A Prospective Cohort Study of Acute Pain and In-Hospital Opioid Consumption After Cardiac Surgery: Associations With Psychological and Medical Factors and Chronic Postsurgical Pain.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the association of acute pain intensity and opioid consumption after cardiac surgery with chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) can facilitate implementation of personalized prevention measures to improve outcomes. The objectives were to (1) examine acute pain intensity and daily mg morphine equivalent dose (MME/day) trajectories after cardiac surgery, (2) identify factors associated with pain intensity and opioid consumption trajectories, and (3) assess whether pain intensity and opioid consumption trajectories are risk factors for CPSP. METHODS: Prospective observational cohort study design conducted between August 2012 and June 2020 with 1-year follow-up. A total of 1115 adults undergoing cardiac surgery were recruited from the preoperative clinic. Of the 959 participants included in the analyses, 573 completed the 1-year follow-up. Main outcomes were pain intensity scores and MME/day consumption over the first 6 postoperative days (PODs) analyzed using latent growth mixture modeling (GMM). Secondary outcome was 12-month CPSP status. RESULTS: Participants were mostly male (76%), with a mean age of 61 ± 13 years. Three distinct linear acute postoperative pain intensity trajectories were identified: "initially moderate pain intensity remaining moderate" (n = 62), "initially mild pain intensity remaining mild" (n = 221), and "initially moderate pain intensity decreasing to mild" (n = 251). Age, sex, emotional distress in response to bodily sensations, and sensitivity to pain traumatization were significantly associated with pain intensity trajectories. Three distinct opioid consumption trajectories were identified on the log MME/day: "initially high level of MME/day gradually decreasing" (n = 89), "initially low level of MME/day remaining low" (n = 108), and "initially moderate level of MME/day decreasing to low" (n = 329). Age and emotional distress in response to bodily sensations were associated with trajectory membership. Individuals in the "initially mild pain intensity remaining mild" trajectory were less likely than those in the "initially moderate pain intensity remaining moderate" trajectory to report CPSP (odds ratio [95% confidence interval, CI], 0.23 [0.06-0.88]). No significant associations were observed between opioid consumption trajectory membership and CPSP status (odds ratio [95% CI], 0.84 [0.28-2.54] and 0.95 [0.22-4.13]). CONCLUSIONS: Those with moderate pain intensity right after surgery are more likely to develop CPSP suggesting that those patients should be flagged early on in their postoperative recovery to attempt to alter their trajectory and prevent CPSP. Emotional distress in response to bodily sensations is the only consistent modifiable factor associated with both pain and opioid trajectories.

The Role of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence in Cognitive Pain Therapy: A Narrative Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review investigates the roles of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) in enhancing cognitive pain therapy for chronic pain management. The work assesses current research, outlines benefits and limitations and examines their potential integration into existing pain management methods. RECENT FINDINGS: Advances in VR have shown promise in chronic pain management through immersive cognitive therapy exercises, with evidence supporting VR's effectiveness in symptom reduction. AI's personalization of treatment plans and its support for mental health through AI-driven avatars are emerging trends. The integration of AI in hybrid programs indicates a future with real-time adaptive technology tailored to individual needs in chronic pain management. Incorporating AI and VR into chronic pain cognitive therapy represents a promising approach to enhance management by leveraging VR's immersive experiences and AI's personalized tactics, aiming to improve patient engagement and outcomes. Nonetheless, further empirical studies are needed to standardized methodologies, compare these technologies to traditional therapies and fully realize their clinical potential.

