• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.475-487
• /
• 2022

Background: Use of opioids for chronic intractable pain is increasing globally, and their proper use can improve patients' quality of life. In contrast, opioid use disorders, such as abuse or addiction, caused by prescribing opioids, are a worldwide issue. This study aimed to understand current opioid prescribing patterns and pain physicians' experiences with opioid use in South Korea. Methods: Pain physicians in 42 university hospitals in South Korea were asked to complete anonymous questionnaires regarding opioid prescriptions. Results: A total of 69 surveys were completed. Most pain physicians started prescribing opioids at a pain score of 7/10 and aimed to reduce pain by 50%. Most physicians (73.1%) actively explained the prescribed medications and possible side effects, and 61.2% of physicians preferred the prescription interval of 4 weeks. Immediate-release opioids were the most popular treatment for breakthrough pain (92.6%). The most common side effect encountered by physicians was constipation (43.3%), followed by nausea/vomiting (34.3%). Of the physicians, 56.5% replied that addiction and misuse prevalences were less than 5%. However, the most concerning side effect was addiction (33.0%). Conclusions: The survey results showed that the prescribing patterns of pain physicians generally followed Korean guidelines. Physicians were most interested in the safety and effectiveness of opioid prescriptions. They were most concerned about respiratory depression and abuse or addiction. A significant number of physicians agreed that the NHIS regulations needed improvement for patient convenience and safe and effective treatment, though there were pros and cons of the NHIS restrictions on prescription conditions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.68 no.5
• /
• pp.286-289
• /
• 2010

A 55-year old woman with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer was admitted to hospital for the management of severe chest pain, which measured 7 out of 10 on a numerical rating scale (NRS). Despite palliative radiation and the application of multiple epidural blocks, she continued to experience severe cancer pain. We gradually increased the dose of transdermal fentanyl patches from $500{\mu}g/hr$ to $3,650{\mu}g/hr$, for 3 months without any significant side effects. Concomitantly, adjuvant therapy with antidepressants and anticonvulsants were added, decreasing the patient's pain to NRS 3~4 down from 7. After being transferred to a hospice clinic, her chest pain was well-controlled below NRS 4 by means of strong opioid medications, including the highest dose of transdermal fentanyl $4,050{\mu}g/hr$ for more than 16 months.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.189-193
• /
• 1989

The analgesic effects of epidural morphine were evaluated on various types of cancer-related pain in forty-eight adult patients. Epidural morphine injections were given via an epidural catheter introduced to an epidural level corresponding to the pain area. Pain relief was classified as excellent, fair, or poor by subjective scoring and by the subsequent need for systemic analgesics. Thirty-two patients of all the patients became pain-free. In sixteen patients, pain relief was complete only for one or two of various types of pain with a certain dose of epidural morphine, The best result was obtained when the pain was continuous and originated from deep somatic structures. Based on the results, the ranking order of different types of cancer pain with regard to their susceptibility to epidural morphine was as follows: 1) Continuous somatic pain 2) Continuous visceral pain 3) Intermittent somatic pain 4) Intermittent visceral pain The differential effects of epidural morphine on cancer-related pain may suggest that various types of noxious stimuli involve different kinds of opioid receptors which differ in affinity to morphine, and that there are some pain-mediating systems which function independently of opioid mechanisms.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.57-60
• /
• 2015

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is a syndrome of chronic biliary pain or recurrent pancreatitis due to the functional obstruction of the pancreaticobiliary flow. We report a case of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic abdominal pain due to SOD. The patient had a history of cholecystectomy and had suffered from chronic right upper quadrant abdominal pain. The patient had been diagnosed as having SOD. The patient was treated with opioid analgesics and nerve blocks, including a splanchnic nerve block. However, two years later, the pain became intractable. We implanted percutaneous SCS at the T5-7 level for this patient. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain and the amount of opioid intake decreased. The patient was tracked for more than six months without significant complications. From our clinical case, SCS is an effective and alternative treatment option for SOD. Further studies and long-term follow-up are necessary to understand the effectiveness and the limitations of SCS on SOD.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.487-500
• /
• 2021

Background: Although the erector spinae plane block has been used in various truncal surgical procedures, its clinical benefits in patients undergoing spinal surgery remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the clinical benefits of erector spinae plane block in patients undergoing spinal surgery. Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for randomized controlled trials comparing the erector spinae plane block with a nonblocked control for spinal surgery. Results: Twelve studies encompassing 696 subjects were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. We found that the erector spinae plane block decreased postoperative pain scores and opioid consumption in the postoperative and intraoperative periods. Moreover, it prolonged the time to the first rescue analgesic, reduced the number of patients who required rescue analgesia, and lowered the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. However, it did not exhibit efficacy in decreasing the incidence of urinary retention and itching or shortening the length of hospital stays, or the time to first ambulation. Conclusions: Erector spinae plane block improves analgesic efficacy among patients undergoing spinal surgery compared with nonblocked controls; however, there is insufficient evidence regarding the benefits of erector spinae plane block for rapid recovery.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2014

