Current Waveforms in Spinal Cord Stimulation and Their Impact on the Future of Neuromodulation: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Neuromodulation is a standard and well-accepted treatment for chronic refractory neuropathic pain. There has been progressive innovation in the field over the last decade, particularly in areas of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and dorsal root ganglion stimulation. Improved outcomes using proprietary waveforms have become customary in the field, leading to an unprecedented expansion of these products and a plethora of options for the management of pain. Although advances in waveform technology have improved our fundamental understanding of neuromodulation, a scoping review describing new energy platforms and their associated clinical effects and outcomes is needed. The authors submit that understanding electrophysiological neuromodulation may be important for clinical decision-making and programming selection for personalized patient care. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to characterize ways differences in mechanism of action and clinical outcomes of current spinal neuromodulation products may affect contemporary clinical decision-making while outlining a possible path for the future SCS. STUDY DESIGN: The study is a scoping review of the literature about newer generation SCS waveforms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature report was performed on PubMed and chapters to include articles on spine neuromodulation mechanism of action and efficacy. RESULTS: A total of 8469 studies were identified, 75 of which were included for the scoping review after keywords defining recent waveform technology were added. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical data suggest that neuromodulation remains a promising tool in the treatment of chronic pain. The evidence for SCS for treating chronic pain seems compelling; however, more long-term and comparative data are needed for a comparison of waveforms when it comes to the etiology of pain. In addition, an exploration into combination waveform therapy and waveform cycling may be paramount for future clinical studies and the development of new technologies.

The current state of training in pain medicine fellowships: An Association of Pain Program Directors (APPD) survey of program directors.

INTRODUCTION: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved the first pain medicine fellowship programs over three decades ago, designed around a pharmacological philosophy. Following that, there has been a rise in the transition of pain medicine education toward a multidisciplinary interventional model based on a tremendous surge of contemporaneous literature in these areas. This trend has created variability in clinical experience and education amongst accredited pain medicine programs with minimal literature evaluating the differences and commonalities in education and experience of different pain medicine fellowships through Program Director (PD) experiences. This study aims to gather insight from pain medicine fellowship program directors across the country to assess clinical and interventional training, providing valuable perspectives on the future of pain medicine education. METHODS: This study involved 56 PDs of ACGME-accredited pain fellowship programs in the United States. The recruitment process included three phases: advanced notification, invitation, and follow-up to maximize response rate. Participants completed a standard online questionnaire, covering various topics such as subcategory fields, online platforms for supplemental education, clinical experience, postgraduate practice success, and training adequacy. RESULTS: Surveys were completed by 39/56 (69%) standing members of the Association of Pain Program Directors (APPD). All PDs allowed fellows to participate in industry-related and professional society-related procedural workshops, with 59% encouraging these workshops. PDs emphasized the importance of integrity, professionalism, and diligence for long-term success. Fifty-four percent of PDs expressed the need for extension of fellowship training to avoid supplemental education by industry or pain/spine societies. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the challenge of providing adequate training in all Pain Medicine subtopics within a 12-month pain medicine fellowship. PDs suggest the need for additional training for fellows and discuss the importance of curriculum standardization.

Breast sensorisexual function: a novel patient-reported outcome measure of sexual sensory functions of the breast.