Prevention of hypotension after induction of general anesthesia using point-of-care ultrasound to guide fluid management: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Hypotension after induction of general anesthesia (GAIH) is common and is associated with postoperative complications including increased mortality. Collapsibility of the inferior vena cava (IVC) has good performance in predicting GAIH; however, there is limited evidence whether a preoperative fluid bolus in patients with a collapsible IVC can prevent this drop in blood pressure. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre randomized controlled trial with adult patients scheduled to undergo elective noncardiac surgery under general anesthesia (GA). Patients underwent a preoperative point-of-care ultrasound scan (POCUS) to identify those with a collapsible IVC (IVC collapsibility index ≥ 43%). Individuals with a collapsible IVC were randomized to receive a preoperative 500 mL fluid bolus or routine care (control group). Surgical and anesthesia teams were blinded to the results of the scan and group allocation. Hypotension after induction of GA was defined as the use of vasopressors/inotropes or a decrease in mean arterial pressure < 65 mm Hg or > 25% from baseline within 20 min of induction of GA. RESULTS: Forty patients (20 in each group) were included. The rate of hypotension after induction of GA was significantly reduced in those receiving preoperative fluids (9/20, 45% vs 17/20, 85%; relative risk, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.32 to 0.89; P = 0.02). The mean (standard deviation) time to complete POCUS was 4 (2) min, and the duration of fluid bolus administration was 14 (5) min. Neither surgical delays nor adverse events occurred as a result of the study intervention. CONCLUSION: A preoperative fluid bolus in patients with a collapsible IVC reduced the incidence of GAIH without associated adverse effects. STUDY REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05424510); first submitted 15 June 2022.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: L'hypotension après induction de l'anesthésie générale (AG) est fréquente et est associée à des complications postopératoires, notamment à une augmentation de la mortalité. La collapsibilité de la veine cave inférieure (VCI) a été utilisée avec succès pour prédire la l'hypotension post-induction de l'AG; cependant, il existe peu de données probantes qu'un bolus liquidien préopératoire chez les patient·es présentant une collapsibilité de la VCI puisse prévenir cette baisse de la tension artérielle. MéTHODE: Nous avons réalisé une étude randomisée contrôlée monocentrique auprès de patient·es adultes devant bénéficier d'une chirurgie non cardiaque non urgente sous anesthésie générale. Les patient·es ont passé une échographie préopératoire ciblée (POCUS) pour identifier les personnes présentant une collapsibilité de la VCI (indice de collapsibilité de la VCI ≥ 43 %). Les personnes présentant une collapsibilité de la VCI ont été randomisées à recevoir un bolus de liquide préopératoire de 500 mL ou des soins de routine (groupe témoin). Les équipes chirurgicales et d'anesthésie ne connaissaient pas les résultats de l'examen ni l'attribution des groupes. L'hypotension après induction de l'AG a été définie comme l'utilisation de vasopresseurs/inotropes ou une diminution de la tension artérielle moyenne < 65 mm Hg ou > 25 % par rapport aux valeurs de base dans les 20 minutes suivant l'induction de l'AG. RéSULTATS: Quarante patient·es (20 dans chaque groupe) ont été inclus·es. Le taux d'hypotension après induction de l'AG était significativement réduit chez les personnes recevant des liquides préopératoires (9/20, 45 % vs 17/20, 85 %; risque relatif, 0,53; intervalle de confiance à 95 %, 0,32 à 0,89; P = 0,02). Le temps moyen (écart type) pour compléter l'échographie ciblée était de 4 (2) min, et la durée de l'administration du bolus liquidien était de 14 (5) min. Ni retards chirurgicaux ni effets indésirables ne sont survenus à la suite de l'intervention à l'étude. CONCLUSION: Un bolus liquidien préopératoire chez les patient·es présentant une collapsibilité de la VCI a réduit l'incidence d'hypotension après l'induction de l'anesthésie générale sans effets indésirables associés. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05424510); première soumission le 15 juin 2022.

Inferior vena cava ultrasound to predict hypotension after general anesthesia induction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

