Author: Dr Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 18 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Zoster Vaccine Efficacy: How Long?

Authors: Whitley RJ., Clin Infect Dis 2015 Mar 15; 60:910 This is for our providers that take care of chronic pain patients. After 10 years, vaccination lost most of its power. Short-term follow-up of participants in placebo-controlled studies of the herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine confirmed that the vaccine was efficacious for at least 5 years (NEJM JW […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
FDA Clears Hydrocodone With Abuse-Deterrent Properties

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the extended-release (ER) single-entity opioid analgesic hydrocodone bitartrate (Hysingla ER, Purdue Pharma) with abuse-deterrent properties in line with the FDA’s 2013 draft guidance to industry, the agency announced. “Hysingla ER has properties that are expected to reduce, but not totally prevent, abuse of the drug when […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Rocuronium Blockade Reversal With Sugammadex vs. Neostigmine

Randomized Study in Chinese and Caucasian Subjects Authors: Xinmin Wu et al Published in BMC Anesthesiol. 2014;14(53) Background This study compared efficacy and safety of the selective relaxant binding agent sugammadex (2 mg/kg) with neostigmine (50 μg/kg) for neuromuscular blockade (NMB) reversal in Chinese and Caucasian subjects. Methods This was a randomized, active-controlled, multicenter, safety-assessor-blinded study (NCT00825812) in […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Comparison of pain outcomes between two anti-GD2 antibodies in patients with neuroblastoma

Article of our pain providers. Published in Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Author(s): Anghelescu D, Goldberg J, Faughnan L, Wu J, Mao S, Furman W, Santana V, Navid F Treatments discussed: ch14.18, morphine BACKGROUND Addition of anti-GD2 antibody ch14.18 to the treatment of neuroblastoma has improved outcomes. The most common side effect of ch14.18 […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Symptom Burden Best Predictor of Concussion Recovery

This is for our pain clinic providers. The best predictor of a speedy recovery after a sports-related concussion is simply the initial symptom burden as measured by the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), a new study suggests. Other measures, including computerized neurocognitive testing, are not predictive, according to the study results. “The bottom line is that […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Legally Prescribed Opioid Use May Increase Mortality in Patients With Chronic Pain

A study published in the November issue of the journal Pain found an increased risk of death associated with chronic pain without opioid treatment, as well as an even higher risk among those prescribed opioids for long-term use and a somewhat lower risk associated with short-term use. “Our study provides the first evidence that directly […]

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Uncategorized Published - 16 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Lower-Dose Diclofenac Improves Pain in Osteoarthritis

This is for our providers treating chronic pain patients. For patients with osteoarthritis, a formulation of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac, developed with SoluMatrix fine-particle technology (Zorvolex, Iroko Pharmaceuticals), improves health-related quality of life, physical function, and pain, according to a phase 3 open-label study. “We re-engineered diclofenac to enable lower doses to be used, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 16 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Regional Better Than General Anesthesia in Study of Post-Op M&M

Patients undergoing elective surgery may fare better if they receive regional anesthesia (RA) instead of general anesthesia (GA), according to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tenn. The study found that 0.81% of adults receiving RA died within 30 days of surgery, compared with 1.13% of those receiving GA (abstract JS01). It’s a […]

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Uncategorized Published - 16 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
 Morbidity and Mortality Lowered Using Bloodless Methods

Medical and surgical patient costs reduced as well Patients who declined transfusions but were treated with blood-conservation methods suffered fewer deaths, infections and other morbid outcomes compared with those who accepted donor blood and received standard care, a new Johns Hopkins study concluded. Mortality rates were almost fourfold lower in patients who declined allogeneic blood […]

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Uncategorized Published - 16 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Malignant Hyperthermia: True Incidence Hard To Pinpoint

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) can be a life-threatening condition and diagnosing it can be a challenge. A chart review by an international research team led by Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, and sponsored by the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) has concluded that approximately 70% of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9– […]

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