BACKGROUND: A validated measure assessing sexual sensory functions of the breast is needed to optimize sexual and other health outcomes after breast procedures. AIM: To describe the development of a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) to assess breast sensorisexual function (BSF). METHODS: We applied the PROMIS standards (Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) for measure development and evaluation of validity. An initial conceptual model of BSF was developed with patients and experts. A literature review yielded a pool of 117 candidate items that underwent cognitive testing and iteration. Forty-eight items were administered to an ethnically diverse, national panel-based sample of sexually active women with breast cancer (n = 350) or without (n = 300). Psychometric analyses were performed. OUTCOMES: The main outcome was BSF, a measure that assesses affective (satisfaction, pleasure, importance, pain, discomfort) and functional (touch, pressure, thermoreception, nipple erection) sensorisexual domains. RESULTS: A bifactor model fit to 6 domains-excluding 2 domains with only 2 items each and 2 pain-related domains-revealed a single general factor representing BSF that may be adequately measured by the average of the items. This factor, with higher values denoting better function and with the standard deviation set to 1, was highest among women without breast cancer (mean, 0.24), intermediate among women with breast cancer but not bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction (-0.01), and lowest among those with bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction (-0.56). Between women with and without breast cancer, the BSF general factor accounted for 40%, 49%, and 100% of the difference in arousal, ability to orgasm, and sexual satisfaction, respectively. Items in each of 8 domains demonstrated unidimensionality (ie, they measured 1 underlying BSF trait) and high Cronbach's alphas for the entire sample (0.77-0.93) and the cancer group (0.71-0.95). Correlations with sexual function, health, and quality of life were positive for the BSF general factor and mostly negative for the pain domains. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The BSF PROM can be used to assess the impact of breast surgery or other procedures on the sexual sensory functions of the breast in women with and without breast cancer. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The BSF PROM was developed by using evidence-based standards, and it applies to sexually active women with and without breast cancer. Generalizability to sexually inactive women and other women warrants further study. CONCLUSION: The BSF PROM is a measure of women's breast sensorisexual function with evidence of validity among women affected and unaffected by breast cancer.

Quantifying Change in Perfusion after Genicular Artery Embolization with Parametric Analysis of Intraprocedural Digital Subtraction Angiograms.

PURPOSE: To quantify perfusion changes during genicular artery embolization (GAE) with the qualitatively described "pruning" technique using parametric analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 patients underwent unilateral GAE with a total of 36 vessels embolized. Among 34 of the 36 vessels embolized, regions of interest (ROIs) were placed on parent vessels (PVs) and hyperemic target vessels (TVs) before and after GAE. For each ROI, peak intensity (PI), time to arrival (TTA), and area under the curve (AUC) were computed and compared between PV and TV. Volume of embolic administered was correlated with adverse events. RESULTS: No change was seen in PI, TTA, and AUC in the PV after GAE. Reduction in AUC (1,495.7 ± 521.5 vs 1,667.4 ± 574.0; P << .01) and PI (195.1 ± 43.8 vs 224.3 ± 49.2; P << .01) with increase in TTA (3.42 s ± 1.70 vs 1.92 s ± 1.45; P << .01) within the TV were observed after GAE. Median follow-up time was 89 days (range, 21-254 days). Reduction in clinical symptoms was also noted based on the Western-Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index total and pain scale at 1 month (total, 42.9% ± 23.0; pain, 54.4% ± 9.8; P << .01) and 3 months (total, 42.5% ± 14.9; pain, 57.8% ± 10.6; P << .01). Eight total mild adverse events (minor/self-limiting) were noted per Society of Interventional Radiology guidelines. A larger volume of embolic was observed in knees with skin changes (3.4 mL ± 0.4 vs 1.7 mL ± 0.4; P << .001). Furthermore, all skin changes were seen with embolic volumes >3.0 mL. CONCLUSIONS: Quantification of intraprocedural perfusion changes with GAE demonstrated reduced flow to the TV with maintained flow in the PV and acceptable clinical outcomes. A potential relationship between embolic volume and nontarget embolization was also highlighted.

Pain Influences Neuropsychological Performance Following Electrical Injury: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Electrical injury (EI) is a significant, multifaceted trauma often with multi-domain cognitive sequelae, even when the expected current path does not pass through the brain. Chronic pain (CP) research suggests pain may affect cognition directly and indirectly by influencing emotional distress which then impacts cognitive functioning. As chronic pain may be critical to understanding EI-related cognitive difficulties, the aims of the current study were: examine the direct and indirect effects of pain on cognition following EI and compare the relationship between pain and cognition in EI and CP populations. METHOD: This cross-sectional study used data from a clinical sample of 50 patients with EI (84.0% male; Mage = 43.7 years) administered standardized measures of pain (Pain Patient Profile), depression, and neurocognitive functioning. A CP comparison sample of 93 patients was also included. RESULTS: Higher pain levels were associated with poorer attention/processing speed and executive functioning performance among patients with EI. Depression was significantly correlated with pain and mediated the relationship between pain and attention/processing speed in patients with EI. When comparing the patients with EI and CP, the relationship between pain and cognition was similar for both clinical groups. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that pain impacts mood and cognition in patients with EI, and the influence of pain and its effect on cognition should be considered in the assessment and treatment of patients who have experienced an electrical injury.