PURPOSE: Hypotension after induction of general anesthesia is common and is associated with significant adverse events. Identification of patients at high risk can inform the use of preoperative mitigation strategies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the inferior vena cava collapsibility index (IVC-CI) and maximal diameter (dIVCmax) in predicting postinduction hypotension and to identify their predictive performance across different threshold ranges. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, PubMed®, and Embase from inception to March 2023 for prospective observational studies exploring the performance of IVC-CI and dIVCmax in predicting postinduction hypotension in adults presenting for elective surgery under general anesthesia. We excluded studies reporting on IVC parameters predicting postinduction hypotension in the obstetric patient population or exclusively in patients with obesity. Trials screening and data extraction were conducted independently. We performed meta-analyses to identify the performance of IVC parameters in predicting postinduction hypotension, followed by subgroup analyses that sought the IVC-CI range with the highest hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic area under the curve (HSROC-AUC). We used a bivariate random effects model to calculate summary estimates. We evaluated study quality using Newcastle-Ottawa scores and certainty of evidence using the GRADE framework. RESULTS: We included 14 studies involving 1,166 patients. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of the IVC-CI to predict postinduction hypotension was 0.68 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55 to 0.79; coverage probability, 0.91) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.69 to 0.85; coverage probability, 0.9), respectively, with an HSROC-AUC of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.85, high quality of evidence). An IVC-CI threshold range of 40-45% had an HSROC-AUC of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.69 to 0.93, high quality of evidence). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative IVC-CI is a strong predictor of postinduction hypotension. We recommend that future studies use an IVC-CI threshold of 40-45% (low certainty of evidence). Future studies are needed to establish whether ultrasound-guided preoperative optimization improves outcomes in high-risk patients. STUDY REGISTRATION: PROSPERO ( CRD42022316140 ); first submitted 10 March 2022.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: L'hypotension après l'induction de l'anesthésie générale est fréquente et est associée à des effets indésirables importants. L'identification des patient•es à haut risque peut éclairer l'utilisation de stratégies préopératoires d'atténuation. Nous avons réalisé une revue systématique et une méta-analyse pour évaluer la précision diagnostique de l'indice de collapsibilité de la veine cave inférieure (IC-VCI) et du diamètre maximal (dVCImax) pour prédire l'hypotension post-induction et identifier leurs performances prédictives dans différentes plages de seuils. MéTHODE: Nous avons fait des recherches dans les bases de données MEDLINE, PubMed® et Embase de leur création jusqu'en mars 2023 pour en extraire les études observationnelles prospectives explorant les performances de l'IC-VCI et du dVCImax pour la prédiction de l'hypotension post-induction chez des adultes se présentant pour une chirurgie non urgente sous anesthésie générale. Nous avons exclu les études rapportant des paramètres de VCI prédisant l'hypotension post-induction dans la population obstétricale ou exclusivement chez des personnes obèses. Le tri des études et l'extraction des données ont été menés indépendamment. Nous avons réalisé des méta-analyses pour identifier la performance des paramètres de VCI dans la prédiction de l'hypotension post-induction, suivies d'analyses de sous-groupes qui ont recherché la plage d'IC-VCI avec le plus haut niveau de hiérarchie de l'aire sous la courbe de la courbe ROC (HSROC-AUC). Nous avons utilisé un modèle bivarié à effets aléatoires pour calculer des estimations sommaires. Nous avons évalué la qualité des études à l'aide des scores de Newcastle-Ottawa et la certitude des données probantes à l'aide de l'outil GRADE. RéSULTATS: Quatorze études portant sur 1166 patient·es ont été incluses. La sensibilité et la spécificité combinées de l'IC-VCI pour prédire l'hypotension post-induction étaient de 0,68 (intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 0,55 à 0,79; probabilité de couverture, 0,91) et 0,78 (IC 95 %, 0,69 à 0,85; probabilité de couverture, 0,9), respectivement, avec une HSROC-AUC de 0,80 (IC 95 %, 0,68 à 0,85, données probantes de haute qualité). Une plage de seuils d'IC-VCI de 40 à 45 % avait une HSROC-AUC de 0,86 (IC 95 %, 0,69 à 0,93, haute qualité des données probantes). CONCLUSION: L'IC-VCI préopératoire est un bon prédicteur de l'hypotension post-induction. Nous recommandons que les études futures utilisent un seuil d'IC-VCI de 40 à 45 % (faible certitude des données probantes). De futures études sont nécessaires pour déterminer si l'optimisation préopératoire échoguidée améliore les devenirs chez la patientèle à risque élevé. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: PROSPERO ( CRD42022316140 ); première soumission le 10 mars 2022.

