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Background: Pain is one of the most frequently reported symptoms and often one of the first subjective symptoms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A previous study indicated that most patients with SLE reported low levels of SLE-related pain. However, a subgroup of patients reported high levels of pain ≥40 mm (0-100 mm) and had a substantial symptom burden in terms of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and reduced health-related quality of life. Thus, there is a need to elucidate the implications of high levels of pain in everyday life., Aim: This study explored the patient's experiences and implications of SLE-related pain in daily life and the support requested from healthcare providers., Method: A total of 20 patients, previously reported high levels of SLE-related pain intensity measuring ≥40 mm (0-100 mm) in a research context at one or two occasions participated in individual semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and analysed with content analysis., Results: The interviews revealed four main categories and 13 generic categories. SLE-associated pain was described by its multifaceted nature , exhibiting longstanding, unpredictable, migrating, and various physical sensations. The pain entailed multidimensional consequences , restricting everyday life by interfering with roles and relationships and causing various emotions, including existential thoughts. The informants used comprehensive strategies to deal with the pain , including their inner resources, support from family and significant others, and pharmaceuticals and relieving treatments. They expressed the need for security and acknowledgement , which involved individualized support and accessibility of healthcare., Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive insights into the nature and multifaceted impact of SLE-related pain in different dimensions of the informants' daily lives. Except for medications the informants used several strategies, including their inner resources and support from family and others, to manage the pain. Support requested from healthcare providers by the informants included understanding, compassion, individualized care and accessibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Neuromuscular early-onset scoliosis (N-EOS) often presents with a long sweeping thoracolumbar scoliosis and pelvic obliquity. With severe pelvic obliquity, the ribs come into contact with the high side of the pelvis, termed rib-on-pelvis deformity (ROP). The goal of this study is to evaluate whether ROP is associated with reported pain and other health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures. We hypothesize that ROP is associated with increased pain and negative HRQOL., Methods: A multicenter international registry was queried for all nonambulatory patients with N-EOS from 2012 to 2022. Both surgical and nonsurgical patients were included. ROP was classified as a binary radiographic assessment of preoperative (surgical patients) and most recent follow-up (nonsurgical patients) upright radiographs. Reported pain and other HRQOL measures were assessed through the 24-Item Early Onset Scoliosis Questionnaire (EOSQ-24). Patients with nonupright radiographs or EOSQ-24 questionnaires and corresponding radiographs >4 months apart were excluded., Results: Totally, 225 patients (8.4±3.1 y, 55% female) were included. The median major curve was 63.3 (IQR: 40.6 to 81.2) degrees and median pelvic obliquity was 15.5 degrees (IQR: 8.8 to 26.4). Eighty-three patients (37%) had ROP. ROP was associated with both frequency ( P <0.001) and severity ( P <0.001) of pain. ROP was associated with worse general health ( P =0.01), increased difficulty with vocalization ( P =0.02), increased frequency of shortness of breath ( P =0.002), and increased difficulty sitting upright ( P =0.04). Regarding overall EOSQ-24 domains, ROP was associated with worse general health, pain/discomfort, pulmonary function, and physical function ( P <0.01). In a subanalysis of 76 patients who underwent surgical intervention with at least 2 years of follow-up, patients with preoperative ROP experienced significantly greater improvements in both frequency ( P =0.004) and severity ( P =0.001) of pain than the patients without preoperative ROP at 2 years postoperatively., Conclusions: The overall incidence of ROP in N-EOS is about 37%. ROP is associated with greater pain and worse HRQOL through the EOSQ-24 questionnaire. Furthermore, these patients experienced a greater reduction in pain after surgery. Clinicians and parents must be aware that ROP is possibly a pain generator, but responds positively to surgical intervention., Level of Evidence: Level III., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess self-reported symptoms of neuropathy, disability, pain, health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) and autonomic dysfunction in patients with vasculitis., Methods: Patients with vasculitis (with or without neuropathy) were invited by Vasculitis UK to complete an anonymous online survey., Results: Three hundred and twelve patients (71% female) responded. Median age was 61-70 years. Median duration of vasculitis was 4 years (<2 months to >15 years). Vasculitic types included granulomatosis with polyangiitis (34%), unspecified ANCA-associated vasculitis (13%), microscopic polyangiitis (11%), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (11%), giant cell arteritis (10%), non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy (2%) and other (19%). Many patients reported foot/hand symptoms suggestive of neuropathy, including numbness (64%), pain (54%) or weakness (40%). Two hundred and forty-two patients (78%) met our definition of probable vasculitic neuropathy: diagnosis of neuropathy by vasculitis team OR numbness OR weakness in feet/hands. Only 52% had been formally diagnosed with neuropathy. Compared with 70 patients without neuropathy, neuropathy patients had greater disability measured by the inflammatory Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (centile mean 63.1 [s.d. 17.3] vs 75.2 [16.7]; P < 0.0001), Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment scale (median 2 [interquartile range 1-4] vs 0.5 [0-2]; P < 0.0001) and modified Rankin scale (median 2 [interquartile range 1-3] vs 2 [1-2)]; P = 0.0002); greater pain on an 11-point rating scale (mean 4.6 [s.d. 2.6] vs 3.5 [2.8]; P = 0.0009); and poorer HR-QOL on the EQ5D-3L (summary index mean 0.58 [s.d. 0.29] vs 0.69 [0.28]; P < 0.0001). Two-thirds reported autonomic symptoms (not associated with neuropathy)., Conclusion: Neuropathy is common and associated with significant disability, pain and impaired HR-QOL in patients with systemic vasculitis., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Importance: There is a burgeoning interest in therapeutic development for cutaneous neurofibromas (cNFs), a major cause of morbidity in persons with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). To determine meaningful clinical trial outcomes, deeper understanding is needed regarding how cNFs are associated with quality of life (QoL). However, this understanding has been hampered by challenges in recruiting participants with this rare genetic disease., Objective: To develop a large, crowdsourced validated registry of persons with NF1 and determine the association of specific cNF features with QoL, pain, and itch., Design, Setting, and Participants: From May 2021 to December 2023, a decentralized platform was developed and recruited persons 40 years or older with NF1 and at least 1 cNF from 49 states and 12 countries, who provided clinical survey data, detailed photographs, and genetic sequencing data. Photographs from 583 participants were scored on 12 features of cNFs, including general severity, number, size, facial severity, color, and subtypes., Exposure: cNF features derived from participant-supplied photographs., Main Outcomes and Measures: Total Skindex scores and subdomain scores (symptoms, emotion, function, pain, and itch)., Results: Of 583 participants, 384 (65.9%) were female, and the mean (range) age was 51.7 (40.0-83.0) years. Female sex, general severity, number, size, and facial severity of cNFs were negatively associated with QoL, as demonstrated by increased total Skindex scores. QoL had the largest association with the number of cNFs and presence of facial cNFs. Increasing number of cNFs was associated with worse QoL, and even individuals with a low cNF burden (<10 total cNFs) experienced a decrease in QoL., Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this study suggest that reducing cNF number, particularly on the face, may be associated with improved QoL in individuals with NF1. In addition, early intervention before the development of numerous tumors may lead to the highest benefit in QoL. These data potentially provide insight into which individuals and cNF tumors may benefit most from therapy and highlights the utility of a completely decentralized, photograph-validated and age-controlled study for rare genetic disease. This cohort will allow analysis of disease and tumor heterogeneity after full phenotypic expression is achieved in NF1 and potentially serves as an example in its design for other rare diseases that struggle from poor recruitment.

Reduced physical function caused by bone destruction, pain, anemia, infections, and weight loss is common in multiple myeloma (MM). Myeloma bone disease challenges physical exercise. Knowledge on the effects and safety of physical exercise in newly diagnosed patients with MM is limited. In a randomized, controlled trial, we studied the effect of a 10-week individualized physical exercise program on physical function, physical activity, lean body mass (LBM), bone mineral density (BMD), quality of life (QoL), and pain in patients newly diagnosed with MM. Lytic bone disease was assessed, and exercise was adjusted accordingly. Primary outcome: knee extension strength. Secondary outcomes: Six-Minute-Walk-Test, 30-s Sit-to-Stand-Test (SST), grip strength, level of physical activity, LBM, BMD, QoL, and pain. Measurements were conducted pre- and post-intervention, and after 6 and 12 months. We included 100 patients, 86 were evaluable; 44 in the intervention group (IG) and 42 in the control group (CG). No statistically significant differences between groups were observed. Knee extension strength declined in the IG (p = .02). SST, aerobic capacity, and global QoL improved in both groups. Pain decreased consistently in the IG regardless of pain outcome. No significant safety concerns of physical exercise in newly diagnosed patients with MM were observed., (© 2024 The Authors. European Journal of Haematology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background Pain is a complication in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT). There are several mechanisms underlying pain in people with thalassemia and low hemoglobin at the end of the transfusion cycle was the most etiology. Pain can develop into chronic pain and interfere with the quality of life. The Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI-SF) can help identify pain in people with TDT. The present study aimed to compare pain before and after transfusion in adult TDT patients. Methods It was an analytical observational study using a cross-sectional design on adult TDT patients with pain who came to the Haemato-Oncology Clinic of Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital Bandung. This study was conducted from December 2020 to July 2021. All subjects were assisted in filling out the Indonesian version of the BPI-SF questionnaire hemoglobin levels were examined and before and after transfusion, then paired test analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon Test. Results This study is conducted on 60 adult TDT patients with symptoms of pain. The median value of pain intensity and pain interferes with life obtained from the Indonesian version of the BPI-SF score after transfusion decreased significantly compared to before transfusion (NRS 5 vs. 0 and 2.8 vs. 0; p=0.0001). Conclusion There is a significant difference in pain intensity and pain interfere with life in adults with TDT before and after transfusion. It is necessary to carry out pain assessments for thalassemia patients., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Gamayani U et al.)