Holistic Treatment Response: An International Expert Panel Definition and Criteria for a New Paradigm in the Assessment of Clinical Outcomes of Spinal Cord Stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Treatment response to spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is focused on the magnitude of effects on pain intensity. However, chronic pain is a multidimensional condition that may affect individuals in different ways and as such it seems reductionist to evaluate treatment response based solely on a unidimensional measure such as pain intensity. AIM: The aim of this article is to add to a framework started by IMMPACT for assessing the wider health impact of treatment with SCS for people with chronic pain, a "holistic treatment response". DISCUSSION: Several aspects need consideration in the assessment of a holistic treatment response. SCS device data and how it relates to patient outcomes, is essential to improve the understanding of the different types of SCS, improve patient selection, long-term clinical outcomes, and reproducibility of findings. The outcomes to include in the evaluation of a holistic treatment response need to consider clinical relevance for patients and clinicians. Assessment of the holistic response combines two key concepts of patient assessment: (1) patients level of baseline (pre-treatment) unmet need across a range of health domains; (2) demonstration of patient-relevant improvements in these health domains with treatment. The minimal clinical important difference (MCID) is an established approach to reflect changes after a clinical intervention that are meaningful for the patient and can be used to identify treatment response to each individual domain. A holistic treatment response needs to account for MCIDs in all domains of importance for which the patient presents dysfunctional scores pre-treatment. The number of domains included in a holistic treatment response may vary and should be considered on an individual basis. Physiologic confirmation of therapy delivery and utilisation should be included as part of the evaluation of a holistic treatment response and is essential to advance the field of SCS and increase transparency and reproducibility of the findings.

Anesthesia providers as stakeholders to adoption of pharmacogenomic information in perioperative care.

OBJECTIVES: Integration of pharmacogenomics into clinical care is being studied in multiple disciplines. We hypothesized that understanding attitudes and perceptions of anesthesiologists, critical care and pain medicine providers would uncover unique considerations for future implementation within perioperative care. METHODS: A survey (multiple choice and Likert-scale) was administered to providers within our Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care prior to initiation of a department-wide prospective pharmacogenomics implementation program. The survey addressed knowledge, perceptions, experiences, resources and barriers. RESULTS: Of 153 providers contacted, 149 (97%) completed the survey. Almost all providers (92%) said that genetic results influence drug therapy, and few (22%) were skeptical about the usefulness of pharmacogenomics. Despite this enthusiasm, 87% said their awareness about pharmacogenomic information is lacking. Feeling well-informed about pharmacogenomics was directly related to years in practice/experience: only 38% of trainees reported being well-informed, compared to 46% of those with 1-10 years of experience, and nearly two-thirds with 11+ years (P < 0.05). Regarding barriers, providers reported uncertainty about availability of testing, turnaround time and whether testing is worth financial costs. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiology, critical care and pain medicine providers are optimistic about the potential clinical utility of pharmacogenomics, but are uncertain about practical aspects of testing and desire clear guidelines on the use of results. These findings may inform future institutional efforts toward greater integration of genomic results to improve medication-related outcomes.