Peripheral magnetic stimulation for chronic peripheral neuropathic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To provide a systematic review of the literature on the effects of peripheral magnetic stimulation (PMS) in the treatment of chronic peripheral neuropathic pain. METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINHAL, Web of Science, and ProQuest was conducted from inception to July 2023 to identify studies of any design published in English language that enrolled adult patients (≥18 years) that received PMS for treatment of a chronic peripheral neuropathic pain disorder (pain > 3 months). RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were identified which included 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), five case series, two case reports, and one non-randomized trial. PMS regimens varied across studies and ranged from 5 to 240 min per session over 1 day to 1 year of treatment. Results across included studies were mixed, with some studies suggesting benefits while others showing no significant differences. Of nine placebo-controlled RCTs, four reported statistically significant findings in favor of PMS use. In the meta-analysis, PMS significantly reduced pain scores compared to control within 0-1 month of use (mean difference -1.64 on a 0-10 numeric rating scale, 95% confidence interval -2.73 to -0.56, p = 0.003, I2 = 94%, 7 studies [264 participants], very low quality of evidence), but not at the 1-3 months and >3 months of PMS use (very low and low quality of evidence, respectively). Minimal to no adverse effects were reported with PMS use. DISCUSSION: There is limited and low-quality evidence to make definitive recommendations on PMS usage, however, the available data is encouraging, especially for short-term applications of this novel modality. Large high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to establish definitive efficacy and safety effects of PMS.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Chronic Postsurgical Pain after Cardiac Surgery: A Single-center Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic postsurgical pain is a common complication of surgery. The role of psychologic risk factors like depression and anxiety is substantially understudied in cardiac surgery. This study sought to identify perioperative factors associated with chronic pain at 3, 6, and 12 months after cardiac surgery. The authors hypothesize that baseline psychologic vulnerabilities have a negative influence on chronic postsurgical pain. METHODS: The authors prospectively collected demographic, psychologic, and perioperative factors in a cohort of 1,059 patients undergoing cardiac surgery at the Toronto General Hospital between 2012 and 2020. Patients were followed and completed chronic pain questionnaires at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: The study included 767 patients who completed at least one follow-up questionnaire. The incidence of postsurgical pain (more than 0 out of 10) at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery was 191 of 663 (29%), 118 of 625 (19%), and 89 of 605 (15%), respectively. Notably, among patients reporting any pain, the incidence of pain compatible with a neuropathic phenotype increased from 56 of 166 (34%) at 3 months to 38 of 97 (39%) at 6 months and 43 of 67 (64%) at 12 months. Factors associated with postsurgical pain scores at 3 months include female sex, pre-existing chronic pain, previous cardiac surgery, preoperative depression, baseline pain catastrophizing scores, and moderate-to-severe acute pain (4 or more out of 10) within 5 postoperative days. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one in three patients undergoing cardiac surgery reported pain at 3 months of follow-up, with approximately 15% reporting persistent pain at 1 yr. Female sex, pre-existing chronic pain, and baseline depression were associated with postsurgical pain scores across all three time periods.

Genitofemoral peripheral nerve stimulator implantation for refractory groin pain: a case report.

PURPOSE: Genitofemoral neuralgia (GFN) is a chronic pain condition that may be refractory to commonly employed treatment modalities. Implantation of a peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) may provide significant pain relief; however, few reports have described placement of and response to a GFN PNS implant. CLINICAL FEATURES: We implanted a StimRouter® PNS in a 42-yr-old male with severe GFN that did not respond to pharmacologic and interventional pain management modalities and impaired all aspects of his function and quality of life. The often-challenging sonographic visualization of the genitofemoral nerve was aided by intraprocedural sensory mapping using a stimulating probe. Preoperatively, the patient's average pain was rated as 7 on a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale. Following the procedure, the patient experienced over 90% pain relief after one week. At one and five months post implantation, the patient's average pain scores were 1 and 0.5, respectively. The patient also reported substantial improvement in the physical component scores on the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12), which remained similar at the five-month follow-up (from 26.1 preop to 57.2 at one month and 49.7 at five months). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral nerve stimulator implantation may be a promising intervention when other analgesic modalities fail to manage refractory GFN. Further research to verify the effectiveness of this intervention and evaluate for appropriate integration in patient care is required.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: La névralgie génito-crurale (NGC) est une douleur chronique pouvant être réfractaire aux modalités de traitement couramment utilisées. L'implantation d'un stimulateur nerveux périphérique (SNP) peut apporter un soulagement significatif de la douleur. Cependant, peu de présentations de cas ont décrit la mise en place et la réponse à l'implantation d'un SNP pour soulager une névralgie génito-crurale. CARACTéRISTIQUES CLINIQUES: Nous avons implanté un SNP StimRouter® chez un homme de 42 ans atteint d'une NGC grave qui ne répondait pas aux modalités pharmacologiques et interventionnelles de prise en charge de la douleur et entravait tous les aspects fonctionnels et de qualité de vie. La visualisation échographique souvent difficile du nerf génito-crural a été facilitée grâce à une cartographie sensorielle intraprocédurale, réalisée à l'aide d'une sonde de stimulation. Avant la procédure, la douleur moyenne du patient a été évaluée à 7 sur une échelle d'évaluation numérique de 0 à 10. Suite à l'intervention, le patient a ressenti un soulagement de la douleur de plus de 90 % après une semaine. À un et à cinq mois suivant l'implantation, les scores moyens de douleur du patient étaient de 1 et 0,5, respectivement. Le patient a également rapporté une amélioration substantielle des scores de la composante physique du questionnaire SF-12, scores qui sont restés similaires au suivi à cinq mois (de 26,1 avant l'intervention à 57,2 à un mois et 49,7 à cinq mois). CONCLUSION: L'implantation d'un stimulateur nerveux périphérique pourrait être une intervention prometteuse lorsque d'autres modalités analgésiques ne parviennent pas à prendre en charge une névralgie génito-crurale réfractaire. D'autres recherches sont nécessaires pour vérifier l'efficacité de cette intervention et évaluer son intégration appropriée dans les soins aux patients.