The major symptoms of terminally ill cancer patients are fatigue, loss of energy, feeling of helplessness, poor appetite and pain as well as general weakness, which are very similar to symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. Adrenal insufficiency-induced symptoms widely vary from mild symptoms to life-threatening conditions and may be resulted from variable medical causes. For terminally ill cancer patients who are hospitalized for palliative care, opioid agents are prescribed to control moderate to severe pain. The use of acute or chronic opioid agents is believed to negatively affect adrenal gland function. In most studies of opioid effects (preclinical/clinical with animal subjects or and patients suffering non-malignant pain, adrenal insufficiency and hormonal abnormalities were observed as side effects. However, opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency has been rarely reported in studies with patients with malignant cancer pain. Relationship between the type, treatment period, dosage of opioid agents and hormonal abnormalities can be examined by measuring the functional level of the adrenal glands. We hope to improve patient's quality of life by indicating hormone substitution to treat symptoms of adrenal insufficiency.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.147-155
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare and check the levels of cancer pain management knowledge and awareness between doctors and nurses in a tertiary hospital and to develop an intervention program. Methods: Participants were 725 nurses and 95 doctors working in a hospital from May 2 to 29, 2009. Data were analyzed using t-tests, ${\chi}^2$-tests, and ANOVA with SPSS WIN 18.0. Results: In a comparison of the pain management score, nurses showed significant results for age (p<.001), carrier (p<.001), education (p<.001), workplace (p<.001), and doctors showed significant results only for age (p=.032). Doctors' marks were significantly higher than nurses' in pain management scores (p<.001). Knowledge about analgesic medication (t=-5.38, p<.001) and analgesic drug effect (t=-8.59, p<.001) were significantly different in the pain management subcategory score between nurses and doctors. There were four items with different awareness levels related to analgesics between nurses and doctors. Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that it is possible to develop pain education content for nurses and doctors. The findings of this study are useful when seeking to change the awareness level of a medical team regarding opioid analgesics.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.99-108
• /
• 2010

Chronic pain is a multifactorial condition with both physical and psychological symptoms, and it affects around 20% of the population in the developed world. In spite of outstanding advances in pain management over the past decades, chronic pain remains a significant problem. This article provides a mechanism- and evidence-based approach to improve the outcome for pharmacologic management of chronic pain. The usual approach to treat mild to moderate pain is to start with a nonopioid analgesic. If this is inadequate, and if there is an element of sleep deprivation, then it is reasonable to add an antidepressant with analgesic qualities. If there is a component of neuropathic pain or fibromyalgia, then a trial with one of the gabapentinoids is appropriate. If these steps are inadequate, then an opioid analgesic may be added. For moderate to severe pain, one would initiate an earlier trial of a long term opioid. Skeletal muscle relaxants and topicals may also be appropriate as single agents or in combination. Meanwhile, the steps of pharmacologic treatments for neuropathic pain include (1) certain antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), calcium channel ${\alpha}2-{\delta}$ ligands (gabapentin and pregabalin) and topical lidocaine, (2) opioid analgesics and tramadol (for first-line use in selected clinical circumstances) and (3) certain other antidepressant and antiepileptic medications (topical capsaicin, mexiletine, and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists). It is essential to have a thorough understanding about the different pain mechanisms of chronic pain and evidence-based multi-mechanistic treatment. It is also essential to increase the individualization of treatment.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2010

The mu opioid receptor (MOR) has been regarded as the main site of interaction with analgesics in major clinical use, particularly morphine. The repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor (REST) functions as a transcriptional repressor of neuronal genes in non-neuronal cells. However, it is expressed in certain mature neurons, suggesting that it may have complex and novel roles. In addition, the interactions between MOR and REST and their functions remain unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of morphine on the expression of REST mRNA and protein in human neuroblastoma NMB cells to investigate the roles of REST induced by MOR activation in neuronal cells. To determine the effects of morphine on REST expression, we performed RT-PCR, real-time quantitative RT-PCR, western blot analysis and radioligand binding assays in NMB cells. By RTPCR and real-time quantitative RT-PCR, the expression of REST was found to be unchanged by either the MOR agonist morphine or the MOR specific antagonist CTOP. By western blot, morphine was shown to significantly inhibit the expression of REST, but this suppression was completely blocked by treatment with CTOP. In the radioligand binding assay, the overexpression of REST led to an increased opioid ligand binding activity of endogenous MOR in the NMB cells. These results together suggest that morphine inhibits the expression of REST in human neuroblastoma cells through a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism mediated through MOR.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.449-454
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Intravenous sedation with midazolam is common in contemporary dentistry. That is effective for anxious patients, but additional analgesic agent needs to be used, because midazolam alone doesn't have an analgesic effect. This study was performed to select an analgesic agent between an opioid agent, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as adjunctives in intravenous sedation with midazolam. Methods: The subjects were 60 patients who visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, between August 2009 and February 2010. Conscious sedation was performed on 20 patients of 3 groups (control group, ketorolac group, and fentanyl group), who were divided randomly. The analgesic agent was administrated preoperatively. For sedation, vital signs were recorded. After sedation and operation, subjective questionnaires of the patient and operator were implemented. Results: All of the $SPO_2$, blood pressure, and heart rates stayed within the normal range for sedation. The sedation depth and analgesic effect of the ketorolac group and fentanyl group were similar. In the case of sedation depth, 12 patients in the ketorolac group and 14 patients in the fentanyl group had no memory of surgery. In the case of analgesic effect, the visual analogue scale of pain scored 2~3 in 13 patients in the ketorolac group, and 0~2 in 12 patients in the fentanyl group. The satisfaction of patients and doctors was also similar. Conclusion: Considering the management and complication of an opioid agent, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is more effective than an opioid agent.