Pilot Findings of Pharmacogenomics in Perioperative Care: Initial Results From the First Phase of the ImPreSS Trial.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacogenomics, which offers a potential means by which to inform prescribing and avoid adverse drug reactions, has gained increasing consideration in other medical settings but has not been broadly evaluated during perioperative care. METHODS: The Implementation of Pharmacogenomic Decision Support in Surgery (ImPreSS) Trial is a prospective, single-center study consisting of a prerandomization pilot and a subsequent randomized phase. We describe findings from the pilot period. Patients planning elective surgeries were genotyped with pharmacogenomic results, and decision support was made available to anesthesia providers in advance of surgery. Pharmacogenomic result access and prescribing records were analyzed. Surveys (Likert-scale) were administered to providers to understand utilization barriers. RESULTS: Of eligible anesthesiology providers, 166 of 211 (79%) enrolled. A total of 71 patients underwent genotyping and surgery (median, 62 years; 55% female; average American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, 2.6; 58 inpatients and 13 ambulatories). No patients required postoperative intensive care or pain consultations. At least 1 provider accessed pharmacogenomic results before or during 41 of 71 surgeries (58%). Faculty were more likely to access results (78%) compared to house staff (41%; P = .003) and midlevel practitioners (15%) ( P < .0001). Notably, all administered intraoperative medications had favorable genomic results with the exception of succinylcholine administration to 1 patient with genomically increased risk for prolonged apnea (without adverse outcome). Considering composite prescribing in preoperative, recovery, throughout hospitalization, and at discharge, each patient was prescribed a median of 35 (range 15-83) total medications, 7 (range 1-22) of which had annotated pharmacogenomic results. Of 2371 prescribing events, 5 genomically high-risk medications were administered (all tramadol or omeprazole; with 2 of 5 pharmacogenomic results accessed), and 100 genomically cautionary mediations were administered (hydralazine, oxycodone, and pantoprazole; 61% rate of accessing results). Providers reported that although results were generally easy to access and understand, the most common reason for not considering results was because remembering to access pharmacogenomic information was not yet a part of their normal clinical workflow. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot data for result access rates suggest interest in pharmacogenomics by anesthesia providers, even if opportunities to alter prescribing in response to high-risk genotypes were infrequent. This pilot phase has also uncovered unique considerations for implementing pharmacogenomic information in the perioperative care setting, and new strategies including adding the involvement of surgery teams, targeting patients likely to need intensive care and dedicated pain care, and embedding pharmacists within rounding models will be incorporated in the follow-on randomized phase to increase engagement and likelihood of affecting prescribing decisions and clinical outcomes.

Ultra-Low Energy Cycled Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation Yields Robust Outcomes in Pain, Function, and Affective Domains: A Subanalysis From Two Prospective, Multicenter, International Clinical Trials.

INTRODUCTION: DeRidder's burst stimulation design has become a key spinal cord stimulation (SCS) waveform because it reduces the intensity of pain as well as its associated emotional distress. The brain pathways underlying these outcomes may also allow for the effects of stimulation to carry over after stimulation is turned off, making it amenable to intermittent application. Here, the utility of intermittently cycled burst was evaluated using data from two large real-world prospective studies (TRIUMPH, REALITY). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects used intermittent dosing in a 1:3 ratio (30 sec on, 90 sec off; N = 100) in TRIUMPH and 1:12 ratio in REALITY (30-sec on, 360-sec off; N = 95) for six months. Pain intensity (0-10 numeric rating scale), pain-related emotions on the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), and physical function on PROMIS questionnaires were compared with preimplant baseline ratings and by group. RESULTS: In both groups, mean pain intensity decreased by nearly 50% relative to baseline, PCS scores significantly decreased, and physical function improved. Importantly, no differences between the 1:3 and 1:12 groups were identified. A high proportion, 80% and 77% of the 1:3 and 1:12 groups, respectively, were considered responders on a multiple measures. No adverse events were associated with intermittent stimulation. DISCUSSION: Intermittent cycling of burst SCS lowers the overall electric charge delivered to the spinal cord and preserves battery consumption, without compromising pain relief and associated symptoms.

Appraisal and development of evidence-based clinical decision support to enable perioperative pharmacogenomic application.

Variable responses to medications complicates perioperative care. As a potential solution, we evaluated and synthesized pharmacogenomic evidence that may inform anesthesia and pain prescribing to identify clinically actionable drug/gene pairs. Clinical decision-support (CDS) summaries were developed and were evaluated using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II. We found that 93/180 (51%) of commonly-used perioperative medications had some published pharmacogenomic information, with 18 having actionable evidence: celecoxib/diclofenac/flurbiprofen/ibuprofen/piroxicam/CYP2C9, codeine/oxycodone/tramadol CYP2D6, desflurane/enflurane/halothane/isoflurane/sevoflurane/succinylcholine/RYR1/CACNA1S, diazepam/CYP2C19, phenytoin/CYP2C9, succinylcholine/mivacurium/BCHE, and morphine/OPRM1. Novel CDS summaries were developed for these 18 medications. AGREE II mean ± standard deviation scores were high for Scope and Purpose (95.0 ± 2.8), Rigor of Development (93.2 ± 2.8), Clarity of Presentation (87.3 ± 3.0), and Applicability (86.5 ± 3.7) (maximum score = 100). Overall mean guideline quality score was 6.7 ± 0.2 (maximum score = 7). All summaries were recommended for clinical implementation. A critical mass of pharmacogenomic evidence exists for select medications commonly used in the perioperative setting, warranting prospective examination for clinical utility.