Strategies to Promote Racial Healthcare Equity in Pain Medicine: A Call to Action.

In the past several years, many national events have illuminated the inequities faced by the Black community in all aspects of life, including healthcare. To close the gap in healthcare equity, it is imperative that clinicians examine their practices for disparities in the treatment of minority patients and for racial injustice and take responsibility for improving any issues. As leaders in pain medicine, we can start by improving our understanding of healthcare disparities and inequities among racial and ethnic minorities and translating that knowledge into a cultural transformation to improve the care of those impacted. In this paper, we identify the areas of medicine in which pain assessment and treatment are not equitably delivered. As we acknowledge these disparities, we will highlight reasons for these incongruences in care and clarify how clinicians can act to ensure that all patients are treated equitably, with equal levels of compassion.

Review of Opioid Sparing Interventional Pain Management Options and Techniques for Radiofrequency Ablations for Sacroiliac Joint Pain.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this clinical review was to provide an update about the existing treatment options and associated evidence for various radiofrequency ablation techniques for sacroiliac joint pain. An electronic literature search on radiofrequency for the treatment of sacroiliac joint pain was conducted using PubMed, NCBI and Google Scholar. The following search keywords were used: radiofrequency ablation (cooled, pulsed, conventional, bipolar, intra-articular), sacroiliac joint and sacroiliac pain. The search was limited to human subjects, English language and articles with available full text. The bibliographic sections of all manuscripts were further searched for additional relevant citations. The full text of the relevant articles was reviewed by all the authors. RECENT FINDINGS: Our study showed that radiofrequency ablation is a safe and effective treatment option that can be utilized to manage sacroiliac joint pain. It offers accessibility to the primary care physician, reduces office visits with "pain" as the primary complaint and provides the added benefit of acting as a non-opioid sparing means of analgesia.

Persistent Incisional Pain after Noncardiac Surgery: An International Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, characteristics, impact, and risk factors associated with persistent incisional pain. The hypothesis was that patient demographics and perioperative interventions are associated with persistent pain. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of an international prospective cohort study from 2012 to 2014. This study included patients who were 45 yr of age or older who underwent major inpatient noncardiac surgery. Data were collected perioperatively and at 1 yr after surgery to assess for the development of persistent incisional pain (pain present around incision at 1 yr after surgery). RESULTS: Among 14,831 patients, 495 (3.3%; 95% CI, 3.1 to 3.6) reported persistent incisional pain at 1 yr, with an average pain intensity of 3.6 ± 2.5 (0 to 10 numeric rating scale), with 35% and 14% reporting moderate and severe pain intensities, respectively. More than half of patients with persistent pain reported needing analgesic medications, and 85% reported interference with daily activities (denominator = 495 in the above proportions). Risk factors for persistent pain included female sex (P = 0.007), Asian ethnicity (P < 0.001), surgery for fracture (P < 0.001), history of chronic pain (P < 0.001), coronary artery disease (P < 0.001), history of tobacco use (P = 0.048), postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (P < 0.001), postoperative continuous nerve block (P = 0.010), insulin initiation within 24 h of surgery (P < 0.001), and withholding nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors on the day of surgery (P = 0.029 and P < 0.001, respectively). Older age (P < 0.001), endoscopic surgery (P = 0.005), and South Asian (P < 0.001), Native American/Australian (P = 0.004), and Latin/Hispanic ethnicities (P < 0.001) were associated with a lower risk of persistent pain. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent incisional pain is a common complication of inpatient noncardiac surgery, occurring in approximately 1 in 30 adults. It results in significant morbidity, interferes with daily living, and is associated with persistent analgesic consumption. Certain demographics, ethnicities, and perioperative practices are associated with increased risk of persistent pain.

Efficacy and Safety of N-Acetylcysteine for the Management of Chronic Pain in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of chronic pain. METHODS: A systematic search was carried out until April 2020 for clinical studies of N-acetylcysteine in the management of any persistent or recurrent chronic pain condition for adults ≥ 18 years old. Risk of bias was assessed using the validated risk of bias tools. When appropriate, a meta-analysis using a random-effects model was performed, with a fixed-effect model for sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Nine studies (n = 863) were included (five randomized controlled trials [RCTs], two open-label non-comparative studies and two comparative studies), that evaluated patients with sickle cell disease (3), complex regional pain syndrome (1), pelvic pain/endometriosis (2), rheumatoid arthritis (1), diabetic neuropathy (1), and chronic neuropathic pain (1). In the pooled analysis of three RCTs, N-acetylcysteine did not reduce pain intensities (SMD -0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.33 to 0.75, random-effects), improve functional outcomes (SMD 0.21, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.75) or quality of life (SMD 0.60, 95% CI: -4.44 to 5.64); however, sensitivity analysis with a fixed effect model demonstrated an effect for pain intensities and function. Due to adverse events being inconsistently reported, no conclusion could be made regarding safety of N-acetylcysteine in chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: While there is some evidence to indicate N-acetylcysteine may provide analgesic efficacy for certain pain conditions, there is insufficient evidence to provide definitive evidence on NAC in chronic pain management. Larger-size RCTs spanning a variety of chronic pain conditions are needed to determine N-acetylcysteine's role, if any, in pain medicine.

