Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for August 2016. 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.
ACA Is Helping More Americans Afford Prescriptions
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Though a growing number of Americans are able to afford prescription medications, millions still have difficulty, according to a study published online Aug. 23 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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First Case of Zika-Associated Sensory Polyneuropathy Reported
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a case report published online Aug. 21 in the Journal of Neurological Sciences, researchers confirm the first case of Zika-associated sensory polyneuropathy in an adult male.
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Nighttime Sleep Disturbance Common in Chronic Pain
MONDAY, Aug. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Individuals suffering from chronic pain frequently have nighttime sleep disturbance, and it might be exacerbated by opioid treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in Anaesthesia.
CDC: Synthetic Fentanyl a Major Factor in Opioid Overdose Deaths
FRIDAY, Aug. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Deaths from overdoses of illicitly manufactured fentanyl have increased significantly in recent years, according to research published in the Aug. 26 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Plain Radiography Can ID Changes in Gouty Tophi Size
FRIDAY, Aug. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with tophaceous gout, plain radiography can assess response to hypouricemic treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Ultrasonography Can Guide Drug Modification in Arthritis
THURSDAY, Aug. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Ultrasonography can be useful for guiding modification of anti-rheumatic drugs and steroids for patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA), according to a study published online Aug. 19 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Steep Rise in U.S. Drug Prices Tied to Patent Monopolies
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Prescription drug prices are skyrocketing in the United States due in large part to government regulations, according to a study published in the Aug. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Cannabis Provides More Pain Relief for Men Than Women
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Men seem to exhibit greater cannabis-induced analgesia relative to women, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
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Medication-Assisted Treatment Underused in Teen Opioid Addicts
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Resources should be increased to promote use of medication-assisted treatment of opioid addicted adolescents and young adults, according to a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published online Aug. 22 in Pediatrics.
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Radiofrequency Neurotomy Efficient in Knee Osteoarthritis
TUESDAY, Aug. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain, radiofrequency (RF) neurotomy of genicular nerves is safe and efficient, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Pudendal Nerve Entrapment Can Lead to Eating Disorder
TUESDAY, Aug. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE) leading to avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) has been described in a case report published online Aug. 19 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
ACA Has Increased Rx Drug Use, Cut Out-of-Pocket Spending
MONDAY, Aug. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased prescription use and reduced out-of-pocket spending, according to a report published online Aug. 17 in Health Affairs.
Post-Op Doctor Shopping for One in Four With Nephrolithiasis
FRIDAY, Aug. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Postoperative doctor shopping occurs in about one-quarter of patients with nephrolithiasis undergoing ureteroscopy, according to research published in the September issue of The Journal of Urology.
Legal Issues Impact Delivery of Telehealth
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Telehealth technologies can allow delivery of high-quality care at a lower cost, especially in underserved areas, but there is currently no uniform legal approach to telehealth, hampering its provision, according to a Health Policy Brief published online Aug. 15 in Health Affairs.
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Revascularization Tops Medical Rx for Intermittent Claudication
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with intermittent claudication (IC), revascularization interventions are more effective than medical interventions, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in JAMA Surgery.
Residents Often Order Perceived Unnecessary Lab Tests
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Residents frequently order perceived unnecessary inpatient laboratory tests, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
U.S. Female Doctors Reimbursed Significantly Less Than Males
TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Female doctors in the United States make much less than their male colleagues, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in the Postgraduate Medical Journal.
DASH Diet May Be Beneficial for Gout Patients
TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet may offer a non-drug treatment for gout, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Arhalofenate Beats Allopurinol for Gout Flares
MONDAY, Aug. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Arhalofenate (800 mg) is safe and significantly decreases gout flares compared to allopurinol (300 mg), according to a study published online July 27 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Grapefruit-Midazolam Interaction Varies With Juice Characteristics
FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The interaction between grapefruit juice and midazolam varies based on grapefruit juice-related characteristics such as the amount of furanocoumarin, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Risk of Post-Op Opioid Abuse Deemed Low for Elderly Patients
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Opioid abuse arises in only a very small fraction — less than half of 1 percent — of cases involving surgical patients aged 65 or older, according to a research letter published online Aug. 10 in JAMA Surgery.
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Many U.S. Hospitals Offer Language Services
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Overall, 68.8 percent of hospitals offer language services, with the proportion increasing with level of need, according to research published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
Water-Based Ai Chi Program Beneficial in Fibromyalgia
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A water-based Ai Chi program is associated with improvements in quality of life for women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), according to a study published online July 26 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Low Initial Dose, No Refills Can Help Prevent Opioid Dependency
TUESDAY, Aug. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients who are first-time users of opioids should be prescribed a small dose without refills to reduce the risk of long-term use and possible addiction, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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Spending on Compounded Drugs Skyrocketing
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Government spending on compounded drugs has skyrocketed, raising concerns of fraud and overbilling, according to a report published by Kaiser Health News.
Opioid-Related Insurance Claims Rise 3,000 Percent
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of private health insurance claims for Americans addicted to opioids and heroin rose 3,203 percent from 2007 to 2014, according to a Fair Health report.
Plant-Derived Compounds Show Potent Anti-Inflammatory Effects
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Two specific plant-derived compounds may be effective in treating inflammation and pain, according to a study published online July 27 in the British Journal of Pharmacology.
Overweight/Obesity Up Incidence of Hand, Hip, Knee Osteoarthritis
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of hand, hip, and knee osteoarthritis (OA) increases with overweight and obesity, particularly in the knee, according to a study published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Physician Reviews Approaches to Treating Opioid-Use Disorders
TUESDAY, Aug. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Different approaches to the treatment of opioid-use disorders are addressed in an article published in the July 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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European Countries Implementing Cost-Sharing
MONDAY, Aug. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — European health systems are requiring an increase in cost-sharing measures for patients 50 years of age and older, according to research published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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