Objectives: Assessment of the psychometric characteristics of the Greek version of the brief World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) in patients with advanced cancer and pain, and exploration of the association between psychological distress and quality of life (QoL)., Method: The sample consisted of 145 patients with advanced cancer and pain who completed the WHOQOL-BREF, the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and the Pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). In analysis, the following methods were used: Cronbach's alpha, Item Response Theory (IRT), polychoric, Pearson and polyserial correlation, t -test, and Linear regression., Results: The internal consistency was high for all domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (Cronbach's α ≥ 0.731). Similarly, with the exception of three items, the WHOQOL-BREF items has large discrimination parameters suggesting that they have a high ability in differentiating subjects. On SCL-90, the three dimensions with the highest scores were Depression, Somatization, and Anxiety. The overall score for psychological distress, the Global Severity Index (GSI), showed significant negative association with all the WHOQOL-BREF factor scores (Physical Health: B = -1.488, p < 0.001, Psychological Health: B = -1.688, p < 0.001, Social Relationships: B = -0.910, p < 0.001, Environment: B = -1.064, p < 0.001). Male gender was associated with lower scores for Social Relationships ( B = -0.358, p = 0.007) and Environment ( B = -0.293, p = 0.026)., Significance of Results: The Greek version of the WHOQOL-BREF showed good psychometric properties in patients with advanced cancer and can be used as a reliable instrument in clinical practice. The level of psychological distress can be considered a determinant of QoL in patients with advanced cancer and pain, independently of pain intensity or other clinical characteristics. In cancer, the disease process can activate multiple physiological and psychological mechanisms that lead to a wide range of symptoms of psychological distress. To improve their QoL, psychological intervention focused on the identification and alleviation of psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer, and help in finding meaning in their experience, should be provided.

Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) face a wide range of symptoms, including physical disability, imbalance, motor disorders, and acute and chronic pain. The psychosocial consequences of these symptoms may limit social well-being and quality of life in these patients., Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess self-perceived social isolation among patients with MS and its relationship with pain intensity and disability status., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 patients with MS referred to neurology wards and clinics, the MS Association, and rehabilitation centers. Data collection tools used included a demographic information form, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Expanded Disability Status Scale, and Social Isolation Questionnaire., Results: The mean scores of 4.66 ( SD = 1.15) for disability and 4.18 ( SD = 2.22) for pain intensity both indicated moderate levels of both. Of the sample, 21.5% (43 patients) reported no pain, 22.5% ( n = 45) reported mild pain, 35% ( n = 70) reported moderate pain, and 21% ( n = 42) reported intense pain. The average social isolation score was 63.52 ( SD = 3.32), which is higher than the theoretical average. Of the sample, 44.5% reported low social isolation, whereas 55.5% indicated high social isolation. Gender, duration of MS, economic status, disability status, and pain intensity were all found to be significantly associated with social isolation in patients with MS (all p s < .05)., Conclusions: Based on the findings, comprehensive support plans are necessary to improve psychosocial well-being, social life, and quality of life in patients with MS., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

To evaluate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation (PBM) in conjunction with an aerobic exercise program (AEP) on the level of pain and quality of life of women with fibromyalgia (FM)., Methods: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial in which 51 participants with FM were allocated into 4 groups: control group (CG) (n = 12); active PBM group (APG) (n = 12); AEP and placebo PBM group (EPPG) (n = 13); AEP and active PBM group (EAPG) (n = 14). AEP was performed on an ergometric bicycle; and a PBM (with an increase dosage regime) [20 J, 32 J and 40 J] was applied using a cluster device. Both interventions were performed twice a week for 12 weeks. A mixed generalized model analysis was performed, evaluating the time (initial and final) and group (EAPG, EPPG, APG and CG) interaction. All analyses were based on intent-to-treat for a significance level of p ≤ 0.05., Results: The intra-group analysis demonstrated that all treated groups presented a significant improvement in the level of pain and quality of life comparing the initial and final evaluation (p < 0.05). Values for SF-36 and 6-minute walk test increased significant in intragroup analysis for EPPG comparing the initial and final evaluation. No intergroup differences were observed., Conclusions: Both exercised and PBM irradiated volunteers present improvements in the variables analyzed. However, further studies should be performed, with other PBM parameters to determine the best regime of irradiation to optimize the positive effects of physical exercises in FM patients., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: It is recognized that pain related to adult individuals with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) substantially impacts individuals' daily activities and quality of life. The objective of this study was to identify the possible predictors of pain intensity in non‑surgically treated adults with IS., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 58 adults individuals with Lenke type 1 IS. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics were recorded, and pain severity, curvature severity, trunk rotation angle, disability, spinal mobility, cosmetic deformity perception, and quality of life were assessed. Regression analyses with various models were performed to determine the predictors of pain severity and the best model was selected based on performance criteria., Results: Strong associations were found between pain severity with curvature severity, spinal mobility, trunk rotation angle, perception of cosmetic deformity, disability, and quality of life (p < 0.05). It was observed that Lasso regression was the best model based on the performance criteria considered. According to this model, the primary predictors of pain intensity in adult IS were determined as curvature severity, spinal mobility, trunk rotation angle, cosmetic deformity perception, back-related disability and quality of life, in order of importance., Conclusion: In accordance with the findings of this study, which examined for the first time the determinants of pain intensity in adult individuals with Lenke type 1 IS, we suggest that mentioned possible factors affecting and determining pain should be taken into consideration when establishing evaluation and treatment programs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The long-term radiological outcomes after the treatment of neonatal hip instability (NHI) in developmental dysplasia of the hip are unclear. Therefore, the prevalence of acetabular dysplasia at a mean age of 18 years after treatment was investigated. The relationship between acetabular dysplasia and hip discomfort has also been poorly established. Therefore, the differences in pain, hip-related quality of life (QOL), and hip impingement tests in hips with and without acetabular dysplasia were assessed., Methods: All 127 patients treated for NHI from 1995 to 2001 at the study hospital and meeting the inclusion criteria were invited to participate in this population-based follow-up. Of these individuals, 88 (69.3%) participated. The lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), Sharp's angle (SA), and acetabular head index (AHI) were calculated for both hips from pelvic anterior-posterior radiographs. The Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) questionnaire was completed for both hips separately; the total score, pain, and QOL subscores were calculated; and the impingement test was performed., Results: The prevalence of acetabular dysplasia, defined as an LCEA <20°, was 3.4%. Only the mean AHI (81.1%, SD 5.3) differed (-5.08, 95% CI -5.77 to -4.38, P <0.001) from previously described gender-specific and side-specific means, whereas the mean LCEA and SA did not. The odds ratio for a positive hip impingement test was 2.8 (95% CI: 1.11-7.05, P = 0.029) for hips with an LCEA <25° compared to hips with LCEA ≥25°. The hips with an SA ≥45° had a mean of 7.8 points lower for the HAGOS pain subscore (95% CI: 4.2-11.4, P <0.001) and a mean of 6.1 points lower for the HAGOS QOL subscore (95% CI: 2.1-10.2, P = 0.003) compared with hips with an SA <45°., Conclusions: The prevalence of acetabular dysplasia was low after treatment for NHI. Acetabular dysplasia seems to be as common in the general population as for those treated for NHI based on the LCEA. Only an SA ≥45° resulted in slightly more pain and lower hip-related QOL., Competing Interests: M.M. received personal working grants for this research from the Finnish Foundation for Pediatric Research, the Finnish Research Foundation for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, and The Alma and K. A. Snellman Foundation, Oulu, Finland. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The experience of long-term pain in head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors is important but has received less attention in the HNC literature. The present study sought to examine the prevalence of pain from 2 to 5 years postdiagnosis and its association with HNC-specific health-related quality of life., Materials & Methods: Prospective observational study at a single-institution tertiary care center. Pain was measured using a single item ranging from 0 to 10 with 0 representing no pain and 10 representing worst pain possible at 2 through 5 years postdiagnosis. HNC-specific HRQOL was measured using the Head and Neck Cancer Inventory (HNCI)., Results: Pain reports were consistent across time. At 2 years postdiagnosis (N = 581), 27.6 % experienced at least some pain with 14.3 % reporting moderate or severe pain. At 3 years postdiagnosis (N = 417), 21.4 % experienced at least some pain with 14.2 % indicating moderate or severe pain. At 4 years postdiagnosis (N = 334), 26.7 % experienced at least some pain with 15.9 % reporting moderate or severe pain. At 5 years postdiagnosis (N = 399), 30.5 % experienced at least some pain with 17.5 % indicating moderate or severe pain. In general, across all four HNCI domains, those in the moderate and severe pain categories largely failed to reach 70 which is indicative of high functioning on the HNCI., Conclusions: Pain is a considerable issue in long-term HNC survivors up to 5 years postdiagnosis. More research is needed to understand correlates of pain after treatment, including opportunities for screening and intervention, to improve outcomes and optimize recovery in HNC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Prurigo nodularis (PN) is characterized by intensely itchy nodules/lesions and skin pain, which can have a substantial impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Treatment benefits on such symptoms and impacts are best assessed in trials using patient-reported outcome (PROs) instruments such as Skin Pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Sleep-NRS and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). However, no guidance exists for interpreting meaningful changes in scores using these PROs in patients with PN., Objectives: The main objective was to derive within-patient (responder definition) and between-group improvement thresholds for interpreting Skin Pain-NRS, Sleep-NRS and DLQI total scores in patients with PN. The measurement properties of the three PROs were also evaluated., Methods: Intention-to-treat (ITT), blinded and pooled data were used from the Phase 3 PRIME (NCT04183335) and PRIME2 (NCT04202679) studies evaluating the efficacy of dupilumab in adult patients with PN. Anchor- and distribution-based methods were applied to derive responder definition and between-group thresholds for Skin Pain-NRS, Sleep-NRS and DLQI. Data were additionally used to examine the instrument measurement properties, including reliability, validity and responsiveness., Results: A total of 311 patients (mean age 49.5 years, 65.3% female) were included in the pooled ITT population. The within-patient improvement threshold for Skin Pain-NRS was estimated as 4.0 points, 2.0 points for Sleep-NRS and 9.0 points for DLQI total score. A 1.5-point improvement in Skin Pain-NRS scores, 1.0-point in Sleep-NRS and 4.0-point in DLQI indicated a between-group meaningful change. Adequate to good psychometric properties were demonstrated for all three instruments., Conclusions: The results of this study can aid interpretation of Skin Pain-NRS, Sleep-NRS and DLQI scores in patients with PN in both clinical trials and clinical practice to better understand and treat PN-related skin pain and the impact of PN on sleep quality and HRQoL., (© 2024 Sanofi and The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) compared with a control diet on pain in female patients with lipedema. The secondary objectives were to compare the impact of the two diets on quality of life (QoL) and investigate potential associations of changes in pain with changes in body weight, body composition, and ketosis., Methods: Adult female patients with lipedema and obesity were randomized to either the LCD or control diet (energy prescription: 1200 kcal/day) for 8 weeks. Body weight and body composition, pain (Brief Pain Inventory measured pain), and QoL (RAND 36-Item Health Survey [RAND-36], Impact of Weight on Quality of Life [IWQOL]-Lite, and Lymphoedema Quality of Life [LYMQOL]) were measured at baseline and at postintervention., Results: A total of 70 female patients (age, mean [SD], 47 [11] years; BMI 37 [5] kg/m 2 ) were included. The LCD group had greater weight loss (-2.8 kg; 95% CI: -4.1 to -1.0; p < 0.001) and larger reduction in pain now (-1.1; 95% CI: -1.9 to -0.3; p = 0.009) compared with the control group. No association was found between changes in pain now and weight loss. Both groups experienced improvements in several QoL dimensions., Conclusions: Diet-induced weight loss in women with lipedema can improve QoL. An energy-restricted LCD seems to be superior to a standard control diet in reducing pain., (© 2024 The Authors. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society.)

