A role for bradykinin signaling in chronic vulvar pain

Chronic vulvar pain is alarmingly common in women of reproductive age and is often accompanied by psychological distress, sexual dysfunction, and a significant reduction in quality of life. Localized provoked vulvodynia (LPV) is associated with intense vulvar pain concentrated in the vulvar vestibule (area surrounding vaginal opening). To date, the origins of vulvodynia are poorly understood, and treatment for LPV manages pain symptoms, but does not resolve the root causes of disease. Until recently, no definitive disease mechanisms had been identified; our work indicates LPV has inflammatory origins, although additional studies are needed to understand LPV pain.

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Single-stage Treatment of Osteomyelitis of the Cervical Spine Using Anterior Instrumentation and Titanium Mesh Cages

Study Design. A case series. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with osteomyelitis of the cervical spine who were treated with single-stage anterior debridement and fusion using titanium mesh cages along with anterior plates. Summary of Background Data. There have been few studies in single-stage surgical treatment of osteomyelitis of the cervical spine using titanium mesh cages along with anterior plates. Methods. Twenty-four patients treated for osteomyelitis of the cervical spine are presented. There were 11 male and 13 female with an average age of 53.3 years (42–63). Seventeen patients presented with a neurologic deficit at the time of diagnosis. Surgical treatment consisted of anterior debridement and fusion using titanium mesh cages along with anterior plates as a one-step procedure. The patients’ records and radiographs were retrospectively analyzed and follow-up clinical and radiographic data obtained. Results. The median follow-up period was 52 months. There were no implant failures. All patients showed a solid bony fusion without any recurrence of infection at latest follow-up. Changes in pain level, hematologic parameters, and neurologic status demonstrated a significant clinical improvement in all patients. Conclusion. This single-stage surgical treatment for osteomyelitis of the cervical spine provided satisfactory results. There is no increased risk of recurrence or persistence of infection related to the implantation of titanium mesh cages and instrumentation. Level of Evidence: 4

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Long-Term Course of Alternative and Integrative Therapy for Lumbar Disc Herniation and Risk Factors for Surgery: A Prospective Observational 5-Year Follow-Up Study

Study Design. Prospective observational 5-year study. Objective. To assess pain, functional disability, surgical status, and health care use of patients who actively selected complementary and alternative medicine treatment and risk factors for lumbar surgery. Summary of Background Data. Controversy continues regarding difference in long-term outcomes of conservative and surgical treatment. Methods. We recruited 150 consecutive lumbar disc herniation patients with radiating pain (numeric rating scale ≥5) from November, 2006 at a Korean medicine hospital outpatient department, of which 128 patients completed 6 months of complementary and alternative medicine treatment (herbal medicine, acupuncture, bee-venom pharmacopuncture, and Chuna manipulation). Follow-up data was collected every year for 5 years. Results. We assessed surgical status in 105 patients (82%), of which 8 replied that they had received surgery. Ninety-two patients (72%) attended the 5-year follow-up. Visual analog scale of back pain which was 4.19 ± 2.60 at baseline improved after treatment, decreasing to 0.94 ± 1.13 at 6 months, and was maintained at 1.25 ± 1.81 at 5 years. Visual analog scale of leg pain decreased from 7.50 ± 1.32 to 0.94 ± 1.29 and was sustained at 0.98 ± 1.73. Participants reported less disability with Oswestry Disability Index scores decreasing from 41.50 ± 15.07 at baseline to 11.24 ± 10.44 at 6 months, which then declined further to 7.61 ± 9.82 at 5 years. SF-36 quality-of-life health survey scores also improved, increasing from 33.41 ± 12.67 at baseline to 66.04 ± 15.77 at 6 months, and reaching 75.43 ± 15.79 at 5 years. In assessment of satisfaction with current state, 20% replied “highly satisfied,” 67% “satisfied,” 10% “fairly satisfied,” and 2% “dissatisfied.” Patients with younger age, previous treatment for current pain episode, and higher levels of sensory impairment and pain in the lower extremities were at higher risk of lumbar surgery. Conclusion. The long-term results of lumbar disc herniation patients receiving nonsurgical complementary and alternative medicine treatment were favorable and satisfaction rates were high. Level of Evidence: 2

