Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Synthetic cannabinoid could treat pain in diabetes patients

Oral synthetic cannabinoid nabilone may be effective for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, a study shows.

8 Nov 2012

Nanofiber technique to build new nerves from stem cells

Every week in his clinic at the University of Michigan, neurologist Joseph Corey, M.D., Ph.D., treats patients whose nerves are dying or shrinking due to disease or injury.

8 Nov 2012

EpiCept, Immune Pharmaceuticals enter definitive merger agreement

Immune Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a privately held Israeli company, and EpiCept Corporation today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. The transaction is anticipated to close during the first quarter of 2013 and is subject to satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions, including the approval of a majority of EpiCept shareholders.

8 Nov 2012

Washington University, SRI investigators launch Global Metabolomic Initiative

Investigators at Washington University and The Scripps Research Institute have announced the launch of a "Global Metabolomic Initiative" to facilitate meta-analyses on studies of the metabolism of bacteria, yeast, plants, animals and people.

7 Nov 2012

Duration of ibuprofen use may reduce risk of bladder cancer in northern New England patients

Dartmouth researchers have found that duration of ibuprofen use was associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer in patients in northern New England, which has a high mortality rate of this disease. In a 2012 collaborative project with the National Cancer Institute, Margaret Karagas, PhD, co-director, Cancer Epidemiology & Chemoprevention program at Norris Cotton Cancer Center, and Professor of Community and Family Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and Richard Waddell, D.Sc, Research Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine, looked for connections between ibuprofen use and bladder cancer.

7 Nov 2012

Teva announces additional data from QNASL Phase III program on seasonal allergic rhinitis

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that additional data from the Phase III clinical program for QNASL- (beclomethasone dipropionate) Nasal Aerosol will be presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Anaheim, CA on November 8-13, 2012.

7 Nov 2012

FDA EMDAC votes unanimously in support of Signifor use for treatment of Cushing's disease

The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) has voted unanimously in support of the use of Signifor (pasireotide) for the treatment of patients with Cushing's disease who require medical therapeutic intervention.

7 Nov 2012

Elafin protein protects against inflammatory diseases

This protection is provided by a human protein, Elafin, which is artificially introduced into dairy produce bacteria (Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus casei). In time, this discovery could be useful for individuals suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

7 Nov 2012

UMDNJ physician reminds residents to be alert for health hazards associated with Hurricane cleanup

As the northeastern United States begins its long recovery from the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy, a family physician with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-School of Osteopathic Medicine is reminding residents to be alert for potential health hazards associated with the cleanup.

7 Nov 2012

Nurses working longer shifts more likely to experience burnout, job dissatisfaction

Extended work shifts of twelve hours or longer are common and popular among hospital staff nurses, but a new study reports that nurses working longer shifts were more likely to experience burnout, job dissatisfaction, and patients were more dissatisfied with their care.

7 Nov 2012

Economic impact of acute coronary syndrome goes beyond hospitals to homes and workplaces

The economic impact of a heart attack and other forms of acute coronary syndrome goes beyond the hospital to the home and workplace, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

7 Nov 2012

Previous meningitis outbreak did not trigger additional oversight, changes

The Washington Post reports that, despite an outbreak of fungal meningitis that took place 10 years ago and was linked to injections made by a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts, not much has changed. Meanwhile, Politico adds that a recall of drugs related to the most recent round of illness could add to a critical drug shortage.

7 Nov 2012

Three quarters of pregnant women take sick leave from work: Study

Three quarters of pregnant women take sick leave from work but employers can help reduce this through flexible work adjustments, suggests a new study published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

7 Nov 2012

Positive results from Santarus and Pharming’s RUCONEST Phase III trial on HAE

Santarus, Inc. and Pharming Group NV today announced that their pivotal Phase III clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the investigational drug RUCONEST (recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor) 50 U/kg for the treatment of acute attacks of angioedema in patients with Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) met the primary endpoint of time to beginning of symptom relief.

7 Nov 2012

Degeneration of serotonergic neurons linked to spasticity in ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with an occurrence rate in France similar to multiple sclerosis (two to three new cases per year for every 100,000 residents). It has a specific affect on neurons responsible for motor control, in particular motor neurones and central motor neurones. The former, located in the spinal cord, are directly linked to muscles and are used for muscle contraction and stretching.

7 Nov 2012

Low vitamin D levels mediate racial disparities in pain

A new study reveals that black Americans display lower levels of vitamin D and greater pain sensitivity compared to white Americans. Findings published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), indicate that vitamin D deficiency may be one of many factors that account for increased pain in older black Americans with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

7 Nov 2012

FDA approves Pfizer’s XELJANZ to treat rheumatoid arthritis

Pfizer Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for XELJANZ (tofacitinib citrate) 5 mg twice daily for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate.

6 Nov 2012

$Cryopraxis/CellPraxis initiates recruitment in ReACT Phase III trial for refractory angina$

Cryopraxis/CellPraxis initiates recruitment in ReACT Phase III trial for refractory angina

Cryopraxis/CellPraxis aims to start patient recruitment for its Phase III Refractory Angina Cell Therapy Brazilian arm clinical trial by the end of 2012 or early 2013.

6 Nov 2012

Exercise not superior to physiotherapy for neck pain

Both exercise-based interventions and physiotherapy are effective for reducing pain in patients with nonspecific neck pain, UK researchers have found, but adherence to such treatments remains a challenge.

6 Nov 2012

Any hospice better than none at end of life

Nursing home residents with advanced dementia who receive any hospice care during the last 90 days of life receive fewer aggressive treatments and are less likely to die in hospital than their counterparts who do not receive such care, show US study results.

6 Nov 2012