The Use of Contrast Agents in Interventional Pain Procedures: A Multispecialty and Multisociety Practice Advisory on Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, Gadolinium Deposition in the Brain, Encephalopathy After Unintentional Intrathecal Gadolinium Injection, and Hypersensitivity Reactions.

This Practice Advisory presents a comprehensive and evidence-based set of position statements and recommendations for the use of contrast media in interventional pain procedures. The advisory was established by an international panel of experts under the auspices of 11 multinational and multispecialty organizations based on a comprehensive review of the literature up to December 31, 2019. The advisory discusses the risks of using gadolinium-based contrast agents. These include nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, gadolinium brain deposition/retention, and encephalopathy and death after an unintentional intrathecal gadolinium injection. The advisory provides recommendations on the selection of a specific gadolinium-based contrast agent in patients with renal insufficiency, those who had multiple gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging examinations, and in cases of paraspinal injections. Additionally, recommendations are made for patients who have a history of mild, moderate, or severe hypersensitivity reactions to contrast medium.

Maintaining High-Quality Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship Programs: Part I: Innovations in Pain Fellows' Education, Research, Applicant Selection Process, Wellness, and ACGME Implementation During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Pain fellowship programs are facing unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions from state governments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have resulted in a rapidly changing and evolving learning environment for todays' fellows. Innovative solutions must be sought to guarantee that proper education is maintained and to ensure the well-being of our trainees. METHODS: We assembled a panel of pain program directors who serve as officers/board members of the Association of Pain Program Directors to provide guidance and formulate recommendations to pain fellowship directors nationally. This guidance is based on reviewing current changes to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Anesthesiology policies and best available evidence and expert opinion on the use of remote educational activities, research endeavors, and trainee wellness. CONCLUSIONS: The country is in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic. The impact on pain management fellowships has been severe and will likely last for months, resulting in extraordinary challenges to the administration of pain fellowship programs and the education of our fellows. Understanding revisions to ACGME policies, using technology to promote remote learning opportunities, and providing trainees with opportunities to alleviate their anxiety and encourage mental health are beneficial strategies to implement. Together, we can implement innovative solutions to help overcome these challenges.

Maintaining High-Quality Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship Programs: Part II: Innovations in Clinical Care Workflow, Clinical Supervision, Job Satisfaction, and Postgraduation Mentorship for Pain Fellows During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Pain fellowship programs are facing unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions by state governments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have resulted in a rapidly changing and evolving learning environment for today's fellows. Innovative solutions must be sought to maintain proper education and ensure the well-being of our trainees. METHODS: We assembled a panel of pain program directors who serve as officers/board members of the Association of Pain Program Directors, offering guidance and recommendations to pain fellowship directors nationwide. Panel members evaluate the best available evidence and expert opinion on use of remote and virtual platforms in clinical care, adaptability to alterations in clinic and referral management, and provide guidance on postgraduate impact. CONCLUSIONS: The country is in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic. The impact on pain management fellowships has been significant and will likely last for months, resulting in extraordinary challenges to the administration of pain fellowship programs and the education of our fellows. Several strategies will help address these challenges, including employing telehealth capabilities to continue clinical experiences and providing trainees with opportunities to continue their professional growth beyond fellowship completion. Together, we can implement innovative solutions to overcome these challenges.

Comparison of post-operative pain scores and opioid use between kyphoplasty and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) systems combined with cement augmentation.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective chart review study aims to compare demographic information, post-operative pain scores, and opioid use following treatment with kyphoplasty alone, OsteoCool™ (Medtronic) system, and SpineSTAR ® (Merit Medicine). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following institutional review board approval, retrospective chart review of 64 patients was examined between January 2011 and December 2017. Inclusion criteria for this study comprised patients greater than 18 years old having metastatic vertebral compression fracture involving the thoracolumbar spine. Exclusion criteria consisted of non-pathologic osteoporotic compression fractures, metastasis in cervical spine, or previous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment. Age at intervention, gender, previous treatment, and nursing recorded VAS score from 0 to 10, with zero representing no pain and 10 representing worst pain were compared. Pain scores documented immediately pre- and post-operatively, as well as 7-14 days post-operatively were targeted for analysis. Post-procedure opioid intake during the first month following surgery was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients were included in this retrospective analysis. The demographic characteristics between the treatment arms were similar. Difference of square means analysis showed no statistical difference in pain scores at each time interval between the two RFA systems, or was there a statistical difference in pain scores when each RFA system was compared independently to kyphoplasty alone. Chi-squared analysis showed no statistical difference in opioid use between the treatment arms 1 month post-operatively. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates post-operative pain scores between the two novel RFA systems and kyphoplasty alone. Each system results in improved pain scores post-operatively; however, no additional benefit was seen from the addition of RFA.