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Motor Control Exercise for Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Cochrane Review

Study Design. A systematic review. Objective. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of motor control exercise (MCE) in patients with nonspecific low back pain (LBP). Summary of Background Data. MCE is a common form of exercise used for managing LBP. MCE focuses on the activation of the deep trunk muscles and targets the restoration of control and coordination of these muscles, progressing to more complex and functional tasks integrating the activation of deep and global trunk muscles. Methods. We conducted electronic searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, five other databases, and two trials registers from their inception up to April 2015. Two independent review authors screened the search results, assessed risk of bias, and extracted the data. A third reviewer resolved any disagreement. We included randomized controlled trials comparing MCE with no treatment, another treatment, or as a supplement to other interventions in patients with nonspecific LBP. Primary outcomes were pain intensity and disability. We assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Back and Neck (CBN) Review Group 12-item criteria. We combined results in a meta-analysis expressed as mean difference and 95% confidence interval. We assessed the overall quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. Results. We included 32 trials (n = 2628). Most included trials had a low risk of bias. For acute LBP, low to moderate quality evidence indicates no clinically important differences between MCE and spinal manipulative therapy or other forms of exercise. There is very low-quality evidence that the addition of MCE to medical management does not provide clinically important improvements. For recurrence at one year, there is very low-quality evidence that MCE and medical management decrease the risk of recurrence. For chronic LBP, there is low to moderate quality evidence that MCE is effective for reducing pain compared with minimal intervention. There is low to high-quality evidence that MCE is not clinically more effective than other exercises or manual therapy. There is very low to low quality evidence that MCE is clinically more effective than exercise and electrophysical agents (EPAs) or telerehabilitation for pain and disability. Conclusion. MCE is probably more effective than a minimal intervention for reducing pain, but probably does not have an important effect on disability, in patients with chronic LBP. There was no clinically important difference between MCE and other forms of exercises or manual therapy for acute and chronic LBP. Level of Evidence: 1

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How Effective is Physical Therapy for Common Low Back Pain Diagnoses?: A Multivariate Analysis of 4597 Patients

Study Design. A retrospective review. Objective. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the treatment of low back pain with physical therapy results in clinically significant improvements in patient-reported pain and functional outcomes. Summary of Background Data. Low back pain is a major cause of morbidity and disability in health care. Previous studies have found poor efficacy for surgery in the absence of specific indications. A variety of nonoperative treatments are available; however, there is scant evidence to guide the practitioner as to the efficacy of these treatments. Methods. Four thousand five hundred ninety-seven patients who underwent physical therapy for the nonoperative treatment of low back pain were included. The primary outcome measures were pre-and post-treatment scores on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) during activity, and NPRS during rest. Previously published thresholds for minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were used to determine the proportion of patients meeting MCID for each of our outcomes. Patients with starting values below the MCID for each variable were excluded from analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine patient risk factors predictive of treatment failure. Results. About 28.5% of patients met the MCID for improvement in ODI. Presence of night symptoms, obesity, and smoking were predictors of treatment failure for ODI. Fifty-nine percent of patients met the MCID for improvement in resting NPRS, with a history of venous thromboembolism, night symptoms, psychiatric disease, workers’ compensation status, smoking, and obesity predictive of treatment failure. Sixty percent of patients met the MCID for improvement in activity NPRS, with night symptoms, workers’ compensation status, and smoking predictive of treatment failure. Conclusion. We observed that a substantial percentage of the population did not meet MCID for pain and function following treatment of low back pain with physical therapy. Common risk factors for treatment failure included smoking and presence of night symptoms. Level of Evidence: 4

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Paracetamol is no more likely to exacerbate asthma in children than ibuprofen, shows study

Using paracetamol to treat fever or pain is no more likely than ibuprofen to exacerbate asthma in children with mild persistent asthma, a randomised trial has shown.1Observational data have...

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Intractable nausea and vomiting associated with poor glycaemic control in a patient with type 1 diabetes

A 54 year old woman with type 1 diabetes was referred to the diabetes clinic with a four year history of nausea, early satiety, abdominal pain, and intermittent vomiting. In recent months she had...

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