Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Pain: A Narrative Review from Pain Assessment to Therapy.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most frequent neurodegenerative disease of the motor system that affects upper and lower motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle weakness, spasticity, atrophy, and respiratory failure, with a life expectancy of 2-5 years after symptom onset. In addition to motor symptoms, patients with ALS have a multitude of nonmotor symptoms; in fact, it is currently considered a multisystem disease. The purpose of our narrative review is to evaluate the different types of pain, the correlation between pain and the disease's stages, the pain assessment tools in ALS patients, and the available therapies focusing above all on the benefits of cannabis use. Pain is an underestimated and undertreated symptom that, in the last few years, has received more attention from research because it has a strong impact on the quality of life of these patients. The prevalence of pain is between 15% and 85% of ALS patients, and the studies on the type and intensity of pain are controversial. The absence of pain assessment tools validated in the ALS population and the dissimilar study designs influence the knowledge of ALS pain and consequently the pharmacological therapy. Several studies suggest that ALS is associated with changes in the endocannabinoid system, and the use of cannabis could slow the disease progression due to its neuroprotective action and act on pain, spasticity, cramps, sialorrhea, and depression. Our research has shown high patients' satisfaction with the use of cannabis for the treatment of spasticity and related pain. However, especially due to the ethical problems and the lack of interest of pharmaceutical companies, further studies are needed to ensure the most appropriate care for ALS patients.

What is the role of locoregional anesthesia in breast surgery? A systematic literature review focused on pain intensity, opioid consumption, adverse events, and patient satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Breast surgery in the United States is common. Pain affects up to 50% of women undergoing breast surgery and can interfere with postoperative outcomes. General anesthesia is the conventional, most frequently used anaesthetic technique. Various locoregional anesthetic techniques are also used for breast surgeries. A systematic review of the use of locoregional anesthesia for postoperative pain in breast surgery is needed to clarify its role in pain management. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review literature to establish the efficacy and the safety of locoregional anesthesia used in the treatment of pain after breast surgery. METHODS: Embase, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Cochrane Central Trials Register were systematically searched in Mars 2020 for studies examining locoregional anesthesia for management of pain in adults after breast surgery. The methodological quality of the studies and their results were appraised using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist and specific measurement properties criteria, respectively. RESULTS: Nineteen studies evaluating locoregional anesthesia were included: 1058 patients underwent lumpectomy/mastectomy, 142 breast augmentation and 79 breast reduction. Locoregional anesthesia provides effective anesthesia and analgesia in the perioperative setting, however no statistically significant difference emerged if compared to other techniques. For mastectomy only, the use of locoregional techniques reduces pain in the first hour after the end of the surgery if compared to other procedures (p = 0.02). Other potentially beneficial effects of locoregional anesthesia include decreased need for opioids, decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting, fewer complications and increased patient satisfaction. All this improves postoperative recovery and shortens hospitalization stay. In none of these cases, locoregional anesthesia was statistically superior to other techniques. CONCLUSION: The results of our review showed no differences between locoregional anesthesia and other techniques in the management of breast surgery. Locoregional techniques are superior in reducing pain in the first hour after mastectomy.

Polydatin administration improves serum biochemical parameters and oxidative stress markers during chronic alcoholism: a pilot study.

AIM: Polydatin, a hydroxystilbene derived from the rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum, elicits hepatoprotective and neuroprotective effects through its anti-oxidant properties. The present study aimed to determine the effects of oral administration of polydatin in alcoholic patients in order to improve liver biochemical parameters, serum oxidative stress and mental state. We enrolled 20 chronic alcoholic patients hospitalized for rehabilitative therapy. The patients were divided into two groups receiving the following treatment regimes for two weeks: administration of an anti-oxidant nutritional supplement containing glutathione and vitamin C (group 1), or glutathione, vitamin C and polydatin (group 2). RESULTS: The results of the present study show that elevated plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels in patients after two weeks of alcohol withdrawal were significantly reduced by polydatin (group 2), when compared to group 1. Polydatin also significantly reduced lipid peroxidation levels. Finally, our preliminary data resulting from the analysis of the Mini-Mental Status suggest that polydatin improves cognitive performance. CONCLUSION: Daily dietary administration of polydatin should be considered for prevention and treatment of liver disease and cognitive impairment in alcoholic patients.

Control of post-thoracotomy pain by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: effect on serum cytokine levels, visual analogue scale, pulmonary function and medication.