Background: We evaluated anxiety, pain, and oral-health-related quality of life in individuals treated with conventional fixed appliances (Group A) and clear aligners (Group B) for moderate malocclusion during the initial phase of orthodontic treatment., Methods: Sixty individuals, separated into Group A (n = 30) and Group B (n = 30), were included in the study. They completed the Anxiety Levels, Oral Health Impact Profile-14, and Oral Health Related Quality of Life - United Kingdom/Surveys after the application of attachments on days 0 (T1), 10 (T10), and 20 (T20). Their pain levels were evaluated with the Visual Analogue Scale on days 0, 2, and 6 in the 2nd and 6th hours and on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st days., Results: Per the VAS questionnaire, pain levels in the 2nd hour, 6th hour, 1st day, and 3rd day were significantly lower in Group B than in Group A. In the OHIP-14 survey results, the comparison between Group A and Group B showed a significant difference only on the 1st day. The STAI and OHRQoL-UK survey results did not differ significantly between the groups., Conclusions: We found no significant difference between the two groups in terms of anxiety levels, and pain among individuals in Group A was higher than in Group B only at the beginning of the treatment. No significant differences were observed in terms of individuals' quality of life., Trial Registration: NCT06133296 (retrospectively registered)- Registration Date:15/11/2023., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Atopic Dermatitis® (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense itching and highly visible signs, representing a great burden to the patient. Despite its straightforward diagnosis, AD severity and burden can be underestimated in routine clinical practice. This review aims to determine the impact of AD on patients' lives, establish which domains of life are most affected, and identify symptom drivers of AD burden. A systematic literature review was conducted in Pubmed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus following Cochrane and PRISMA recommendations. Observational studies published in English or Spanish between January 1, 2018, and August 31, 2022, evaluating the impact of AD and its symptoms from the patient's perspective, were included. Reviewed studies were assessed for quality following the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology Checklist. A total of 28 observational studies evaluating the impact of AD and its symptoms from the patient's perspective were included in the review. All domains of the AD patient's life were found to be greatly affected, including health-related quality of life (HRQoL), emotional health, sleep disorders, work impairment, health care resource utilization, cognitive function, and development of comorbidities. The more severe the disease, the greater the impact, worsening in patients with moderate and severe AD. Pruritus and pain are reported to be the disease symptoms with the greatest impact. In conclusion, AD impacts several domains of patients' lives, especially HRQoL and mental health. Pruritus and pain are identified as the main drivers of AD impact, suggesting that optimal symptom control may reduce the burden and improve disease management.

Purpose: Pain in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a highly prevalent non-motor symptom occurring in this population. The King's PD Pain Scale (KPPS) was developed to assess pain in people with PD. This study aimed to provide a cross-cultural adaptation and translation of the KPPS into the Arabic language (A-KPPS), and to investigate the construct and convergent validity, internal consistency, and reliability of the translated scale., Materials and Methods: The English KPPS was translated into Arabic and back-translated into English by an independent translation team. The Arabic version was tested in 103 native Arabic speaking PD patients. We assessed construct validity, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability of the A-KPPS using factor analysis method, comparison with other valid and reliable measures, and using intra-class correlations, respectively., Results: The A-KPPS had three main factors "somatic pain", "visceral and burning pain" and "orofacial pain", rather than the original four factors scale. The A-KPPS correlated with measures of disease motor severity, depression, anxiety, quality of life and pain ( p  < 0.05). Furthermore, the A-KPPS total score had high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.9)., Conclusions: The A-KPPS demonstrated moderate to good validity and reliability. The A-KPPS can facilitate the assessment and treatment of pain in Arabic-speaking people with PD worldwide.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, analytical study design using a conveneient sampling strategy., Objectives: To examine the interrelationship between pain, life satisfaction and indices of negative mental well-being amongst the traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) population., Setting: Western Cape Rehabilitation Center in Cape Town, South Africa., Methods: Participants (n = 70) were adults (mean age of 36.3, SD = 9.2) with TSCI. Participants completed the following instruments: 10 satisfaction items from the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version, short forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, a one-item measure of pain intensity taken from the International Spinal Cord Injury Pain Basic Data Set and the interference scale of the Brief Pain Inventory., Results: Correlational analysis (Pearson r) demonstrated that all the indices of mental well-being as well as the two indices of pain was significantly negatively related to life satisfaction. In addition, life satisfaction mediated the relationship between pain intensity and depression as well as anxiety. Life satisfaction only mediated the relationship between pain interference and depression but not anxiety., Conclusions: An improvement in life satisfaction may lead to improvements in pain interference, pain intensity as well as psychological distress, amongst persons suffering from TSCI Future research should focus on assessing measures/treatment which may improve life satisfaction in the TSCI population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: While fatigue is an extremely common complaint of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the information on factors influencing SLE fatigue in the long term is still limited. This study aims to investigate the actual level of physical activity in the daily life of SLE outpatients and its association with fatigue., Methods: In a cross-sectional survey on 93 SLE outpatients we combined clinical assessment with questionnaires to comprehensively assess SLE fatigue, its impact on function and health-related quality of life (hrQoL), and potential contributing factors, with particular emphasis on physical activity., Results: Fatigue by visual analogue scores and FACIT fatigue scores correlated closely (r=-0.61, p<0.0001). We analysed fatigue in three patient groups, defined by both VAS and FACIT score, as those with severe fatigue, moderate fatigue, and less fatigue. Severe fatigue was associated with greatly diminished hrQoL. SLE patients regularly doing sports showed significantly lower fatigue values than those not doing sports; dog owners were less fatigued than other patients. Fatigue values were not significantly different between employed and unemployed patients. Severe fatigue was also associated with more pain and with shorter sleep duration and worse quality of sleep., Discussion: This study finds a clear association of fatigue with physical activity, but also with pain and sleep disturbance, and reiterates the impact of fatigue on the SLE patients' quality of life.

