RESUMEN
Low energy pulsed electromagnetic signals (PEMS) therapy, in the field of bioelectronics, has been suggested as a promising analgesic therapy with special interest in treating conditions with poor response to pharmacotherapy. This study evaluated the effectiveness of PEMS therapy on the treatment of chronic low back pain patients with a neuropathic component. A group of 64 individuals with such condition was allocated to a 2-week treatment period (10 twenty-minute sessions on consecutive days) with an active PEMS therapy device or an inactive device in random order. The pain was assessed on a visual analog scale, and the functional status was assessed using the SF-12 questionnaire. The visual analog scale scores were lower after treatment than at baseline but only in the group treated with the active device. According to the DN4 score, neuropathic pain decreased in both experimental groups with respect to baseline, but this was only significant for the group treated with the active device. Similarly, an improvement in the SF-12 and Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) sleep scale components was reported. The study demonstrated that low-energy PEMS therapy was efficient in reducing pain and improving function in chronic low back pain patients with a neuropathic component.
RESUMEN
Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is a common gastrointestinal adverse effect of opioids, which can severely affect compliance and adherence to pain medication regimens and quality of life. Naloxegol has demonstrated efficacy against OIC in several studies involving patients with nonmalignant chronic pain. Here we report efficacy and tolerability of naloxegol in a 68-year-old patient with metastatic lung cancer and severe pain, treated with opioids, who presented with OIC resistant to traditional measures. Addition of naloxegol produced rapid improvement in his OIC symptoms and no apparent adverse effects while taking extended-release morphine 130 mg orally every 12 hours.