Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for August 2015. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
FDA Warns of Joint Pain Tied to DPP-4 Inhibitors
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors in type 2 diabetes is tied to severe joint pain in some patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned on Friday.
Multidisciplinary Rehab Tops CBT for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment (MRT) is more effective for reducing fatigue than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), according to a study published online Aug. 26 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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Psychological Features Impact Myofascial Paraspinous Pain Tx
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic myofascial paraspinous pain, psychological characteristics, especially anxiety, influence response to interventional pain management, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Pain Medicine.
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AMA: Ruling Makes It Easier for Insurers to Terminate Doctors
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The outcome of a recent case regarding the termination of physicians by an insurance company following a dispute over the necessity of medical services provided has serious implications for physicians and their patients, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Too Few Blacks, Hispanics Pursuing Careers As Physicians
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Too few members of certain minority groups are pursuing careers in U.S. medicine, resulting in a serious lack of diversity among general practitioners and specialists, according to a research letter published online Aug. 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Corticosteroid Injections of Little Benefit for Low Back Pain
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Epidural corticosteroid injections for radicular low back pain or spinal stenosis may provide some relief for certain patients, but any benefits are temporary, according to a review published online Aug. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Weekly Leflunomide Effective for Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A higher, weekly dose of leflunomide shows similar benefits to a daily dose for the treatment of mild-to-moderate early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA), according to a study published online Aug. 13 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
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Patient, Family Advisors Can Play Key Role in Practices
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Practices can employ patient and family advisors in order to help them focus on patient-centered care needs, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Oral Contraceptive Use May Moderate Inflammatory Arthritis
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Oral contraceptive (OC) exposure is associated with better patient-reported outcomes in early inflammatory arthritis, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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Report Highlights Ways to Improve Physician Resilience
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Strategies can be adopted for improving physician resilience and the ability to handle the challenges presented by patient care, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Drug Monitoring Program Tied to Drop in Opioid Rx in Florida
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of Florida’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and pill mill laws correlated with a modest reduction in opioid prescription and use, according to research published online Aug. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Classification Details Pain Prevalence Among U.S. Adults
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An approach for classifying pain severity developed by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics is effective for assessing self-reported pain among U.S. adults, according to a study published in the August issue of The Journal of Pain.
FDA Approves OxyContin for Children As Young As 11
FRIDAY, Aug. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Limited use of the widely abused painkiller OxyContin in children as young as 11 years old has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Review: Music Beneficial During Postoperative Period
THURSDAY, Aug. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing surgical procedures, music is associated with reductions in postoperative pain, anxiety, and analgesia use, according to a review published online Aug. 12 in The Lancet.
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More Physicians Reporting Dissatisfaction With EHR Systems
THURSDAY, Aug. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More physicians report being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their electronic health record (EHR) system, compared with five years ago, according to a report published by the AmericanEHR Partners and the American Medical Association.
Many Reproductive-Age Women Experience Pelvic Pain
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Untreated pelvic pain is common among U.S. women in their childbearing years, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in Human Reproduction.
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HAC Reduction Program Penalty Kicks in for FY2015
TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The latest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) effort to reduce hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) is the HAC Reduction Program, according to an Aug. 6 health policy brief published in Health Affairs.
In-Person Staff Meetings Are Valuable for Health Care Teams
MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In-person staff meetings, which are not too short or too long and are held frequently, are valuable for health care team operation, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Many Hospitals Being Penalized for 30-Day Readmissions
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — About half of the nation’s hospitals are being penalized by Medicare for having patients return within a month of discharge, losing a combined $420 million, according to a report published by Kaiser Health.
Rx Use in Pregnancy Common in Low-Income Women
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Prescription medications are commonly dispensed to pregnant women enrolled in the U.S. Medicaid program, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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10-kHz Spinal Stimulation Aids Back, Leg Pain
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — High-frequency spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is superior to conventional lower-frequency treatment for relief of chronic back and leg pain, according to a study published online July 22 in Anesthesiology.
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Older Smokers With Migraines May Face Added Stroke Risk
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Older smokers who experience migraines appear to be at increased risk of stroke, a new study suggests. The findings were published online July 22 in Neurology.
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L-Carnitine May Reduce Muscle Cramps in Patients With Cirrhosis
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — L-carnitine appears to be safe and effective for reducing muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis, according to a study published in the August issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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