This study analyses the effects of a continuous quality improvement nursing model on wound pain at the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) puncture site in patients undergoing haemodialysis. Forty haemodialysis patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, from September 2020 to December 2022, were selected as study subjects. They were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group. The control group received conventional nursing care, while the observation group was treated with a continuous quality improvement nursing model. The study compared the impact of these nursing approaches on pain intensity post-AVF puncture, wound visual analogue scale scores, self-rating anxiety scale, self-rating depression scale, quality of life scores and patient satisfaction with nursing care. In the observation group, the proportion of patients experiencing moderate to severe pain during AVF puncture was lower than that in the control group, whereas the proportion of patients with no pain or mild pain was higher (P = 0.008). After nursing, the observation group exhibited significantly lower wound visual analogue scale scores, self-rating anxiety scale scores, and self-rating depression scale scores compared to the control group (P < 0.001), with a significantly higher quality of life score (P < 0.05). The nursing satisfaction rate was 95.00% in the observation group, significantly higher than the 65.00% in the control group (P = 0.018). The continuous quality improvement nursing model significantly reduces wound pain at the AVF puncture site in haemodialysis patients, alleviates negative emotions, enhances the quality of life, and achieves high patient satisfaction. It is thus a highly recommendable approach in nursing practice., (© 2024 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims: To evaluate longitudinal patient-reported quality of life (QoL) in patients treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for oligometastases., Materials and Methods: The SABR-5 trial was a population-based single-arm phase II study of SABR to up to five sites of oligometastases, conducted in six regional cancer centres in British Columbia, Canada from 2016 to 2020. Prospective QoL was measured using treatment site-specific QoL questionnaires at pre-treatment baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 30 and 36 months after treatment. Patients with bone metastases were assessed with the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Patients with liver, adrenal and abdominopelvic lymph node metastases were assessed with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Abdominal Discomfort (FACIT-AD). Patients with lung and intrathoracic lymph node metastases were assessed with the Prospective Outcomes and Support Initiative (POSI) lung questionnaire. The two one-sided test procedure was used to assess equivalence between the worst QoL score and the baseline score of individual patients. The mean QoL at all time points was used to determine the trajectory of QoL response after SABR. The proportion of patients with 'stable', 'improved' or 'worsened' QoL was determined for all time points based on standard minimal clinically important differences (MCID; BPI worst pain = 2, BPI functional interference score [FIS] = 0.5, FACIT-AD Trial Outcome Index [TOI] = 8, POSI = 3)., Results: All enrolled patients with baseline QoL assessment and at least one follow-up assessment were analysed (n = 133). On equivalence testing, the patients' worst QoL scores were clinically different from baseline scores and met MCID (BPI worst pain mean difference: 1.8, 90% confidence interval 1.19 to 2.42]; BPI FIS mean difference: 1.68, 90% confidence interval 1.15 to 2.21; FACIT-AD TOI mean difference: -8.76, 90% confidence interval -11.29 to -6.24; POSI mean difference: -4.61, 90% confidence interval -6.09 to -3.14). However, the mean FIS transiently worsened at 9, 18 and 21 months but eventually returned to stable levels. The mean FACIT and POSI scores also worsened at 36 months, albeit with a limited number of responses (n = 4 and 8, respectively). Most patients reported stable QoL at all time points (range: BPI worst pain 71-82%, BPI FIS 45-78%, FACIT-AD TOI 50-100%, POSI 25-73%). Clinically significant stability, worsening and improvement were seen in 70%/13%/18% of patients at 3 months, 53%/28%/19% at 18 months and 63%/25%/13% at 36 months., Conclusions: Transient decreases in QoL that met MCID were seen between patients' worst QoL scores and baseline scores. However, most patients experienced stable QoL relative to pre-treatment levels on long-term follow-up. Further studies are needed to characterise patients at greatest risk for decreased QoL., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) comprises a group of rare genetic diseases characterized by neurovisceral crises that are manifested by abdominal pain and neurological and/or psychological symptoms that interfere with the ability to lead a normal life. Our objective was to determine the burden of the disease in one year and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with AHP., Results: 28 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 36.6±10.2 years, 89.3% were women, and the average number of crises was 1.9±1.5. The average annual cost per patient was €38,255.40. 80.2% of the costs was direct medical costs, 17.5% was associated with loss of productivity and 2.3% was direct non-medical costs. 85.9% of the total cost corresponded to the crises. The intercrisis period accounted for the remaining 14.1%. The global index of the EQ-5D-5L (HRQoL) was 0.75±0.24. The dimensions of pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression and daily activities were the most affected. Leisure, travel/vacations and household activities were the most affected daily activities. 53.6% of patients required a caregiver due to AHP. 92.9% did not present overload and 7.1% presented extreme overload., Conclusions: Patients with AHP are associated with a high economic impact and an affected HRQoL in the pain/discomfort dimension, with a negative impact on the performance of daily activities and a risk of psychiatric diseases., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Bones are frequent sites of metastatic disease, observed in 30-75% of advanced cancer patients. Quality of life (QoL) is an important endpoint in studies evaluating the treatments of bone metastases (BM), and many patient-reported outcome tools are available. The primary objective of this systematic review was to compile a list of QoL issues relevant to BM and its interventions. The secondary objective was to identify common tools used to assess QoL in patients with BM, and the QoL issues they fail to address., Methods: A search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases between 1946 and 27 January 2023 with the keywords "bone metastases", "quality of life", and "patient reported outcomes". Specific QoL issues in original research studies and the QoL tools used were extracted., Results: The review identified the QoL issues most prevalent to BM in the literature. Physical and functional issues observed in patients included pain, interference with ambulation and daily activities, and fatigue. Psychological symptoms, such as helplessness, depression, and anxiety were also common. These issues interfered with patients' relationships and social activities. Items not mentioned in existing QoL tools were related to newer treatments of BM, such as pain flare, flu-like symptoms, and jaw pain due to osteonecrosis., Conclusions: This systematic review highlights that QoL issues for patients with BM have expanded over time due to advances in BM-directed treatments. If they are relevant, additional treatment-related QoL issues identified need to be validated prospectively by patients and added to current assessment tools., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of internal fixation with locking compression plates (LCP) in the treatment of patients with extremity fractures and the effect on the recovery of limb function. A total of 488 patients with extremity fractures admitted to our hospital from June 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed and divided into open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) group (n = 236) and internal fixation with LCP group (n = 252) according to the surgical procedure. Outcome indicators included intraoperative bleeding, operative time, length of hospital stay, pain duration, quality of life, healing time of the fracture, postoperative complications, and restoration of limb function as per the X-ray examination results and Johner-Wruhs criteria. Self-rating Depression Scale and Self-rating Anxiety Scale were used to evaluate the changes of patients' negative emotions before and after treatment. LCP group was associated with significantly less intraoperative bleeding and shorter operative time, length of hospital stays, and pain duration compared with ORIF group (P < .05). Compared with ORIF group, LCP group provided more rapid fracture healing in tibial fractures, ulnar fractures, radial fractures, and external ankle fractures (P < .05). Compared with the ORIF group, patients in the LCP group showed better quality of life in terms of physical, psychological and social functions after surgery (P < .05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the LCP group was significantly lower than that in the ORIF group (19.92% vs 7.14%, P < .001). The Self-rating Depression Scale and Self-rating Anxiety Scale scores of the LCP group were lower than those of the ORIF group (P < .05). The recovery of limb function was significantly better in the LCP group than in the ORIF group (97.22% vs 85.17%, P < .001). The overall satisfaction rate of treatment in the LCP group was higher than that in the ORIF group (92.06% vs 81.90%, P < .001). Internal fixation with LCP in patients with extremity fractures can effectively promote the recovery of limb function, reduce the incidence of complications and improve the quality of life of patients., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction: Stent related symptom (SRS) is the most common adverse effect of ureteral stenting. In recent years, many efforts have been made to develope modified ureteral stents to ameliorate SRS. It has been reported that intraureteral stents have the potential to improve the tail end adverse effect of the bladder and alleviate SRS. However, there still lack of evidence for the efficacy and the safety of clinically applying intraureteral stents. The aim of this work is to investigate the efficacy and safety of intraureteral stents., Evidence Acquisition: A systematic review was performed by using the PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library. The studies published before February 2023 were included. The study selection was following the guideline from Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). The searching strategy was: "Pigtail suture stent" OR "Intra-ureteric stent" OR "Suture Stent" OR "Intraureteral stent" AND "Ureteroscopy" OR "Urinary calculi" OR "Stent-related symptoms" OR "Lower urinary tract symptoms". The data from randomized clinical trials which meet the selection criteria were extracted. Revman 5.4 was employed to proceed the meta-analysis., Evidence Synthesis: A total of six randomized clinical trials of intraureteral stents were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. According to the different investigation time, the results could be divided into four stages: early-stage, middle-stage, late-stage, and long-term evaluation. Urinary symptoms, pain score, and general health were significantly improved in intraureteral stents group at middle stage. For late-stage, intraureteral stent achieved better outcomes in urinary symptoms index, VAS score, quality of life, general health, and pain score. However, for early-stage and long-term evaluation, there was no significant difference between two groups., Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis reveal that regardless of the stage of treatment, the efficacy and safety of intraureteral stent are no worse than that of conventional stent. During 7-14 days postoperation, which is the most commonly time for clinically using ureteral stent, most of the outcomes of intraureteral stent are better than those of conventional stent. Hence, it is confirmed that intraureteral stent is worth for more clinical study and application.