OBJECTIVES: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used to control post-thoracotomy pain with contrasting results. We aimed to assess the efficacy of TENS on post-thoracotomy pain in relation of four criterion measurements as: (i) cytokines; (ii) pain; (iii) respiratory function and (iv) intake of narcotic medication. METHODS: Between January 2008 and October 2010, 58 patients underwent standard posterolateral thoracotomy for resectable lung cancer. Fifty patients were enrolled in the present study and randomized in two groups: TENS group (25 patients) who received postoperatively TENS for 5 days and placebo group (25 patients) without TENS. In both groups (i) serum cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) were measured by ELISA before surgery and at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 postoperative hours (POHs); (ii) at the same POHs, the pain score was measured using visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10 levels; (iii) respiratory function (FEV 1% and FVC % of predicted value) were valuated on 72, 96 and 120 POHs; (iv) the total intake of narcotic medication given during postoperative period of 5 days was recorded. Repeated measures of analysis of variance assess the difference between two study groups. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients enrolled, two patients of TENS group and two patients of the placebo group were lost to follow-up. (i) Serum IL-6 (P = 0.001), IL-10 (P = 0.001) and TNF-α (P = 0.001) levels in TENS group were significantly lower than in the control group; (ii) VAS score in TENS group was significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.001); (iii) recovery of FEV 1 (P = 0.02) and of FVC (P = 0.02) was statistically better in the TENS group than in control group; (iv) morphine requirement was lower in the TENS group with respect to placebo TENS (P = 0.004). After 48 POHs, no patient required supplementary dose of morphine. TENS group compared with placebo-group presented a significant reduction of non-opioid consumption (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: TENS is a valuable strategy to alleviate post-thoracotomy pain with reduction of cytokine production and of analgesic consumption, and with positive effects on pulmonary ventilation function.

Plasma glutamine decreases immediately after surgery and is related to incisiveness.

Glutamine (gln) is the most abundant free amino acid in the blood. It is involved in important metabolic and biochemical processes, like cell proliferation and oxidative stress. Previous studies have demonstrated that gln concentration in human plasma decreases in several conditions such as sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion, trauma, major surgery and burn. The aim of the present work was to compare the acute effects of different types of surgical interventions and of anesthetization on blood gln concentration. Plasma samples from 88 subjects (30 males and 58 females) were collected before and after major or minor surgery and the gln concentration was analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that plasma gln concentration after surgery was lower than pre-surgery values and that in major surgery the decrease of gln was higher than in minor surgery. No significant effect was shown for sex or type of anesthesia. These results demonstrate the importance of a gln supplementation before a surgical intervention and show that the amount of gln supplementation should also be adjusted based on the type of surgery.

Pregabalin and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for postherpetic neuralgia treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is responsible for one of the most common types of neuropathic pain, described as a burning pain that shakes, hits, and tightens and includes allodynia and paresthesia. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the efficacy of Pregabalin when used during transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with PHN and to analyze any changes in physical activity and sleep quality. METHODS: Patients aged 50 to 80 years were included in this randomized study. We enrolled 15 male (average age 65+/-8.6 y) and 15 female patients (average age 64+/-8.2 y). The male patients had a history of neuropathic pain lasting 15.6+/-8.8 months whereas the female patients had a history of neuropathic pain lasting about 14.9+/-8.6 months. We began with 1 week of patient screening followed by a week of Pregabalin titration. Then, we established the dose of Pregabalin for each patient to obtain visual analog scale (VAS) of less than 60 mm. The eligible patients were randomly divided into 2 groups receiving Pregabalin + TENS or Pregabalin+TENS placebo for the following 4 weeks. Patients underwent 8 outpatient visits during which they completed VAS, SF-McGill Pain Questionnaire, and sleep interference questionnaire. RESULTS: The resulting data showed that Pregabalin administration associated with TENS reduced pain in patients with PHN. At the end of the treatment, all the observed groups presented a reduction of mean VAS. The group treated with Pregabalin 300 (P300)+TENS had a reduction of pain of 30% and the group treated with Pregabalin 600 (P600)+TENS had a reduction of pain of 40%. The comparison between group P300+TENS versus group P300+TENS placebo showed a statistically significant reduction of VAS (P300+TENS 25+/-0.67 vs. P300+TENS placebo 39+/-1.19 P<0.02). Moreover, the comparison between group P600+TENS versus group P600+TENS placebo has shown a statistically significant reduction of VAS (P600+TENS 23+/-0.78 vs. P600+TENS placebo 32+/-0.81 P<0.02). At the end of the study, all groups showed a statistically significant difference in terms of sleep interference, Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire total score, and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire Present Pain Intensity. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the conclusion that Pregabalin gives better results when combined with TENS therapy, which is an analgesic nonpharmacologic procedure. Therefore, a multidisciplinary treatment should be considered for this kind of pain.