Predictors of one year chronic post-surgical pain trajectories following thoracic surgery.

PURPOSE: Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is a highly prevalent complication following thoracic surgery. This is a prospective cohort study that aims to describe the pain trajectories of patients undergoing thoracic surgery beginning preoperatively and up to 1 year after surgery METHODS: Two hundred and seventy nine patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery were enrolled. Participants filled out a preoperative questionnaire containing questions about their sociodemographic information, comorbidities as well as several psychological and pain-related statuses. They were then followed-up during their immediate postoperative period and at the three, six and 12 month time-points to track their postoperative pain, complications and pain-related outcomes. Growth mixture modeling was used to construct pain trajectories. RESULTS: The first trajectory is characterized by 185 patients (78.1%) with mild pain intensity across the 12 month period. The second is characterized by 32 patients (7.5%) with moderate pain intensity immediately after surgery which decreases markedly by 3 months and remains low at the 12 month follow-up. The final trajectory is characterized by 20 patients (8.4%) with moderate pain intensity immediately after surgery which persists at 12 months. Patients with moderate to severe postoperative pain intensity were much more likely to develop CPSP compared to patients with mild pain intensity. Initial pain intensity levels immediately following surgery as well as levels of pain catastrophizing at baseline were predicting pain trajectory membership. None of the surgical or anesthetic-related variables were significantly associated with pain trajectory membership. CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo thoracic surgery can have postoperative pain that follows one of the three different types of trajectories. Higher levels of immediate postoperative pain and preoperative pain catastrophizing were associated with moderately severe CPSP.

Prevalence and intensity of persistent post-surgical pain following breast cancer surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and intensity of persistent post-surgical pain (PPSP) after breast cancer surgery are uncertain. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to further elucidate this issue. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, from inception to November 2018, for observational studies reporting persistent pain (≥3 months) after breast cancer surgery. We used random-effects meta-analysis and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach to rate quality of evidence. RESULTS: We included 187 observational studies with 297 612 breast cancer patients. The prevalence of PPSP ranged from 2% to 78%, median 37% (inter-quartile range: 22-48%); the pooled prevalence was 35% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 32-39%). The pooled pain intensity was 3.9 cm on a 10 cm visual analogue scale (95% CI: 3.6-4.2 cm). Moderate-quality evidence supported the subgroup effects of PPSP prevalence for localized pain vs any pain (29% vs 44%), moderate or greater vs any pain (26% vs 44%), clinician-assessed vs patient-reported pain (23% vs 36%), and whether patients underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy vs axillary lymph node dissection (26% vs 43%). The adjusted analysis found that the prevalence of patient-reported PPSP (any severity/location) was 46% (95% CI: 36-56%), and the prevalence of patient-reported moderate-to-severe PPSP at any location was 27% (95% CI: 10-43%). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-quality evidence suggests that almost half of all women undergoing breast cancer surgery develop persistent post-surgical pain, and about one in four develop moderate-to-severe persistent post-surgical pain; the higher prevalence was associated with axillary lymph node dissection. Future studies should explore whether nerve sparing for axillary procedures reduces persistent post-surgical pain after breast cancer surgery.

Clinical Profiles of Concurrent Cannabis Use in Chronic Pain: A CHOIR Study.