Background: Poststroke pain remains underdiagnosed and inadequately managed. To inform the optimum time to initiate interventions, we examined prevalence, trajectory, and participant factors associated with poststroke pain., Methods: Eligible studies from the VISTA (Virtual International Stroke Trials Archives) included an assessment of pain. Analyses of individual participant data examined demography, pain, mobility, independence, language, anxiety/depression, and vitality. Pain assessments were standardized to the European Quality of Life Scale (European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 3 Level) pain domain, describing no, moderate, or extreme pain. We described pain prevalence, associations between participant characteristics, and pain using multivariable models., Results: From 94 studies (n>48 000 individual participant data) in VISTA, 10 (n=10 002 individual participant data) included a pain assessment. Median age was 70.0 years (interquartile range [59.0-77.1]), 5560 (55.6%) were male, baseline stroke severity was National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 10 (interquartile range [7-15]). Reports of extreme pain ranged between 3% and 9.5% and were highest beyond 2 years poststroke (31/328 [9.5%]); pain trajectory varied by study. Poorer independence was significantly associated with presence of moderate or extreme pain (5 weeks-3 months odds ratio [OR], 1.5 [95% CI, 1.4-1.6]; 4-6 months OR, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.3-2.1]; >6 months OR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2-2.0]), and increased severity of pain (5 weeks-3 months: OR, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.1-1.2]; 4-6 months OR, 1.1 [95% CI, 1.1-1.2]; >6 months, OR, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.1-1.2]), after adjusting for covariates. Anxiety/depression and lower vitality were each associated with pain severity., Conclusions: Between 3% and 9.5% of participants reported extreme poststroke pain; the presence and severity of pain were independently associated with dependence at each time point. Future studies could determine whether and when interventions may reduce the prevalence and severity of poststroke pain., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr Pandyan has no personal disclosures, and he is employed by Bournemouth University and sits on the Board for the following: Wessex AHSN, ARC Wessex, and Wessex Health Partners. Dr Brady and the NMAHP Research Unit are funded by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO), Scotland. Dr Quinn was supported by Bayer for nonpromotional conference travel and holds an investigator-initiated research grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer on atrial fibrillation. The CSO supported his salary with a Senior Clinical Lecturer Fellowship and Program Grant. The other authors report no conflicts.

Chronic illness experiences often interfere with daily functioning (a concept known as illness intrusiveness) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, less is known about the role of specific symptoms in predicting illness intrusiveness in sickle cell disease (SCD). This exploratory study examined associations between common SCD-related symptoms (i.e., pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety), illness intrusiveness, and HRQoL among adults with SCD (n = 60). Illness intrusiveness significantly correlated with fatigue severity (r = .39, p = .002), depression severity (r = .45, p < .001), anxiety severity (r = .41, p = .001), physical HRQoL (r = - .53, p < .001), and mental HRQoL (r = - .44, p < .001). Multiple regression revealed a significant overall model, (R 2  = .28, F(4, 55) = 5.21, p = .001), with fatigue, but not pain, depression, or anxiety, significantly predicting illness intrusiveness (β = .29, p = .036). Results suggest that fatigue may be a primary factor contributing to illness intrusiveness-a determinant of HRQoL-in individuals with SCD. Given the limited sample size, larger confirmatory studies are warranted., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) causes morphological changes in the pancreatic tissue, leading to complications and pain, which may require endoscopic interventions., Objective: Our aim was to determine the frequency of endoscopic procedures (EP) in CP patients and to analyse pain and quality of life (QoL) in these patients after their EP., Methods: This study included 1327 CP patients from the Scandinavian Baltic Pancreatic Club (SBPC) database including four countries and eight centres. We analysed patients undergoing EPs and gathered information on the EP, pancreatic function, pain, disease and duration. The EORTC C-30 QoL questionnaire was gathered prospectively and multivariable analysis was conducted on independent parameters between the groups. The reference population had no interventions (n = 870)., Results: 260 CP patients (22%) underwent EPs, median one year (range 0-39 years) after CP diagnosis. 68% were males. The median age was 59 (20-90) years. Most common aetiological factors were alcohol in 65% and smoking in 71%. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was used in 6% of the CP population and in 21% of the EP group. Biliary duct stenting was performed on 37% and pancreatic stenting was performed on 56% of the patients. There was no difference in pain patterns between patients who had pancreatic stenting and the reference population. The EP group had slightly better QoL (p = 0.047), functioning and fewer symptoms than the reference population, in the multivariable analysis there was no interaction effect analysis between the groups. The pancreatic stent group had better QoL and the same amount of pain than the reference group. The patients who needed later surgery (23%) had more pain (p = 0.043) and fatigue (p = 0.021)., Conclusions: One in five of the CP patients underwent EP. These patients scored higher on QoL responses and had better symptom scores. CP patients who had pancreatic stenting performed had the same pain patterns as the reference population. Randomised prospective trials are needed to determine the effect of endoscopy procedures on CP patients., (© 2023 The Authors. United European Gastroenterology Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of United European Gastroenterology.)

