Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for May 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.
Thigh Muscle Strength Predicts Knee Replacement Risk in Women
TUESDAY, May 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For women, but not men, thigh muscle strength predicts the risk of undergoing knee replacement surgery, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
AHRQ Communication Toolkit Can Help After Patient Harm Occurs
TUESDAY, May 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new communication toolkit created by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) can help health care organizations and providers communicate with patients and families when harm occurs to patients.
Glucocorticoid Use Ups Diabetes Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis
TUESDAY, May 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), glucocorticoid treatment is associated with increased risk of diabetes mellitus (DM), according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
FDA Approves Probuphine Implant for Opioid Dependence
THURSDAY, May 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever buprenorphine implant to treat opioid dependence, the agency said Thursday in a news release.
Prednisone Use Linked to Increased Risk of Mortality in RA
FRIDAY, May 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), prednisone use is associated with an increased risk of mortality, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Remaining Uninsured May Be Difficult to Reach Via ACA
FRIDAY, May 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Uninsurance rates have decreased since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but reaching the remaining uninsured may prove challenging, according to a health policy brief published online May 23 in Health Affairs.
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Recognition of Patient Expertise Can Improve Adherence
FRIDAY, May 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Recognizing the unique role of patients and their expertise within the physician-patient interaction can help to prevent non-adherence based on disagreement, according to an article published online May 18 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
U/S + MR Arthrography Best for Medial Elbow Pain Assessment
WEDNESDAY, May 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For medial elbow pain, the combination of stress ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography is associated with improved specificity, sensitivity, and diagnostic accuracy compared with either modality alone, according to a study published in the June issue of Radiology.
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Many Antidepressant Scripts Written for Off-Label Purpose
WEDNESDAY, May 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Depression accounts for only a little more than half the antidepressant prescriptions issued by Quebec physicians during the past decade, and two out of every three non-depression prescriptions are for an off-label purpose, according to a research letter published in the May 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Opioid Prescriptions Drop for First Time in Two Decades
MONDAY, May 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a sign that the opioid epidemic might be waning, new data show that the number of opioid prescriptions has dropped for the first time in 20 years.
Strategies Can Help Streamline Revenue-Related Processes
THURSDAY, May 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Strategies can be employed to maximize the amount of time available for patient care by streamlining revenue-related processes, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
Burnout, Lack of Job Satisfaction Driving Doctors to Cut Hours
WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Full-time physicians reporting worsening burnout or decreased job satisfaction are more likely to reduce their work hours, according to a study published in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Sexual Harassment Experienced by One-Third of Female Doctors
WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Thirty percent of female physicians face sexual harassment on the job, while close to three-quarters perceive gender bias at work and two-thirds say they have actually experienced it, according to survey findings published in the May 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Tai Chi Deemed Beneficial for Knee Osteoarthritis
TUESDAY, May 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For knee osteoarthritis, similar benefits are seen for Tai Chi and standard physical therapy, according to a study published online May 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Narrow Band of Green Light May Ease Migraine Symptoms
TUESDAY, May 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A treatment involving a narrow spectrum of low-intensity green light may help ease migraine pain, according to a study published online May 17 in Brain.
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Hospitalists Need Strategies for Providing Adequate Pain Relief
MONDAY, May 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalists report limited success and satisfaction for management of acute exacerbations of chronic pain with opioids, according to a study published online May 9 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Complementary Medicine Use Up With Chronic Conditions
MONDAY, May 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Adults with multiple chronic conditions frequently use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a study published online May 5 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Endometriosis Prevalence <25 Percent in Chronic Pelvic Pain
THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of surgically confirmed endometriosis is less than 25 percent among women undergoing hysterectomy for chronic pelvic pain, according to a study published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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DEA Weighing Change in Medical Marijuana Rules
WEDNESDAY, May 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is weighing whether to loosen its classification of marijuana, which would remove many restrictions on its use in medical research. If that occurs, doctors could start getting answers to the questions they regularly receive from patients regarding marijuana’s clinical benefits.
Marijuana-Linked Fatal MVAs Up in WA State After Legalization
TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving marijuana more than doubled after Washington state legalized the sale of the drug, according to a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Cutting Brand-Name Drug Use Could Save U.S. $73 Billion
TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Americans could save tens of billions of dollars with more efficient drug use, replacing brand-name drugs with their generic equivalents whenever possible, according to a study published online May 9 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Exercise Reduces Fatigue, Depression, Paresthesia in MS
MONDAY, May 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For females with multiple sclerosis (MS), the addition of exercise programs to standard immune modulatory therapy can improve fatigue, depression, and paresthesia, according to a study published in the May issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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CDC Establishes New ‘Clean Hands Count’ Campaign
MONDAY, May 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has introduced a new campaign, “Clean Hands Count,” to encourage health care professionals, patients, and patients’ families to keep their hands clean in order to prevent health care-associated infections.
Long-Term Treatment Benefit Seen in Relapse-Onset MS
FRIDAY, May 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with relapse-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), disease-modifying therapy protects against long-term disability accrual, according to a study published online May 4 in the Annals of Neurology.
Probiotic Supplements Beneficial in Rheumatoid Arthritis
THURSDAY, May 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Probiotic supplementation seems beneficial for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online May 2 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Physician Leadership Training May Help Counteract Burnout
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Physician leaders with good leadership qualities are more likely to have employees who are satisfied and do not show signs of burnout, according to a study published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and a report published by the American Medical Association.
Price Transparency Tool Doesn’t Cut Health Care Spending
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Employee use of a price transparency tool does not cut health care spending, according to a study published in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Report: Why Health Care Costs Are Lower in Europe Than U.S.
TUESDAY, May 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — European residents have access to the same health care services as U.S. residents but pay much less, and this is related to several specific factors, according to a report published by INDIGOMED on April 25.
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2017 May Offer Fewer Choices for Affordable Care Act Enrollees
MONDAY, May 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — With the nation’s largest health insurer exiting all but a few Affordable Care Act exchanges next year, some Americans may be left with fewer choices and some might see higher monthly premiums.
Distraction Methods During Blood Draws Have Similar Effectiveness
MONDAY, May 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Three different distraction methods are not significantly different in terms of pain and anxiety reduction in children having their blood drawn, according to a study published online April 26 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
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