OBJECTIVE: Despite evidence of the analgesic benefits of cannabis, there remains a relative scarcity of research on the short- and long-term effects of cannabis use in individuals with chronic pain. DESIGN: The current study is a secondary analysis of clinical data from the Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (CHOIR). SETTING: Data were drawn from a cohort of patients of a multidisciplinary tertiary care pain clinic. SUBJECTS: The study sample consisted of data from 7,026 new patient visits from CHOIR; of these, 1,668 patients with a follow-up time point within 180 days were included in a longitudinal analysis. METHODS: Clinical data were analyzed to characterize cross-sectional differences in pain and indicators of psychological and physical function according to self-reported, concurrent cannabis use. Additionally, a propensity score-weighted longitudinal analysis was conducted, examining cannabis use as a predictor of changes in clinical variables across time. RESULTS: Cross-sectional analyses suggested significantly poorer sleep and significantly higher intensities of pain, emotional distress, and physical and social dysfunction in patients reporting ongoing cannabis use; however, these differences were relatively small in magnitude. However, no differences between cannabis users and nonusers in terms of longitudinal changes in clinical variables were noted. DISCUSSION: Our results are among the first to examine concurrent cannabis use as a prognostic variable regarding trajectories of pain-related variables in tertiary care. Future studies may benefit from examining the effect of cannabis initiation, concurrent medication use, and specific aspects of cannabis use (dose, duration of use, or cannabis type) on clinical outcomes.

Effect of Perioperative Active Body Surface Warming Systems on Analgesic and Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is a common complication of surgery, and active body surface warming (ABSW) systems are used to prevent adverse clinical outcomes. Prior data on certain outcomes are equivocal (ie, blood loss) or limited (ie, pain and opioid consumption). The objective of this study was to provide an updated review on the effect of ABSW on clinical outcomes and temperature maintenance. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials evaluating ABSW systems compared to nonactive warming controls in noncardiac surgeries. Outcomes studied included postoperative pain scores and opioid consumption (primary outcomes) and other perioperative clinical variables such as temperature changes, blood loss, and wound infection (secondary outcomes). We searched Ovid MEDLINE daily, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science from inception to June 2019. Quality of evidence (QoE) was rated according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Subgroup analysis sought to determine the effect of preoperative + intraoperative warming versus intraoperative warming alone. Metaregression evaluated the effect of year of publication, use of neuromuscular blockers, anesthesia, and surgery type on outcomes. RESULTS: Fifty-four articles (3976 patients) were included. Pooled results demonstrated that ABSW maintained normothermia compared to controls, during surgery (30 minutes postinduction [mean difference {MD}: 0.3°C, 95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.2-0.4, moderate QoE]), end of surgery (MD: 1.1°C, 95% CI, 0.9-1.3, high QoE), and up to 4 hours postoperatively (MD: 0.3°C, 95% CI, 0.2-0.5, high QoE). ABSW was not associated with difference in pain scores (<24 hours postoperatively, moderate to low QoE) or perioperative opioid consumption (very low QoE). ABSW increased patient satisfaction (MD: 2.2 points, 95% CI, 0.9-3.6, moderate QoE), reduced blood transfusions (odds ratio [OR] = 0.6, 95% CI, 0.4-1.0, moderate QoE), shivering (OR = 0.2, 95% CI, 0.1-0.4, high QoE), and wound infections (OR = 0.3, 95% CI, 0.2-0.7, high QoE). No significant differences were found for fluid administration (low QoE), blood loss (very low QoE), major adverse cardiovascular events (very low QoE), or mortality (very low QoE). Subgroup analysis and metaregression suggested increased temperature benefit with pre + intraoperative warming, use of neuromuscular blockers, and recent publication year. ABSW seemed to confer less temperature benefit in cesarean deliveries and neurosurgical/spinal cases compared to abdominal surgeries. CONCLUSIONS: ABSW is effective in maintaining physiological normothermia, decreasing wound infections, shivering, blood transfusions, and increasing patient satisfaction but does not appear to affect postoperative pain and opioid use.

Electronic Data Capture Versus Conventional Data Collection Methods in Clinical Pain Studies: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The most commonly used means to assess pain is by patient self-reported questionnaires. These questionnaires have traditionally been completed using paper-and-pencil, telephone, or in-person methods, which may limit the validity of the collected data. Electronic data capture methods represent a potential way to validly, reliably, and feasibly collect pain-related data from patients in both clinical and research settings. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare electronic and conventional pain-related data collection methods with respect to pain score equivalence, data completeness, ease of use, efficiency, and acceptability between methods. METHODS: We searched the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from database inception until November 2019. We included all peer-reviewed studies that compared electronic (any modality) and conventional (paper-, telephone-, or in-person-based) data capture methods for patient-reported pain data on one of the following outcomes: pain score equivalence, data completeness, ease of use, efficiency, and acceptability. We used random effects models to combine score equivalence data across studies that reported correlations or measures of agreement between electronic and conventional pain assessment methods. RESULTS: A total of 53 unique studies were included in this systematic review, of which 21 were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the pain scores reported electronically were congruent with those reported using conventional modalities, with the majority of studies (36/44, 82%) that reported on pain scores demonstrating this relationship. The weighted summary correlation coefficient of pain score equivalence from our meta-analysis was 0.92 (95% CI 0.88-0.95). Studies on data completeness, patient- or provider-reported ease of use, and efficiency generally indicated that electronic data capture methods were equivalent or superior to conventional methods. Most (19/23, 83%) studies that directly surveyed patients reported that the electronic format was the preferred data collection method. CONCLUSIONS: Electronic pain-related data capture methods are comparable with conventional methods in terms of score equivalence, data completeness, ease, efficiency, and acceptability and, if the appropriate psychometric evaluations are in place, are a feasible means to collect pain data in clinical and research settings.