Objectives: Regaining and maintaining sternal stability are key to recovery after cardiac surgery and resuming baseline quality of life. Montage (ABYRX) is a moldable, calcium phosphate-based putty that adheres to bleeding bone, hardens after application, and is resorbed and replaced with bone during the remodeling process. We evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of enhanced sternal closure with this novel putty to accelerate recovery in patients after sternotomy., Methods: A single-center, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial was performed (NCT03365843). Patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery via sternotomy received sternal closure with either Montage bone putty and wire cerclage (enhanced sternal closure; n = 33) or wire cerclage alone (control; n = 27). Standardized patient-reported outcomes assessed health-related quality of life (EQ-5D Index) and physical disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire). A Likert-type 11-point scale quantified pain. Spirometry assessed respiratory function. Patients reached 6-week follow-up, with 1-year follow-up for safety end points., Results: There were no device-related adverse events. Enhanced sternal closure improved physical functional recovery (reduced Healthcare Index and Quality) and quality of life (increased EQ-5D Index) at day 5/discharge, week 2, and week 4. Enhanced sternal closure reduced incisional pain while resting, breathing, sleeping, and walking at day 5/discharge. Enhanced sternal closure reduced chest wall and back pain at day 3 and day 5 discharge. A higher proportion of patients with enhanced sternal closure recovered to 60% of their baseline forced vital capacity by day 5/discharge. Enhanced sternal closure shortened hospital stay., Conclusions: Enhanced sternal closure improves and accelerates postoperative recovery compared with conventional wire closure. Earlier discharge may provide substantial cost benefits for the healthcare system., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pain and fatigue are among the most common and impactful complications of sickle cell disease (SCD). Individuals with SCD are also more likely to have neurocognitive deficits. Previous studies have suggested that pain and fatigue might influence neurocognitive functioning in patients with SCD. However, these studies are limited by small sample sizes and inadequate measurement of cognitive performance. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between pain and fatigue with neurocognitive functioning using performance-based measures of neurocognition. Pain and fatigue were not associated with neurocognitive performance. Implications and directions for future research are discussed., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Intractable arteriovenous access (AVA)-related pain can not only lead to abandonment of a well-functioning AVA, but can also cause hemodialysis (HD) patients to be unwilling to accept, interrupt, or withdraw from HD. Such pain primarily derives from nociceptive and neuropathic factors caused by mechanical stimulation of needle cannulation; however, this might be related to psychosocial factors making it difficult for patients to accept their dependency on HD. Furthermore, the pain can be complicated by the interaction of biological and psychosocial factors, which hampers appropriate pain management and treatment. However, there have been few investigations pertaining to this matter. Herein, we describe the case of an HD patient who experienced chronic refractory AVA-related pain during a 32-month period of HD sessions, which occasionally caused treatment interruption. After clinical inquiry, physical evaluation, and ultrasonographic assessment of the blood circulation and cutaneous nerves in the ipsilateral upper limb to the radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula in the anatomical snuffbox, we diagnosed the patient with primarily psychosocially driven pain in consultation with an experienced pain clinician. A single, pain-free HD session under ultrasound-guided sensory nerve blocks in the upper limb markedly relieved her pain, followed by HD sessions with subtle but acceptable pain. This report provides insights into the mechanism underlying the vicious cycle of AVA-related pain, including the psychosocial aspects that might trigger such pain, as well as into the importance of treating such pain to improve the patient's quality of life, and underscores the need for cooperation of experts engaged in HD and pain management., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Pain is a major factor in the psychosocial impact of psoriasis. There is a paucity of qualitative reports of dermatologists' views on psoriasis-related pain., Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the views of dermatologists on the presence and importance of pain associated with psoriasis., Methods: This qualitative study, based on semi-structured interviews, included dermatologists from different cities working in the hospital and private sector in Croatia between May and July, 2022. We collected demographic and occupational data on participants and information about their experiences and attitudes toward psoriasis-related pain. Data were analysed by applying interpretative descriptive and thematic analysis using the 4-stage method for systematic text condensation., Results: We included 19 dermatologists, all women, aged 38 (range: 31 to 63 years). Most dermatologists acknowledged the presence of pain in patients with psoriasis. They indicated that they sometimes do not sufficiently address this pain in daily practice. Some indicated that pain was a neglected symptom in psoriasis, while for others it was not crucial. Most indicated that it is necessary to focus more on psoriasis-related pain in clinical practice, to disambiguate between skin pain and joint pain in psoriatic conditions, and to better educate family physicians about psoriasis-related pain. They emphasized the importance of considering pain during psoriatic patient assessment and management. Further research on psoriasis-related pain was suggested., Conclusions: More emphasis is needed on psoriasis-related pain for effective management of psoriasis, informing decision-making in the context of patient-centric care and improving the quality of life in patients with psoriasis., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Patients' pain beliefs are the main obstacle to effective pain management. Assessing and correcting negative perceptions is important for improving pain intensity and quality of life of patients with cancer pain., Aims: To explore pain beliefs among oral cancer patients using the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation as a theoretical framework. The primary components of the model, cognitive representations, emotional representations, and coping responses, were examined., Design: A qualitative method was used., Settings: PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS:   METHODS: Semi-structured, qualitative, in-depth interviews were conducted with patients newly diagnosed with oral cancer in a tertiary care hospital. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: Interviews with 15 patients revealed that the pain beliefs of patients with oral cancer included three themes: pain cognitive representations of oral cancer, pain emotional representations of oral cancer, and pain coping responses., Conclusions: Negative pain beliefs are common among oral cancer patients. This novel application of the self-regulatory model demonstrates that it can be used to capture the key pain beliefs (i.e., cognitions, emotions, and coping responses) of oral cancer patients within a single, unifying framework., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, the use of topical morphine gel has increased in the palliative care setting to reduce pain in chronic wounds and fungating tumours. However, there is a paucity of evidence to support its effectiveness. Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic skin fragility disorder characterised by painful chronic wounds. Adequate control of wound pain can be challenging in this patient group due to other complexities associated with the more severe sub-types of the disease. Topical morphine gel has been used as an adjunct therapy in a small number of EB patients in our tertiary centre in an attempt to improve pain control and quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the efficacy of topical morphine gel used in a variety of EB wounds as well as patient reported reduction in pain through a series of case studies. The case studies suggest a positive effect of topical morphine gel on painful wounds across a spectrum of EB subtypes., (© 2022 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc (3M) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) has a negative impact on quality of life (QoL). Because CP is a chronic condition, multiple assessments of QoL are required to obtain a thorough understanding of its impact on patients. Such studies are currently lacking. This study aims to gain insight into the course and predictors of QoL in patients with CP using prospective longitudinal data from a large cohort of patients., Methods: Post hoc analysis of consecutive patients with definite CP registered in a prospective database between 2011 and 2019 in the Netherlands. Patient and disease characteristics, nutritional status, pain severity, medication usage, pancreatic function, and pancreatic interventions were assessed from medical records and through standard follow-up questionnaires. The physical and mental component summary scales of the Short-Form 36 were used to assess physical and mental QoL at baseline and during follow-up. The course of both physical and mental QoL and their associated factors were longitudinally assessed by using generalized linear mixed models., Results: Overall, 1,165 patients with definite CP were included for this analysis. During 10-year follow-up, generalized linear mixed model analyses revealed improvements in both physical (41.6-45.2, P < 0.001) and mental (45.9-46.6, P = 0.047) QoL. Younger age, current alcohol consumption, employment, no need for dietetic consultation, no steatorrhea, lower Izbicki pain score, and pain coping mechanism were positively associated with physical QoL ( P < 0.05). For mental QoL, a positive correlation was found between employment, nonalcoholic CP, no need for dietetic consultation, no steatorrhea, lower Izbicki pain score, pain coping mechanism, and surgical treatment. No association was observed between disease duration and longitudinal QoL per patient., Discussion: This nationwide study provides insight into the dynamics of physical and mental QoL in patients with CP over time. Important and potentially influenceable factors to improve QoL are nutritional status, exocrine pancreatic function, employment status, and patients' coping strategy., (Copyright © 2023 by The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background and Purpose: Radiotherapy is considered a treatment option for Ledderhose disease. However, its benefits have never been confirmed in a randomised controlled trial. Therefore, the LedRad-study was conducted., Materials and Methods: The LedRad-study is a prospective multicentre randomised double-blind phase three trial. Patients were randomised to sham-radiotherapy (placebo) or radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was pain reduction at 12 months after treatment, measured with the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Secondary endpoints were pain reduction at 6 and 18 months after treatment, quality of life (QoL), walking abilities and toxicity., Results: A total of 84 patients were enrolled. At 12 and 18 months, patients in the radiotherapy group had a lower mean pain score compared to patients in the sham-radiotherapy group (2.5 versus 3.6 (p = 0.03) and 2.1 versus 3.4 (p = 0.008), respectively). Pain relief at 12 months was 74% in the radiotherapy group and 56% in the sham-radiotherapy group (p = 0.002). Multilevel testing for QoL scores showed higher QoL scores in the radiotherapy group compared to the sham-radiotherapy group (p < 0.001). Moreover, patients in the radiotherapy group had a higher mean walking speed and step rate with barefoot speed walking (p = 0.02). Erythema, skin dryness, burning sensations and increased pain were the most frequently reported side effects. These side effects were generally graded as mild (95%) and the majority (87%) were resolved at 18 months follow-up., Conclusion: Radiotherapy for symptomatic Ledderhose disease is an effective treatment resulting in a significant pain reduction, improvement of QoL scores and bare feet walking abilities, in comparison to sham-radiotherapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: P.M.N. Werker was a SERB member and is currently a DMC member of Fidia Ltd, Milan, Italy., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although short-course radiotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with painful bone metastases, pain is not always sufficiently controlled. We therefore investigated the additional effect of a nurse-led pain education program on pain control and quality of life (QoL)., Patients and Methods: In this multicenter study, patients with solid tumor bone metastases and a worst pain intensity of ≥5 on a 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS) were randomized between care as usual (control-group) and care as usual plus the Pain Education Program (PEP-group). PEP consisted of a structured interview and personalized education with follow-up phone calls. Patients completed the Brief Pain Inventory, EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL and BM22 at week 0, 1, 4, 8 and 12. The primary outcome was pain control, defined as the number of patients whose worst pain intensity was <5 on a 0-10 NRS after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were time to reach control of pain (NRS < 5), mean worst pain and average pain, and QoL at weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12., Results: Of 308 included patients, 182 (92 PEP-group) completed 12 weeks follow-up. At 12 weeks, more patients in the PEP-group (71%) compared to the control-group (52%) reported pain control (P =.008). In the PEP-group, pain control was reached earlier than in the control-group (median 29 days versus 56 days; P =.003). Mean worst and average pain decreased in both groups but decreased more in the PEP-group. QoL did not differ between the groups., Conclusion: The addition of PEP to care as usual for patients treated with radiotherapy for painful bone metastases resulted in less pain and faster pain control., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the association between endometriosis and women's health-related quality of life (HRQoL)., Study Design: This study included 3728 women born in 1973-78 using data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Women with endometriosis were identified using self-reported longitudinal surveys linked to administrative health records. A mixed effect model with only random intercept and generalised estimating equations with binary logistic regressions were used to examine the association between endometriosis and health-related quality of life over eight time points. Each HRQoL scale was analysed in terms of binary outcomes by comparing women who had a lower HRQoL (scoring below the 25th percentile) with those who had a higher HRQoL (scoring above the 25th percentile)., Main Outcome Measures: Women's HRQoL was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Survey every 3 years from 1996 to 2018., Results: Endometriosis was associated with significantly worse reports of HRQoL over time. In the comparison against women without endometriosis, the following adjusted odds ratios (95 % confidence intervals) were calculated for women with endometriosis having worse scores on the eight domains of the Short Form Survey: physical functioning 1.33 (1.19, 1.50), role physical 1.57 (1.41, 1.74), bodily pain 1.65 (1.48, 1.82), general health 1.61 (1.42, 1.81), vitality 1.38 (1.23, 1.55), social functioning 1.38 (1.25, 1.53), role emotion 1.19 (1.06, 1.33), mental health 1.32 (1.18, 1.48). Women with endometriosis also had significantly lower physical health 1.68 (1.51, 1.88) and mental health components scores 1.28 (1.14, 1.44)., Conclusions: Endometriosis is associated with worse physical, mental, and social functioning and well-being. Bodily pain was the most affected HRQoL domain., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no competing interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess whether non-pharmacologic conservative therapeutic interventions are beneficial in improving pain intensity and quality of life in women with endometriosis compared with placebo., Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was designed. A literature search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, PEDro, Embase, CINAHL, Isi Web of Science, Enfispo, and Cochrane. Randomized controlled trials included women with endometriosis treated with conservative treatment versus placebo. The quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the risk of bias of the individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. For the overall quality of the studies, the GRADE guidelines were used., Results: Meta-analysis included six studies. Significant results were obtained for pain intensity (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.21 to -0.57; I 2 69%) and concerning quality of life, significant results were only obtained for the sub-variable physical function (SMD -1.49; 95% CI -2.88 to -0.10; I 2 95%). No statistically significant differences were found for the rest of the variables analyzed., Conclusion: Non-pharmacologic conservative therapies are a therapeutic option for women with endometriosis for improving pain intensity and physical function., (© 2022 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Objective: Recent studies have highlighted that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by different types of symptoms: type 1 symptoms related to inflammation and disease activity and type 2 symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety-depression, and pain. Our aim was to investigate the relation between type 1 and type 2 symptoms, and their impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in SLE., Methods: A literature review was conducted about disease activity/type1 and type 2 symptoms. Articles in English published after 2000 were located on Medline via Pubmed. The articles chosen evaluated at least one type 2 symptom or HRQoL using a validated scale in adult patients., Results: Overall, 182 articles were analyzed and 115 were retained including 21 randomized, controlled trials and corresponding to 36 831 patients. We found that in SLE, inflammatory activity/type 1 symptoms were mostly uncorrelated with type 2 symptoms and/or HRQoL. Several studies even showing an inverse relationship. No or weak correlation was observed in 85, 3% (92, 6%), 76, 7% (74, 4%) and 37, 5% (73, 1%) of studies (patients) for fatigue, anxiety-depression, and pain, respectively. For HRQoL, no or weak correlation was observed in 77, 5% of studies (88% of patients)., Conclusion: Type 2 symptoms are poorly correlated with inflammatory activity/type 1 symptoms in SLE. Possible explanations and implications for clinical care and therapeutic evaluation are discussed.