The patient with substance use disorder.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to describe the anesthesiologist's perioperative challenges when caring for the patient with substance use disorder and, in particular, opioid use disorder. RECENT FINDINGS: With the introduction of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, psychiatric literature recently changed the criteria for defining substance use disorder. In patients with known opioid use disorder, who are undergoing elective surgery and also on maintenance therapy, use of multimodal analgesia is essential to treat postoperative pain. SUMMARY: Patients with substance use disorders and, in particular, those addicted to opioids, present a challenge to the anesthesiologist. Whether the diagnosis of substance use disorder is known or unknown and whether on maintenance therapy, in withdrawal, or remission, patients with this condition represent a special surgical population whose perioperative care can influence their postoperative and disease course for many years.

The impact of psychiatric comorbidities on patient-reported surgical outcomes in adults treated for the median arcuate ligament syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is an often overlooked, surgically correctable condition that mimics functional chronic abdominal pain. Patient-reported surgical outcomes are unpredictable in MALS. The objective of this study was to define the psychiatric comorbidities in a cohort of adults undergoing surgery for MALS and to determine whether these comorbidities are predictive of patient-reported quality of life (QOL) outcomes. METHODS: A prospective observational trial was conducted between April 1, 2010, and December 31, 2015, at a single tertiary care hospital. Adults with a diagnosis of chronic abdominal pain in the setting of celiac artery compression were enrolled in a prospective Institutional Review Board-approved observational trial. Patients completed psychological assessments before surgery for MALS and at 6 months after surgery. The primary outcome was patient-reported health-related QOL (young adult version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory). RESULTS: A total of 51 patients (80% female; n = 41) with a mean age of 30.5 (±12.4) years were enrolled. Surgery significantly improved celiac artery hemodynamics in the entire cohort (P < .0001) as well as overall QOL (67.8 ± 14.6 [before surgery] vs 80.3 ± 13.7 [after surgery]; P < .001). Psychiatric diagnoses were common in this cohort, with 14 of 51 (28%) patients meeting criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis. There were no differences in the number of patients with psychiatric diagnoses between presurgical and postsurgical evaluations (14 [28%] vs 13 [26%]; P = .8). Exploratory analyses suggest that having a psychiatric diagnosis at the presurgical evaluation may predict significantly lower postsurgical QOL (R2 = 0.009; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery improves patient-reported QOL in adults treated for MALS. Psychiatric diagnoses are common in adults with MALS and predict worse patient-reported QOL outcomes.

The Role of Health Locus of Control in Evaluating Depression and Other Comorbidities in Patients with Chronic Pain Conditions, A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic pain is significantly influenced by behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors. Few studies have investigated the health locus of control (HLC)-one's belief regarding where control over one's health lies-as it relates to patients with chronic pain. The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between depression and health/pain locus of control (HLC) in adult patients with persistent pain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A series of questionnaires was administered to chronic pain patients, and these questionnaires were scored and analyzed. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on health locus of control (internal, chance, powerful-others), which were examined with respect to their depression scores using analysis of variance. RESULTS: A total of 131 patients completed the study: 33% belonged to the internal group, 39% in the chance group, and 28% in the powerful-others group. The 3 groups had depression scores of 40 (SD = 8), 47 (SD = 10), and 42 (SD = 8), respectively. We found significant difference in depressions scores between the chance group and the internal group (P < 0.005) with the chance group having higher depression scores compared to the internal group. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that patients with an internal locus of control are less depressed compared to patients with fatalistic views on their health/pain in the chance group. The chance dimension of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale was found to be a potential predictor of psychiatric comorbidities such as depression in the chronic pain patient population.