Side effects related to intrathecal drugs, or the implantation procedure were observed in 35 patients. The most common were bupivacaine-related numbness or weakness (57%) and reversible post-dural puncture headache (19%). Systemic opioid doses decreased during the first 3 weeks of intrathecal treatment, from a median daily dose of 681 to 319 oral morphine milligram equivalents. The median treatment duration time was 62 days.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Complications related to intrathecal treatment are common, but mostly minor and reversible. Side effects are predominantly related to unwanted pharmacological effects from intrathecal drugs. Intrathecal treatment enables the reduction of systemic opioid doses, which indicates a good treatment effect on pain. Hence, intrathecal therapy can be considered a safe pain-relieving treatment in patients with severe refractory cancer-related pain. Future research is warranted on patient acceptability and satisfaction of intrathecal pain treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142373173","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":"Psychometric evaluation of the Danish version of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in patients with subacute and chronic low back pain.","authors":"Mette Errebo, Martin Oxfeldt, Heidi Tegner, Jan Christensen","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2024-0032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) is a widely used patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess the level of pain self-efficacy in patients with low back pain (LBP). Although the PSEQ has been translated into Danish, its measurement properties remain unknown in patients with subacute and chronic LBP in Danish outpatient clinics. The aim of this study was to investigate the construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and measurement error of the Danish version of the PSEQ in a group of Danish patients with subacute and chronic LBP in a hospital outpatient setting.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with LBP referred to two Danish outpatient clinics were recruited for this study. Two days after the consultation, the participants were emailed a link to a survey that included the following outcome measures: the PSEQ, the Oswestry Disability Index, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia. Five days after completion of the survey, a new survey that included the PSEQ was sent to the participants.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 109 participants were included for the analysis of construct validity and internal consistency, with 94 participants included for the analysis of test-retest reliability and measurement error. Construct validity was found to be high and internal consistency was acceptable, with Cronbach's alpha = 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91-0.93). Test-retest reliability was found to be good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC_2.1) of 0.89 (95% CI = 0.82-0.92). The standard error of measurement was calculated to be 4.52 and the smallest detectable change was 12.5 points.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Danish version of the PSEQ showed acceptable measurement properties in terms of construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability in a group of patients with subacute and chronic LBP. However, further studies are needed to investigate other aspects of the measurement properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142373174","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 relationship between changes in pain intensity and functional disability in persistent disabling low back pain during a course of cognitive functional therapy.","authors":"Kasper Ussing, Anne Smith, Peter O'Sullivan","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2024-0040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Pain relief and reduced disability are both common treatment targets for persistent disabling low back pain (LBP). Cross-sectional studies show a moderate relationship between functional disability and pain intensity, but little is known about the relationship between changes in pain intensity and functional disability over multiple time points. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between changes in functional disability and pain intensity and whether changes occurred simultaneously or differentially during a course of cognitive functional therapy for people with persistent disabling LBP.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Self-reported measures of pain intensity and patient-specific functional disability were collected prior to each treatment session from 40 participants during a 12-week intervention period. Linear mixed modeling was used to assess simultaneous and lagged associations between pain intensity and functional disability over time. Sensitivity analysis using nonparametric subject-specific methods (simulation modeling analysis) was also performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-five participants had sufficient data for analysis. Using the linear mixed-model approach, there was evidence of a moderate and simultaneous association between pain intensity and functional disability over time (regression coefficient = 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.44-0.68, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Simulation modeling analysis supported weak to mostly strong associations and supported for simultaneous change in pain and disability for the majority of participants (22 of 35, 64%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Changes in pain intensity and functional disability were moderately related across the intervention. Visual inspection of graphs indicated a very close relationship in some individuals and a decoupling of pain intensity and functional disability in others. The changes in pain intensity and functional disability seem to occur simultaneously in most individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142373175","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":"Comparison of ultrasound-guided continuous erector spinae plane block versus continuous paravertebral block for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing proximal femur surgeries.","authors":"Aditya Mehrotra, Madhu Dayal, Sushmita Bairagi","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0028","DOIUrl":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Proximal femur fracture surgeries have become increasingly prevalent, presenting unique challenges for postoperative pain management due to patient demographics and comorbidities. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has emerged as a relatively safe alternative to paravertebral block (PVB). Our aim was to compare ultrasound-guided continuous ESPB with continuous PVB for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing proximal femur surgeries under spinal anesthesia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective randomized interventional study was conducted on 60 patients between 18 and 60 years of age undergoing proximal femur surgeries under spinal anesthesia with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II between January 2019 and April 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either ultrasound-guided continuous ESPB (Group E, <i>n</i> = 30) or ultrasound-guided continuous PVB (Group P, <i>n</i> = 30) using a computer-generated randomization table. The mean maximum visual analog scale (VAS) score, VAS score in the first 24 h, the time of rescue analgesia, and total requirement of rescue analgesia were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The maximum VAS score within the first 24 h was numerically higher in Group P but statistically insignificant (<i>p</i>-value 0.279). VAS scores at 0, 1, 2, 6, and 18 h postoperatively were comparable in both groups. However, at the 24-h mark, the VAS score between Group E and Group P was statistically significant (<i>p</i>-value 0.018) but not clinically relevant. The mean paracetamol and tramadol requirements were comparable between the two groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Continuous ESPB is as effective as continuous PVB for postoperative analgesia in proximal femur surgeries. The enhanced safety profile of erector spinae block underscores its significance in postoperative pain management.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298547","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":"ADHD-pain: Characteristics of chronic pain and association with muscular dysregulation in adults with ADHD.","authors":"Anne Beate Helseth Udal, Liv Larsen Stray, Torstein Stray, Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen, Are Hugo Pripp, Jens Egeland","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2024-0015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>A high incidence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been reported in chronic pain (ChP) patients. Furthermore, an association between ChP and muscular dysregulation has been reported in adults with ADHD. The present study investigated whether ADHD was more prevalent among psychiatric outpatients with ChP than those without ChP, and if there was an association between ChP, muscular dysregulation and characteristics of pain in patients with ADHD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>One-hundred and twenty-one individuals remitted to an outpatient psychiatry unit took part in this naturalistic epidemiological cross-sectional study. They were assessed with a pain self-report form (localization, intensity, and onset) and a test of muscle dysregulation (the Motor Function Neurological Assessment). Prevalence of ADHD among patients with ChP, as well as the qualitative characteristics of ChP within the ADHDgroup are reported. Both ChP and pain intensity correlated with muscular dysregulation through Spearman's rho analysis. Additionally, the relationship between various diagnostic categories (ADHD, affective disorders, anxiety, or personality disorders) and incidence of axial pain was evaluated in logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ADHD was significantly more prevalent in patients with ChP, than in patients without ChP. In the ADHD group, ChP and pain intensity was associated with muscular dysregulation, particularly with high muscle tone. ChP was more axial and widespread, than for the patients without ADHD, and started at an early age. ADHD diagnosis predicted axial pain, whereas affective-, anxiety-, or personality disorders did not.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study suggests that ChP in ADHD is associated with muscular dysregulation and is qualitatively different from ChP in psychiatric patients without ADHD. These findings may lead to further understanding of potential mechanisms involved in ADHD and ChP, and in turn to new treatment strategies for both disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298531","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":"Neck and shoulder pain and inflammatory biomarkers in plasma among forklift truck operators - A case-control study.","authors":"Bijar Ghafouri, Bo Rolander, Björn Gerdle, Charlotte Wåhlin","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2023-0142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2023-0142","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of this study was to investigate a panel of inflammatory biomarkers in plasma from forklift truck operators (FLTOs) and healthy controls, and their relation to neck pain characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From employees in a warehouse, 26 FLTOs were recruited and 24 healthy age- and sex-matched controls (CONs) were recruited via advertisement. The inclusion criterion for FLTOs was that they should operate reach decker and/or counterbalanced tilting mast forklift trucks. All participants were asked to answer a questionnaire covering demographic data, pain intensity numeric rating scale (NRS), anatomical spread, psychological distress, and health aspects. Pain sensitivity was measured using a pressure algometer. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for inflammatory proteins in plasma using a panel of 71 cytokines and chemokines. Multivariate data analysis including orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was performed to identify significant biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty percent of FLTOs reported NRS > 3 in the neck. Shoulder pain was common in 26% of the FLTOs. Pain and discomfort that most often prevented completion of activities were in the neck (20%), lower back (32%), and hips (27%). The FLTOs reported significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.04) higher levels of anxiety than the CON group and they had significantly lower pressure pain thresholds in the trapezius muscle on both right (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and left sides (<i>p</i> = 0.003). A significant OPLS-DA model could discriminate FLTOs from CON based on nine inflammatory proteins where the expression levels of four proteins were upregulated and five proteins were downregulated in FLTOs compared to CONs. Twenty-nine proteins correlated multivariately with pain intensity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The profile of self-reported health, pain intensity, sensitivity, and plasma biomarkers can discriminate FLTOs with pain from healthy subjects. A combination of both self-reported and objective biomarker measurements can be useful for better understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying work-related neck and shoulder pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142113407","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":"A positive scratch collapse test in anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome indicates its neuropathic character.","authors":"Monica L Y E Jacobs, Tom Ten Have, Lotte Schaap, Marc R M Scheltinga, Rudi M H Roumen","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2024-0026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2024-0026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Chronic abdominal pain is occasionally caused by an abdominal wall entity such as anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES). This syndrome is thought to occur due to intercostal nerve branches (T7-12) that are entrapped in the rectus abdominis muscles. The diagnosis is largely based on subjective clues in patient history and physical examination. A test referred to as the scratch collapse test (SCT) is used as an additional diagnostic tool in peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes such as the carpal tunnel syndrome. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether an SCT was positive in patients with suspected ACNES. If so, this finding may support its hypothesized neuropathic character.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective, case-control study was performed among patients with ACNES (<i>n</i> = 20) and two control groups without ACNES (acute intra-abdominal pathology <i>n</i> = 20; healthy <i>n</i> = 20), all were consecutively included. ACNES was diagnosed based on previously published criteria. The SCT test was executed at the painful abdominal area in both patient groups and at a corresponding area in healthy controls. Predictive values, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. Videos of tests were evaluated by blinded observers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SCT was judged positive in 19 of 20 ACNES patients but not in any of the 40 controls. A 95% sensitivity (confidence interval [CI]: 75-99) and optimal specificity (100%; CI: 83-100) were calculated.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The positive SCT supports the hypothesis that ACNES is an entrapment neuropathy. A positive SCT should be considered a major diagnostic criterion for ACNES.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142113406","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":"Real-world evidence evaluation on consumer experience and prescription journey of diclofenac gel in Sweden.","authors":"Deepika Nair, Jan-Rickard Norrefalk, Emese Csoke, Teresa K Wilcox, Gilbert Shanga","doi":"10.1515/sjpain-2023-0147","DOIUrl":"10.1515/sjpain-2023-0147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of this study was to understand profiles of topical Voltaren gel diclofenac (VGD) 2.32 and 1.16% consumers through analyzing prescription patterns and to characterize treatment satisfaction, functional impairment, and pain relief after over-the-counter (OTC) VGD use in Sweden under real-world conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This observational, real-world study conducted in Sweden had retrospective and prospective segments. The retrospective secondary data segment utilized 12-month diclofenac gel prescription data from the Swedish eHealth Agency (E-hälsomyndigheten). The prospective segment included electronic surveys completed at baseline and weeks 4 and 12 by adult consumers who purchased OTC VGD to treat their pain.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Secondary data analyses (<i>n</i> = 12,145) showed that 56.7% of patients receiving diclofenac gel were females ≥70 years old. Most patients did not switch pain treatments; the mean time between diclofenac gel refills was about 2.5 months. From the surveys (<i>n</i> = 264), VGD provided pain relief, indicated by improvement in 11-point pain numeric rating scale scores. Average pain severity at baseline was 5.8 - improving by a mean of 1.3 and 1.9 points at weeks 4 and 12, respectively. The majority of consumers reported improvement in daily functioning (i.e., health-related quality of life [HRQoL]), and most were at least somewhat satisfied with VGD treatment results.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This real-world study provides important insights into the prescription patterns of diclofenac gel and the consumer experience with OTC VGD in Sweden. Patients rarely switched to other topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and VGD consumers reported pain relief and improved HRQoL compared to baseline - resulting in treatment satisfaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":47407,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Pain","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142037342","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}