Warner, Nafisseh

Chronic pain is common with aging. Yet, little is known about the attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of older adults with chronic pain regarding opioids, particularly in regard to effects on daily functioning and cognition. This qualitative analysis employed semi-structured interviews in 25 community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain and current or recent prescription opioid use. Interviews focused on perceptions, beliefs, and experiences of living with chronic pain, use of prescription opioids, and the impact of opioids on pain control, cognition, and daily function. Older adults display adaptability and acceptance in living with chronic pain, desire person-centered pain care, approach the risks-benefits of opioids with regards to cognition differently, and perceive stigma as a barrier to effective partnership with clinicians.

AbstractChronic pain is highly prevalent in older adults and is associated with poor functional outcomes. Furthermore, opioid analgesics are commonly utilized for the treatment of pain in older adults despite well-described adverse effects. Importantly, both chronic pain and opioid analgesics have been linked with impairments in cognitive function, though data are limited. In this manuscript we summarize the evidence and critical knowledge gaps regarding the relationships between pain, opioid analgesics, and cognition in older adults. Furthermore, we provide a conceptual framework to guide future research in the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to optimize analgesic outcomes in older adults while minimizing deleterious effects on cognition.

Abstract Purpose Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a rapidly expanding field within neuromodulation; however, there is limited data on therapeutic efficacy. This study describes the indications and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing PNS for chronic pain states. Patients and Methods This is a retrospective case series of adults undergoing PNS implantation from 2004 to 2017 at an academic medical center. The primary outcomes were changes in numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores, opioid utilization in oral morphine milligram equivalent (MME), and self‐reported patient functioning at 6 months postoperatively. Infectious and device‐related complications were also assessed. Results A total of 72 patients underwent PNS implantation, including 59 patients that received a preceding PNS trial (59/78; 76% progression rate) and 13 that did not receive a PNS trial. The most common indication for stimulation was occipital neuralgia (47%) followed by lower‐extremity neuropathies (17%). PNS implantation was associated with 6‐month reductions in pain scores (7 [6, 8] baseline vs. 4 [2, 5] 6 months; P < 0.001) and opioid utilization (eg, median 60 [31, 104] vs. 18 [0, 52] MME among those with baseline opioid use; P < 0.001). Median functional improvement was 73% (50%, 88%). Seven patients (10%) suffered a postoperative surgical site infection at a median of 50 (30, 124) days, of which five devices were removed. Conclusion Peripheral nerve stimulation was associated with reduced pain scores, lower opioid utilization, and improved patient function at 6 months. These data support PNS as a potentially effective nonopioid analgesic modality in chronic pain, though prospective multicenter evaluation is warranted to evaluate longer‐term outcomes.

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesOptimizing perioperative analgesia for patients undergoing major lower‐extremity amputation remains a considerable challenge. The utility of liposomal bupivacaine as a component of peripheral nerve blockade for lower‐extremity amputation is unknown.MethodsWe conducted an observational study comparing three different perioperative analgesic techniques for adults undergoing major lower‐extremity amputation under general anesthesia between 2012 and 2017 at an academic medical center: (1) no regional anesthesia, (2) peripheral nerve blockade with standard bupivacaine, and (3) peripheral nerve blockade with a mixture of standard and liposomal bupivacaine. The primary outcome of cumulative opioid oral morphine milligram equivalent utilization in the first 72 hours postoperatively was compared across groups utilizing multivariable linear regression.ResultsA total of 631 unique anesthetics were included for 578 unique patients, including 416 (66%) without regional anesthesia, 131 (21%) with peripheral nerve blockade with a mixture of standard and liposomal bupivacaine, and 84 (13%) with peripheral nerve blockade with standard bupivacaine alone. Cumulative morphine equivalents were lower in those receiving peripheral nerve blockade with combined standard and liposomal bupivacaine compared with those not receiving regional anesthesia (multiplicative increase 0.67; 95% CI 0.50 to 0.90; P = 0.007). There were no significant differences in opioid utilization between peripheral nerve blockade groups (P = 0.59).ConclusionsPeripheral nerve blockade is associated with reduced opioid requirements after lower‐extremity amputation compared with general anesthesia alone. However, the incorporation of liposomal bupivacaine is not significantly different to blockade employing only standard bupivacaine.