Background: Ankle, hindfoot, and midfoot arthrodesis surgeries are standard procedures performed in orthopaedics to treat pain and functional disabilities. Although fusions can effectively improve pain and quality of life, nonunions remain a significant concern for surgeons. With the increased availability of computed tomography (CT), more surgeons rely on this modality for increased accuracy in determining whether a fusion was successful. The objective of this study was to report the rates of CT-confirmed fusion following ankle, hindfoot, or midfoot arthrodesis., Methods: A systematic review was performed using EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane central register from January 2000 to March 2020. Inclusion criteria included studies with adults (<18 years) that received 1 or multiple fusions of the ankle, hindfoot, or midfoot. At least 75% of the study cohort must have been evaluated by CT postoperatively. Basic information was collected, including journal, author, year published, and level of evidence. Other specific information was collected, including patient risk factors, fusion site, surgical technique and fixation, adjuncts, union rates, criteria for successful fusion (%), and time of CT. Once data were collected, a descriptive and comparative analysis was performed., Results: Included studies (26, n = 1300) had an overall CT-confirmed fusion rate of 78.7% (69.6-87.7). Individual joints had an overall fusion rate of 83.0% (73-92.9). The highest rate of union was in the talonavicular joint (TNJ)., Conclusion: These values are lower than previous studies, which found the same procedures to have greater than 90% fusion rates. With these updated figures, as confirmed by CT, surgeons will have better information for clinical decision making and when having informed consent conversations.

Background: Pain is common in children and its associations with various biopsychosocial factors is complex. Comprehensive pain assessments could contribute to a better understanding of pediatric pain, but these assessments are scarce in literature. The aim of this study was to examine differences in pain prevalence and pain patterns in 10-year-old boys and girls from a Swedish birth cohort and to study associations between pain, health-related quality of life and various lifestyle factors stratified by sex., Methods: 866 children (426 boys and 440 girls) and their parents from the "Halland Health and Growth Study" participated in this cross-sectional study. Children were categorized into two pain groups, "infrequent pain" (never-monthly pain) or "frequent pain" (weekly-almost daily pain), based on a pain mannequin. Univariate logistic regression analyses, stratified by sex, were performed to study associations between frequent pain and children's self-reports of disease and disability and health-related quality of life (Kidscreen-27, five domains), and parents' reports of their child's sleep (quality and duration), physical activity time, sedentary time, and participation in organized physical activities., Results: The prevalence of frequent pain was 36.5% with no difference between boys and girls (p = 0.442). Boys with a longstanding disease or disability had higher odds of being in the frequent pain group (OR 2.167, 95% CI 1.168-4.020). Higher scores on health-related quality of life in all five domains for girls, and in two domains for boys, was associated with lower odds of being categorized into the frequent pain group. Frequent pain was associated with poor sleep quality (boys OR 2.533, 95% CI 1.243-5.162; girls OR 2.803, 95% CI 1.276-6.158) and more sedentary time (boys weekends OR 1.131, 95% CI 1.022-1.253; girls weekdays OR 1.137, 95% CI 1.032-1.253), but not with physical activity., Conclusions: The high prevalence of frequent pain needs to be acknowledged and treated by school health-care services and the healthcare sector in order to prevent pain from influencing health and lifestyle factors negatively in children., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF) has a highly variable clinical course with varying intensity of symptoms. The objectives of this study were to identify subgroups of DTF patients based on physical symptom burden and to compare symptom burden subgroups on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and healthcare use (univariate and multivariate)., Methods: Desmoid-type fibromatosis patients from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands received cross-sectional questionnaires on HRQoL (EORTC QLQ-C30), DTF-specific HRQoL (DTF-QoL) and healthcare utilisation. Latent class cluster analysis was performed to identify subgroups based on patients' symptom burden using EORTC QLQ-C30 and DTF-QoL physical symptom items. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations of symptom burden with HRQoL and healthcare utilisation, respectively., Results: Among 235 DTF patients, four symptom burden clusters were identified, with low symptom burden (24%), intermediate symptom burden-low pain (20%), intermediate symptom burden-high pain (25%) and high symptom burden (31%). DTF patients with high symptom burden had clinically relevant lower HRQoL scores compared to patients with low and intermediate symptom burden (p < 0.001) and reported more general and DTF-related visits to their general practitioner compared to the low symptom burden cluster (p < 0.01). In the multivariate analyses, symptom burden was independently associated with both HRQoL and healthcare utilisation., Conclusions: This study identified four distinct subgroups of DTF patients based on their level of symptom burden, with a considerable number of patients being highly symptomatic. Knowledge of the level of symptom burden DTF patients experience can help to identify patients at risk of poorer outcomes and tailor supportive care to the individual needs of DTF patients., (© 2023 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Patients with palliative-stage cancer often suffer from a variety of debilitating symptoms which have been shown to appear in clusters. It is suggested that cytokines cause many such symptoms, and elevated cytokine production has been shown to correlate with symptoms. However, symptom clusters have not been thoroughly analyzed in relation to cytokine clusters. The aim of the present study was to identify symptom clusters and cytokine clusters in Swedish cancer patients, and to investigate correlations between the identified symptom clusters and cytokine clusters., Methods: The EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative Care questionnaire was completed by 110 cancer patients, with blood samples taken at two time points four weeks apart. Meso scale discovery (MSD) assays were used to analyze 23 cytokines. Statistical analysis was performed using principal component analysis (PCA) of symptoms and cytokines, followed by correlation analysis of the obtained clusters., Results: Three symptom clusters were identified: (I) pain-sleep disorder, (II) gastro-intestinal-fatigue, (III) physical functioning. The cytokines were divided into three clusters that can be characterized as (I) pro-tumorigenic, (II) cell-mediated immune response and (III) proinflammatory. At the second time point, a fourth cytokine cluster was isolated (IV) immunostimulation. Correlations were found at both time points between the proinflammatory cytokine cluster and the physical functioning symptom cluster, and at the week four time point between the proinflammatory cytokine cluster and the gastro-intestinal-fatigue symptom cluster., Conclusions: We show a correlation between symptom clusters and the proinflammatory cytokine cluster. Proinflammatory cytokines are known to cause symptoms that resemble palliative cancer symptoms. Increased knowledge of biochemical processes and their effect on patients' wellbeing may give clues for counteracting symptoms that affect quality of life (QOL) in palliative cancer care.

