Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for September 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Hospital Admissions Not Related to COVID-19 Fell in Early 2020
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Non-COVID-19 hospital admissions decreased considerably with the onset of COVID-19, with declines generally similar across patient demographic subgroups from February to April 2020, according to a report published online Sept. 24 in Health Affairs.
Lockdown Tied to Worsening of Musculoskeletal Conditions
TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Early stages of the U.K. COVID-19 lockdown had negative consequences for people with musculoskeletal conditions, according to a letter to the editor published online Sept. 22 in Rheumatology: Advances in Practice.
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Gabapentin Does Not Lower Pain Scores in Chronic Pelvic Pain
TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For women with chronic pelvic pain, gabapentin treatment does not result in significantly lower pain scores and is associated with more side effects than placebo, according to a study published online Sept. 26 in The Lancet.
New FDA Applications for Opioids Often Based on Short Trials
TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — New drug applications (NDAs) for prescription opioids for pain have been based on pivotal trials of short or intermediate duration, often in narrowly defined pain populations, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Health Care Use, Costs Increase 20-Fold After Firearm Injury
TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Actual health care costs increase up to 20-fold in the six months after a gunshot injury versus the six months before, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Private Health Plans Pay Hospitals 247 Percent of Medicare
MONDAY, Sept. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — During 2018, prices paid to hospitals by privately insured patients averaged 247 percent of what Medicare would have paid, according to a study from the RAND Corporation.
Survey: Rheumatic Diseases Pose Routine Challenges
THURSDAY, Sept. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many patients with rheumatic diseases face significant challenges in their daily lives, including affordability issues, lifestyle and activity limitations, and negative effects on mental and emotional health, according to the results of a survey released by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Botox for TMJ Disorder Does Not Affect Jaw Bone Density