Assessment of Factors Affecting the Preference of Pain Medicine Subspecialty Choices and Training Course in Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess the factors affecting the preference for the Pain Medicine subspecialty and the fellowship training programs by the pain specialists who have completed or continued the Pain Medicine fellowship training program from 2014 to 2021 in Turkey.

Methods

The study was conducted in October 2020 and March 2021. By reaching out to the pain specialists who completed their fellowship or had been continuing their training by getting the right to receive a Pain Medicine fellowship. Via e-mail or WhatsApp application, an e-questionnaire link was sent to the participants, and data were collected on demographics, factors affecting the choice of Pain Medicine subspecialty, level of realization of the expectations during the training course and the level of proficiency in the field of pain specialization. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0 software, and tests were considered statistically significant if P < 0.05.

Results

Participants reported that the factors that most affected their preferences were personal interest (55.1%), more comfortable working conditions (43.6%), and interest in an academic career (38.5%). Seventy-six participants answered the level of realization of expectations about performing interventional pain procedures using ultrasound imaging, and 31.6% reported that their expectations were not met, and 25% reported that their expectations were partially realised.

Conclusion

We hope that our findings will lead to improving Pain Medicine subspecialty training programs, upgrading standards, and more comprehensive studies on these issues.

Puerperium could have better intensive care outcomes with acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with (COVID-19 often result in mortality. Treatment outcomes among puerperant, when compared with non-pregnant women (NPW) with the same syndrome. Physiological changes underwent within the gestation period have a considerable impact on the immune system, respiratory system, cardiovascular function, and coagulation. Through this research, it was aimed to compare intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up and treatment results of postpartum-period patients with those of non-pregnant ones. During the first week of ICU, 23 puerperant COVID-19 patients with ARDS and 34 non-pregnant COVID-19 patients took part in the study. Age, height, and predictive body weight (PBW) at admission to the ICU were compared with the clinical parameters of disease severity, such as FiO2 (fraction of inspired oxygen), PaO2 (arterial oxygen partial pressure), Horowitz index (PaO2/FiO2), procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Respiration parameters were recorded a meta-vision back server. Demographic data, FiO2, PaO2, Horowitz index, PCT, CRP and respiration parameters values were similar in both groups. The duration of non-mechanical ventilation and number of patients were seen to be significantly greater among the puerperant group than control group (P; .04 and .002, respectively). The duration of mechanical ventilation was similar in both groups (P; .07), while the mortality rate was lower in the puerperant group (P; .004). The postpartum women with COVID-19 induced ARDS were observed to have better ICU follow-up results and lower mortality. However, it is considered that the present results need to be supported greater number of participants.

Does the application of pulse radiofrequency to the suprascapular nerve provide additional benefit in patients who have undergone glenohumeral intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block?

OBJECTIVES

Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Interventional treatments can be applied to patients who do not respond to conservative therapies. Intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block are both short-acting and may sometimes be clinically inadequate. In this study, the answer to the question of whether pulse radiofrequency application to the suprascapular nerve provides additional benefit was investigated.

METHODS

Patients who had shoulder pain and were injected between October 2016 and April 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Totally 160 patients who underwent shoulder injections were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: 114 patients who underwent shoulder intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block, as Group 1 and 46 patients who underwent pulse radiofrequency to the suprascapular nerve, in addition to shoulder intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block, as Group 2.

RESULTS

There was no statistical difference between the groups in pre-intervention numerical rating scale (NRS) scores. One month after the intervention, NRS scores of Group 2 were significantly lower than Group 1. In both groups, 1 month after the intervention NRS scores were significantly lower than pre-intervention. The duration of pain relief for Group 2 was longer than Group 1. The satisfaction percentages of patients for Group 2 were higher than Group 1.

CONCLUSION

In addition to glenohumeral intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block, pulse radiofrequency application to the suprascapular nerve provides additional benefits in terms of NRS scores, duration of pain relief, and patient satisfaction.

The effect of robotic surgery on intraocular pressure and optic nerve sheath diameter: a prospective study

Background and objectives

To investigate the effect of the steep Trendelenburg position (35° to 45°) and carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation on optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), intraocular pressure (IOP), and hemodynamic parameters in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), and to evaluate possible correlations between these parameters.

Methods

A total of 34 patients were included in this study. ONSD was measured using ultrasonography and IOP was measured using a tonometer at four time points: T1 (5 minutes after intubation in the supine position); T2 (30 minutes after CO2 insufflation); T3 (120 minutes in steep Trendelenburg position); and T4 (in the supine position, after abdominal exsufflation). Systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, heart rate, and end-tidal CO2 (etCO2) were also evaluated.

Results

The mean IOP was 12.4 mmHg at T1, 20 mmHg at T2, 21.8 mmHg at T3, and 15.6 mmHg at T4. The mean ONSD was 4.87 mm at T1, 5.21 mm at T2, 5.30 mm at T3, and 5.08 at T4. There was a statistically significant increase and decrease in IOP and ONSD between measurements at T1 and T4, respectively. However, no significant correlation was found between IOP and ONSD. A significant positive correlation was found only between ONSD and diastolic arterial pressure. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and etCO2 were not correlated with IOP or ONSD.

Conclusions

A significant increase in IOP and ONSD were evident during RALP; however, there was no significant correlation between the two parameters.

Childhood and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in fibromyalgia: associations with depression, anxiety and disease impact

Objective: The first aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood and current attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia. The second aim is to assess the role of depression and anxiety on the relationship between childhood and adult ADHD symptoms with disease impact in this population.Methods: Sixty-four patients with fibromyalgia were compared to matched 58 healthy controls. All participants completed the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ).Results: Patients with fibromyalgia had significantly higher mean scores of depression (BDI), anxiety (BAI), childhood ADHD symptoms (WURS) and adult ADHD symptoms (ASRS total, ASRS hyperactivity/impulsivity subscale and ASRS attention deficit subscale) than the control group. Fibromyalgia impact (FIQ) was significantly correlated with depression (BDI; r = 0.57, p < .001), anxiety (BAI; r = 0.56, p < .001) and childhood ADHD symptoms (WURS; r = 0.41, p < .001) in fibromyalgia group. There was no significant correlation between fibromyalgia impact (FIQ) and adult ADHD symptoms (ASRS total or sub-scale scores). Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that childhood ADHD symptoms (WURS), anxiety (BAI) and depression (BDI) predicted fibromyalgia impact. Both anxiety (BAI) and depression (BDI) mediated the relationship between childhood ADHD symptoms (WURS) and fibromyalgia impact (FIQ).Conclusion: Childhood ADHD symptoms may be a contributory factor to poorer functioning in the patients with fibromyalgia. The relationship was more pronounced in the presence of depression and anxiety symptoms. Evaluation of childhood and adult ADHD symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia is important for recognition and treatment of ADHD comorbidity and also for attenuating the severity of the disease.