Background: Health-related quality of life has emerged as a significant component in pediatric oncology research during the last several decades. Measures of health-related quality of life provide a thorough assessment of the child's response to medical therapy, disease course, and adjustment outcomes in the context of pediatric oncology., Methods: The aim of the present study was to assess the cancer-specific health-related quality of life in cancer pediatric patients and to evaluate the contribution of its domains and some of the anthropometric, sociodemographic, and treatment-related variables on the overall quality of life, by using the PedsQL™ 3.0 Cancer Module., Results: The study included 110 cases. The mean value of the PedsQL™ 3.0 Cancer Module score was 49.3 ± 12.0. The lowest mean score of quality of life was for the "procedure anxiety" (8.7 ± 23.9), followed by the "worry" domains (16.6 ± 28.5). Higher "frequency of hospital visits" was associated with increased feeling of pain and treatment anxiety yet decrease in suffering from nausea and vice versa. The longer period of hospital admission for more than half of the recommended treatment period was associated with reduced pain suffering on the expense of increase in feeling of worry as well as communication problems. The perceived physical appearance was better among those patients who spent a treatment period for 3-6 months when compared to those who spent a treatment period less than 3 months or more than 6 months. There was a highly significant association between all the eight-cancer-specific quality-of-life domains except the pain domain- and the overall quality-of-life log scores. Nausea problem followed by worry and cognitive problems was the most effective domains on the overall quality-of-life score., Conclusion: Cancer pediatric patients suffered low quality of life especially for anxiety procedure and worry domains with special consideration for the impact of nausea, worry, and cognitive problems on their perception of quality of life., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Study Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive study., Objectives: To investigate the demographic, clinical behavioral, and rehabilitation predictors of the quality of life (QoL) of people with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D) in a middle-income country., Method: Ninety-five participants living in the community were evaluated with the following instruments: World Health Organization Quality of Life - Bref; International SCI Core DataSet; Clinical Interview; Spinal Cord Secondary Conditions Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire; Numerical Pain Intensity Scale; Short-Form 12 Health Survey - Item 8 (how much pain hinders activities); Patient Health Questionnaire 2, Numerical Fatigue Scale. Data were analyzed via Spearman correlation, univariate analysis, and multiple regression to explain the effects associated with quality-of-life predictors., Results: The main factors that decreased quality of life were fatigue (by 11.5%), depression (by 5.5-12.8%), pain (by 1.3 in total life quality, in the physical domain by 8.6-9.6%), sores (15.6% in the physical domain only). The practice of sports increased the total quality of life by 14.4%, in the physical domain by 11.9%, in the psychological domain by 17.2%, and in the social domain by 23.7%., Conclusions: Fatigue, risk of depression, pain, and the presence of sores are predictors of poor quality of life, and sports are a predictor of a better quality of life, for people with spinal cord injury. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation, in addition to policies, to increase accessibility and social inclusion, and incentives or subsidies for the practice of sports could improve QoL following SCI/D., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Spinal Cord Society.)

Objective: To conduct a long-term retrospective evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of sialographic balloon dilatation in Stensen's duct stenosis (SDS)., Study Design: Retrospective cohort., Setting: Single-institution academic tertiary referral center., Methods: All SDS balloon dilatations (SSBDs) performed from 2011 to 2017 were monitored. Pain relief was evaluated by a numeric rating scale at 3-year follow-up at least. Long-term glandular swelling frequency patterns, quality of life (QoL), and drug consumption were retrospectively assessed. Procedure-related complications were recorded., Results: Twenty-one SSBD procedures were recorded (mean ± SD age, 55 ± 12 years), all performed under local anesthesia. SSBD led to complete dilatation in 7 patients (33%), residual stenosis in 8 (38%), and no dilatation (failure) in 6 (29%). Retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes was possible for 17 patients, 71% of whom presented with long-term pain relief, at a mean relief of 3.2 points on the numeric rating scale (P < .001). Long after SSBD, patients presented with a mean decrease of 15.4 glandular swellings per month (P < .001). Medical consumption was reduced to 18% of patients taking some drugs because of SDS after SSBD vs 71% before. SSBD showed an impact on QoL in >80% of patients, with mean improvements of 26% and 25% in the percentage point reduction of physical and mental QoL, respectively (P < .001). No complications were noted except temporary discomfort due to the procedure., Conclusion: Despite the advent of sialendoscopy-guided techniques, SSBD should be considered for SDS treatment, as it is a safe procedure and provides sustained pain relief., (© 2022 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.)

Background: Over 90% of patients with cancer experience 1 or more symptoms caused directly by cancer or its treatment. These symptoms negatively impact on the completion of planned treatment as well as patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). It often results in serious complications and even life-threatening outcomes. Thus, it has been recommended that surveillance of symptom burden should be performed and managed during cancer treatment. However, differences in symptom profiles in various patients with cancer have not been fully elucidated for use in performing surveillance in the real world., Objective: This study aims to evaluate the burden of symptoms in patients with various types of cancers during chemotherapy or radiation therapy using the PRO-CTCAE (Patient-Reported Outcome Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) and its impact on quality of life., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of patients undergoing outpatient-based chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both at the National Cancer Center at Goyang or at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Korea between December 2017 and January 2018. To evaluate cancer-specific symptom burden, we developed 10 subsets for using the PRO-CTCAE-Korean. To measure HRQoL, we used the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Participants answered questions prior to their clinic appointments on tablets. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze symptoms based on cancer type and to evaluate the association between the PRO-CTCAE items and the EORTC QLQ-C30 summary score., Results: The mean age (SD) of the patients was 55.0 (11.9) years, and 39.94% (540/1352) were male. Overall, symptoms in the gastrointestinal category were the most dominant in all cancers. Fatigue (1034/1352, 76.48%), decreased appetite (884/1352, 65.38%), and numbness and tingling (778/1352, 57.54%) were the most frequently reported. Patients reported more local symptoms caused by a specific cancer. In terms of nonsite-specific symptoms, patients commonly reported concentration (587/1352, 43.42%), anxiety (647/1352, 47.86%), and general pain (605/1352, 44.75%). More than 50% of patients with colorectal (69/127, 54.3%), gynecologic (63/112, 56.3%), breast (252/411, 61.3%), and lung cancers (121/234, 51.7%) experienced decreased libido, whereas 67/112 (59.8%) patients with gynecologic cancer and lymphoma/myeloma reported pain during sexual intercourse. Patients with breast, gastric, and liver cancers were more likely to have the hand-foot syndrome. Worsening PRO-CTCAE scores were associated with poor HRQoL (eg, fatigue: coefficient -8.15; 95% CI -9.32 to -6.97), difficulty in achieving and maintaining erection (coefficient -8.07; 95% CI -14.52 to -1.61), poor concentration (coefficient -7.54; 95% CI -9.06 to -6.01), and dizziness (coefficient -7.24; 95% CI -8.92 to -5.55)., Conclusions: The frequency and severity of symptoms differed by cancer types. Higher symptom burden was associated with poor HRQoL, which suggests the importance of appropriate surveillance of PRO symptoms during cancer treatment. Considering patients had comprehensive symptoms, it is necessary to include a holistic approach in the symptom monitoring and management strategies based on comprehensive patient-reported outcome measurements., (©Danbee Kang, Sooyeon Kim, Hyunsoo Kim, Mangyeong Lee, Sun-Young Kong, Yoon Jung Chang, Sung Hoon Sim, Yeon-Joo Kim, Juhee Cho. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 08.03.2023.)

Aims: The aims of this population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal study were to investigate different aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP), to define possible changes in HRQoL from childhood to adolescence and to identify factors associated with low HRQoL in adolescence., Methods: Proxy-reports of 64 adolescents, aged 12-17 years, with bilateral CP in GMFCS levels III-V participating in a surveillance programme, included five of the six domains from the HRQoL instrument Caregiver Priorities & Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities (CPCHILD): (1) Activities of Daily Living and Personal Care, (2) Positioning, Transfer and Mobility, (3) Comfort and Emotions, (5) General Health and (6) Overall Quality of Life, and the two questions on pain from the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ). Fifty-eight participants comprised the longitudinal sample., Results: From childhood to adolescence, the mean CPCHILD domain scores decreased slightly in General Health and remained unchanged in the other four domains. In the domain General Health, the number of medications increased, which was the reason for the score decrease. Pain severity increased significantly. Severe motor impairment was associated with low scores in domains 1, 2, 3 and 5, and more severe pain with low scores in domains 2, 3, 5 and 6. A low domain score in childhood was associated with a low score in each corresponding domain in adolescence., Interpretation: An assessment of HRQoL should be included in CP surveillance programmes because this could identify needs for interventions in individuals with severe CP. This study indicates the importance of improved pain management in both children and adolescents with severe CP., (© 2022 The Authors. Child: Care, Health and Development published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)