European Journal of Pain : EJP

BACKGROUND: The lead symptom of small fibre neuropathy (SFN) is neuropathic pain. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have indicated central changes in SFN patients of different etiologies. However, less is known about brain functional connectivity during acute pain processing in idiopathic SFN. METHODS: We conducted fMRI with thermal heat pain application (left volar forearm) in 32 idiopathic SFN patients and 31 healthy controls. We performed functional connectivity analyses with right supplementary motor area (SMA), left insula, and left caudate nucleus (CN) as seed regions, respectively...

BACKGROUND: Painful neuropathy is a pathological condition caused by numerous factors including diabetes, chemotherapy or cancer. ART26.12 is a novel fatty acid-binding protein 5 inhibitor, which our group showed could prevent and treat persistent pain in a preclinical model of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy. METHODS: In the current study, the efficacy of orally dosed ART26.12 was tested in multiple neuropathy models of different aetiology. Paw withdrawal threshold to von Frey monofilaments and latency to escape a cold plate were used as measurements of mechanical and cold sensitivity...

BACKGROUND: Trunk co-contraction during lifting may reflect a guarded motor response to a threatening task. This work estimated the impact of pain catastrophizing on trunk co-contraction during lifting, in people with and without low back pain. METHODS: Adults with high pain catastrophizing (back pain: n = 29, healthy: n = 7) and low pain catastrophizing (back pain: n = 20, healthy: n = 11), performed 10 repetitions of a lifting task...

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the effects of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on psychological measures and attentional patterns to pain stimuli, using eye-tracking methods, in individuals with chronic pain. METHOD: Thirty-two participants with chronic pain and no prior mindfulness experience were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a waiting list group. Both groups completed self-report measures of symptoms, well-being, and an attentional disengagement task using emotional faces as stimuli...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In the presence of pain, whether clinical or experimentally induced, individuals commonly show impairments in the control of muscle force (commonly known as force steadiness). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we synthesized the available evidence on the influence of clinical and experimental pain on force steadiness. DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL Plus and Web of Science databases were searched from their inception to 19 December 2023, using MeSH terms and pre-selected keywords related to pain and force steadiness...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Prior exposure to others' facial expressions of pain can lead to a facilitation of pain responses, including its corresponding response channel, namely facial responses to pain. It has been questioned, however, whether this vicarious pain facilitation occurs only when observing others' pain or whether the observation of other negative expressions can trigger similar facilitation of facial responses to pain. The study aimed to test this, by comparing the impact of viewing others' facial expressions of pain versus another negative expression (sadness) and two control expressions (neutral, happiness) on facial responses to pain...

BACKGROUND: The central sensitization inventory (CSI) is a questionnaire that has been widely used as a tool for assessing symptoms associated with sensitization. However, its ability to identify individuals with this phenomenon has recently been questioned. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of CSI with psychosocial and psychophysical factors in patients with painful TMD diagnosed according to diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) and asymptomatic controls, as well as to determine the influence of these variables on the CSI scores variations...

BACKGROUND: Spatial acuity concerns the ability to localize and discriminate sensory input and is often tested using the two-point discrimination threshold (2PDT). Sensitization of the pain system can affect the spatial acuity, but it is unclear how 2PDTs of different testing modalities are affected. The aim was to investigate if the 2PDTs for mechanical and heat stimulation at different intensities were modulated by topical capsaicin sensitization. METHODS: 30 healthy subjects were divided into either a capsaicin or a placebo group...

BACKGROUND: Only few previous cohort studies examined simultaneously predictors of chronic pain (CP) onset and recovery. Furthermore, these studies used various sociodemographic and pain-related characteristics, without standardized measures of sleep and depression. The present study aimed at expanding and strengthening these findings in a large Swiss population. METHODS: We analysed data from a longitudinal cohort (n = 4602) collected at two time points separated by 5 years in Lausanne, Switzerland...

BACKGROUND: Despite the use of Patient-Drawn Pain Drawings (PDPDs) in clinical settings, their validity as indicators of psychological distress remains debated. We aimed to assess the association between PDPD areas and physical health and psychological variables. METHODS: This study analysed digitally-drawn PDPDs from 15,345 chronic low back pain (LBP) patients at a Danish outpatient hospital unit. We employed a novel quantitative approach to calculate four log-transformed geometric pain areas for each PDPD...

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal disorder caused by alpha-galactosidase deficiency consecutive to a pathogenic variant in the GLA gene. Age at onset is highly variable, with a wide clinical spectrum including frequent renal, cardiac, skin and nervous system manifestations. Since pain can be an indicator of underlying FD, we wanted to estimate the prevalence of FD in a population of chronic pain patients. METHODS: Two studies, DOUFAB and DOUFABIS, were carried out in expert centers for chronic pain to assess the prevalence of FD by measuring alpha galactosidase A activity in men and analysing the GLA gene in women...

OBJECTIVE: Chronic pain is known to be an important construct in clinical practice and a particular form of chronic pain, high-impact chronic pain (HICP), has gained recent interest and attention by pain clinicians, epidemiologists, and clinical researchers. The purpose of our Topical Review is to describe the historical development of measures of HICP and to explore the psychometric properties of HICP as well as to present alternative measurement methods. METHODS: We identified strengths and weaknesses of the psychometric characteristics of HICP measures...

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading reason for opioid use and a closer examination of opioid use and productivity losses among these patients is needed. We identify opioid use trajectories using a group-based trajectory model (GBTM) and estimate productivity losses across the trajectories. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with LBP in Swedish specialty care between 2011 and 2015, between the ages of 20 and 60, were included. Two GBTMs were estimated on monthly opioid use (converted to oral morphine equivalents) during the two 12-month periods preceding and following diagnosis...

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are the most common reason for chronic pain in the orofacial area and significantly impact the lives of those affected. The role of lifestyle factors in TMD, however, remains less explored. This cohort study aims to estimate TMD prevalence by addressing potential selection biases and to evaluate the association between TMD and lifestyle factors with a specific focus on sick leave and health related quality of life. METHODS: By linking data on TMD in the general population in Västerbotten, northern Sweden (n = 180,000) to health survey data (n = 120,000), information on sociodemographic factors and quality of life was available for 52,961 individuals (50...

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BACKGROUND: Chronic pain (CP) is a public health problem worldwide. AIM: To update the prevalence of CP and compare the clinical and social characteristics of people with CP with those with non-chronic continuous pain and a group without pain. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out in a representative sample of 7058 adults from the Spanish population. Sociodemographic data, the presence of CP and non-chronic continuous pain, characteristics of pain, limitations on activities of daily living (ADL), the presence and level of anxiety and depression (HADS), quality of life (SF-12v2) and social support (DUKE) were collected...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been found to be beneficial for individuals dealing with chronic pain. The theoretical mechanisms of change proposed by ACT are based on the Hexaflex model. To comprehensively reflect this model, the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI) and Psy-Flex have been developed. The study aimed to adapt the MPFI-24 and the Psy-Flex for Spanish-speaking populations with chronic pain and to examine their dimensionality, internal consistency, convergent validity and incremental validity...

INTRODUCTION: Biopsychosocial approach in patients suffering chronic low back pain (CLBP) promotes pain self-management strategies. Current evidence recommends high dose of Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) for clinically significant differences. However, the workload and time constraints experienced by healthcare providers impede the application of the recommended treatment regimen. In fact, Back School with a biomechanical model is the main approach to manage CLBP in public systems...