Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for April 2017. 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.
Meeting Organizers Overlooking Qualified Female Scientists
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Invited speakers at medical conferences tend to be disproportionately male, a disparity that can be addressed by actively preparing lists of potential speakers, according to a study published online April 18 in Nature Immunology.
AMA Urges Doctors to Talk About Safe Opioid Storage, Disposal
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should take three essential steps to reduce the amount of unwanted, unused, and expired medications in an effort to avoid non-medical uses of the drugs, according to a new recommendation from the American Medical Association (AMA) Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse.
Distinct Bacterial Taxa in ME/CSF Subgroups With/Without IBS
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Distinct bacterial taxa are seen in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) subgroups, defined by the presence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a study published online April 27 in Microbiome.
Combo Rx for Fibromyalgia Tied to Higher Adherence
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medication adherence is better for combination prescription initiators with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), although expenditures for total health care are higher with combination prescriptions, according to a study published online April 18 in Pain Practice.
States With Medical Marijuana Laws See Drop in Prescriptions
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medical marijuana laws are associated with a decline in the number of prescriptions filled for Medicaid enrollees, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.
Risk Factors in Six Areas Tied to Physician Burnout
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physician burnout factors include control, whether there is time to deliver excellent care, and whether the workplace is fair, according to a presentation at the Medical Group Management Association/American Medical Association 2017 Collaborate in Practice Conference, held April 9 to 11 in Chicago.
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Single-Payer Health System Bill Moves Forward in California
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A proposal to replace private insurance with government-funded health care for all moved forward in California on Wednesday as Democrats on the Senate Health Committee voted to advance the measure.
Early RA Treatment Important for Long-Term Outcomes
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is important for long-term outcomes, and there has been a decrease in mortality rates attributable to RA, according to two studies published online April 20 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Abstract — Kiadaliri
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Metal Sensitization More Likely for Women After Arthroplasty
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Among patients reporting pain but no infection after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), women have a higher rate and greater severity of metal sensitization than men, according to a study published April 19 in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
CDC: Opioid-Related Mortality Rate Might Be Underestimated
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The prescription drug abuse epidemic in the United States might be associated with a higher mortality rate than has been reported previously, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presented April 24 at the Epidemic Intelligence Service conference in Atlanta.
Illicit Marijuana Use Up in States With Legal Medical Use
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Illicit cannabis use increased significantly more in states that passed medical marijuana laws than in other states, according to a study published online April 26 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction May Ease Back Pain
TUESDAY, April 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with low back pain, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may be associated with short-term improvements in pain intensity and physical functioning, according to a review published online April 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Mortality Up for Opioid Addicts Not Treated in Addiction Clinics
MONDAY, April 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Opioid addicts who get their medical care in settings such as primary care offices and hospitals, rather than addiction centers, are twice as likely to die as opioid addicts treated in addiction clinics, according to a study published online April 20 in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
Cherokee Nation Sues Retailers, Distributors Over Opioid Crisis
MONDAY, April 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A lawsuit has been filed by an Indian nation against six of the top drug distributors and pharmacies in the United States for harm done by prescription pain medications.
FDA Warns Against Children Taking Codeine, Tramadol
FRIDAY, April 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Children should not be given any medications containing codeine or tramadol due to risk of life-threatening breathing difficulties, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday.
Trump Administration Offers Grants to Fight Opioid Crisis
FRIDAY, April 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Nearly half a billion dollars promised by the Obama administration for opioid abuse prevention and treatment programs will be handed out by the Trump administration.
1-g IV Acetaminophen Dose May Be Insufficient in Multiple Trauma
FRIDAY, April 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A dosage of 1 g intravenous acetaminophen every six hours yields serum concentrations below 10 µg/mL for critically ill multiple-trauma patients, according to a study published online April 17 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
FDA OKs Vagus Nerve Stimulator to Treat Cluster Headaches
THURSDAY, April 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A new noninvasive device, gammaCore, which works to reduce cluster headache pain by transmitting mild electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve through the skin on the neck, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Electronic Drug Administration Record App Cuts Errors
THURSDAY, April 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) application can reduce the rate of medication errors in medication administration recording (ME-MAR), according to a study published online April 18 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Potential Benefits, Risks of OpenNotes Discussed
WEDNESDAY, April 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The benefits of sharing notes with patients include improved patient engagement and empowerment, while potential risks may include more phone calls, questions, and increased documentation time, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Dexamethasone Found to Be of Little Benefit in Acute Sore Throat
WEDNESDAY, April 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A single dose of oral dexamethasone only offers modest benefit in the treatment of acute sore throat, according a study published in the April 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Doctors Need to Be Mindful of What They Post on Social Media
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Young doctors often have unprofessional or offensive content on their Facebook profiles, according to a study published online April 9 in BJU International.
One in Five Post-Op Patients Need Unscheduled Help
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A sizable minority of patients need to make contact with health services after outpatient surgery, most often due to inadequate pain management, according to a study published online April 10 in Anesthesiology.
Treatment Plan From Massage Therapist Alleviates Chronic LBP
FRIDAY, April 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Massage therapy may provide some relief in chronic low back pain, according to a study published online recently in Pain Medicine.
Overweight, Underweight Both Tied to Migraines
THURSDAY, April 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Weight — both overweight and underweight — may influence risk of migraine headaches, according to a review published online April 12 in Neurology.
Surgery Often the Starting Point for Opioid Addiction
THURSDAY, April 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Certain surgery patients prescribed opioids for postoperative pain relief may face a higher risk for developing a persistent opioid addiction, according to research published online April 12 in JAMA Surgery.
Spinal Manipulation for LBP Tied to Modest Improvements
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is associated with modest improvements in pain and function among patients with acute low back pain, according to a review published in the April 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Expectations, Concerns Vary With Age for Adults at Pain Clinic
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patient expectations and concerns vary by age among adults attending a chronic pain clinic, according to a study published online March 30 in Pain Practice.
Eval, Mgmt of RA in Women Can Be Compromised by Obesity
MONDAY, April 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels in the evaluation and management of rheumatoid arthritis may be affected by obesity in women, according to a study published online April 10 in Arthritis Care & Research.
Integrated E-Prescribing Can Cut Prescribing, Dispensing Errors
MONDAY, April 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An integrated electronic medication prescribing (e-prescribing) and dispensing system can reduce prescribing and dispensing errors, according to a study published online March 30 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
Music Therapy Relieves Post-Op Pain in Spinal Surgery Patients
MONDAY, April 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Music therapy interventions can favorably affect pain perceptions in patients recovering from spine surgery, according to a study published recently in the American Journal of Orthopedics.
MACRA Changes Government Approach to Doctor Payment
FRIDAY, April 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) has made fundamental changes to the government’s approach to physician payment, according to a March 27 policy brief published in Health Affairs.
Risk Adjustment, Reinsurance Transfer Offer Financial Benefit
THURSDAY, April 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Risk adjustment and reinsurance transfer programs seem to have been effective for increasing revenues at the expense of claims costs, according to research published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
Doctors Must Be Wary of HIPAA Violations With Online Reviews
TUESDAY, April 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should be aware that responding to a negative health care review could potentially expose personal medical information, resulting in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Geographic Variation in Admission for Opioid Tx Programs
TUESDAY, April 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — There is geographic variation in treatment admissions among opioid treatment programs that accept Medicaid, according to a study published online March 27 in Health Services Research.
Use of Health Literacy Tools Can Promote Shared Decision Making
MONDAY, April 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of health literacy tools is encouraged for facilitating shared decision making (SDM), according to an article published in the March issue of the AMA Journal of Ethics.
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