Daily olive oil intake is feasible to reduce trigeminal neuralgia facial pain: A pilot study.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is thought to contribute to neuroprotection and, thus, may influence pain symptoms experienced by adults with demyelination-related trigeminal neuralgia (TN). This study aimed to determine the feasibility of daily intake of EVOO and its potential to alleviate facial pain of TN. Adults, self-reporting as female and affected by TN, were enrolled in a 16-week nonblinded, parallel study. After a 4-week baseline, participants were randomized to 60 mL/day EVOO or control (usual diet and no supplemental EVOO) for 12 weeks. Participants completed a daily questionnaire on pain intensity and compliance, the Penn Facial Pain Scale weekly, the 36-Item Short Form Survey monthly, and dietary assessment during baseline and intervention. Participants (n = 52; 53.3 ± 12.9 years) were recruited nationally; 42 completed the study. The EVOO group, with 90% intake compliance, showed significant decreases in the Penn Facial Pain Scale items of interference with general function, interference with orofacial function, and severity of pain from baseline, whereas the control group showed no improvements. EVOO benefit, compared with control, trended for the interference with orofacial function (P = .05). The 36-Item Short Form Survey items of role limitations resulting from emotional problems and role limitations from physical health favored EVOO. The EVOO group significantly improved their Healthy Eating Index 2015 component scores of fatty acids (primarily from increased oleic acid), sodium, and refined grains. EVOO intake of 60 mL/day was feasible for participants experiencing TN and may mitigate pain and improve quality of life. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05032573).

Association of Tryptophan/Kynurenine Metabolites with Healing in Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers.

Objective: Chronic wound healing is a complex process that is still not well understood. The tryptophan (TRP)-l-kynurenine (KYN) pathway has recently been under increased scrutiny with regard to wound healing. The study applied metabolomics to elucidate the TRP-l-KYN pathway associated with wound healing in chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs). Approach: This study used a longitudinal comparative design of 60 serum samples collected from 30 older adult patients with CVLUs, receiving weekly sharp debridement at a wound clinic. The serum samples were collected at baseline and week 4 (healed wounds) or week 8 (nonhealed wounds). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics was used to analyze targeted metabolites. A Bayesian approach was used to examine robust correlations between changes in metabolite values and linear healing slope and to compare by group. Results: The mean age was 71.13 (±9.46 years). Half of the sample were female and the minority (17%) were Black. The mean values of evaluated metabolites for the nonhealed group were consistently lower than those for the healed group. The healed group (n = 12) had higher KYN values. Those on a healing trajectory (n = 23) had lower KYN levels and higher TRP levels at baseline and over time. There was moderate support (Bayes factor = 3.70) for a negative association between change in kynurenic acid and linear healing slope (r = -0.35, credibility intervals [CrI] = -0.62, -0.04; probability of direction [PD] = 98%). Results suggest that KYN and TRP may be markers for healing in individuals with CVLUs. Innovation and Conclusion: Gaining a better understanding of the associations between the TRP-l-KYN pathway and the healing of CVLUs may help to clarify the links of inflammation with the rate and success of wound healing. Biomarker development focused on the TRP-l-KYN pathway could be pursued, if the associations are further supported by focused research studies.