Relationship between Perioperative Hypotension and Perioperative Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Major Noncardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative hypotension is associated with cardiovascular events in patients having noncardiac surgery. It is unknown if the severity of preexisting coronary artery disease determines susceptibility to the cardiovascular risks of perioperative hypotension. METHODS: In this retrospective exploratory analysis of a substudy of an international prospective blinded cohort study, 955 patients 45 yr of age or older with history or risk factors for coronary artery disease underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography before elective inpatient noncardiac surgery. The authors evaluated the potential interaction between angiographic findings and perioperative hypotension (defined as systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg for a total of 10 min or more during surgery or for any duration after surgery and for which intervention was initiated) on the composite outcome of time to myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death up to 30 days after surgery. Angiography assessors were blinded to study outcomes; patients, treating clinicians, and outcome assessors were blinded to angiography findings. RESULTS: Cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death within 30 days after surgery) occurred in 7.7% of patients (74/955), including in 2.7% (8/293) without obstructive coronary disease or hypotension compared to 6.7% (21/314) with obstructive coronary disease but no hypotension (hazard ratio, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.11 to 5.66; P = 0.027), 8.8% (14/159) in patients with hypotension but without obstructive coronary disease (hazard ratio, 3.85; 95% CI, 1.62 to 9.19; P = 0.002), and 16.4% (31/189) with obstructive coronary disease and hypotension (hazard ratio, 7.34; 95% CI, 3.37 to 15.96; P < 0.001). Hypotension was independently associated with cardiovascular events (hazard ratio, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.99 to 5.06; P < 0.001). This association remained in patients without obstructive disease and did not differ significantly across degrees of coronary disease (P value for interaction, 0.599). CONCLUSIONS: In patients having noncardiac surgery, perioperative hypotension was associated with cardiovascular events regardless of the degree of coronary artery disease on preoperative coronary computed tomographic angiography.

A Case Report of Combined Ultrasound and Fluoroscopic-Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Lesioning of the Obturator and Femoral Articular Branches in the Treatment of Persistent Hip Pain in a Pediatric Patient.

Hip denervation comprising radiofrequency lesioning of the obturator and femoral articular branches is used in adults with refractory hip pain who are not surgical candidates. Persistent hip pain occurs infrequently in pediatric patients, and there are limited data on the safety and efficacy of this procedure in a pediatric population. We provide a case report of a successful ultrasound and fluoroscopic-guided hip denervation procedure in an 11-year-old girl with persistent right hip pain after septic arthritis refractory to conservative and surgical management. At an 18-week follow-up, hip denervation provided improvement in pain, mobility, and reduced opioid consumption by 20%.

The Recognizability and Localizability of Auditory Alarms: Setting Global Medical Device Standards.

Objective Four sets of eight audible alarms matching the functions specified in IEC 60601-1-8 were designed using known principles from auditory cognition with the intention that they would be more recognizable and localizable than those currently specified in the standard. Background The audible alarms associated with IEC 60601-1-8, a global medical device standard, are known to be difficult to learn and retain, and there have been many calls to update them. There are known principles of design and cognition that might form the basis of more readily recognizable alarms. There is also scope for improvement in the localizability of the existing alarms. Method Four alternative sets of alarms matched to the functions specified in IEC 60601-1-8 were tested for recognizability and localizability and compared with the alarms currently specified in the standard. Results With a single exception, all prototype sets of alarms outperformed the current IEC set on both recognizability and localizability. Within the prototype sets, auditory icons were the most easily recognized, but the other sets, using word rhythms and simple acoustic metaphors, were also more easily recognized than the current alarms. With the exception of one set, all prototype sets were also easier to localize. Conclusion Known auditory cognition and perception principles were successfully applied to an existing audible alarm problem. Application This work constitutes the first (benchmarking) phase of replacing the alarms currently specified in the standard. The design principles used for each set demonstrate the relative ease with which different alarm types can be recognized and localized.