Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia hydromorphone combined with pregabalin for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia: a multicenter, randomized controlled study

Background@#Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of acute herpes zoster. The treatment of PHN remains a challenge for clinical pain management. Despite the effectiveness of anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and lidocaine patches in reducing PHN, many patients still face intractable pain disorders.In this randomized controlled study, we evaluated whether hydromorphone through intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) was effective in relieving PHN. @*Methods@#Patients with PHN were randomly divided into two groups, one group received oral pregabalin with IV normal saline, another group received oral pregabalin with additional IV PCA hydromorphone for two weeks. Efficacy was evaluated at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the end of the treatments. @*Results@#Two hundred and one patients were followed up for 12 weeks. After treatment, numerical rating scale (NRS) score of patients in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference of NRS scores between the two groups was statistically significant at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. The frequency of breakthrough pain in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that in the control group 1 and 4 weeks after treatment.After treatment, the quality of sleep in the hydromorphone group was significantly improved compared with the control group. The most common adverse reactions in the hydromorphone group were dizziness and nausea, with no significant respiratory depression. @*Conclusions@#IV PCA hydromorphone combined with oral pregabalin provides superior pain relief in patients with PHN, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia hydromorphone combined with pregabalin for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia: a multicenter, randomized controlled study

Background@#Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of acute herpes zoster. The treatment of PHN remains a challenge for clinical pain management. Despite the effectiveness of anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and lidocaine patches in reducing PHN, many patients still face intractable pain disorders.In this randomized controlled study, we evaluated whether hydromorphone through intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) was effective in relieving PHN. @*Methods@#Patients with PHN were randomly divided into two groups, one group received oral pregabalin with IV normal saline, another group received oral pregabalin with additional IV PCA hydromorphone for two weeks. Efficacy was evaluated at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the end of the treatments. @*Results@#Two hundred and one patients were followed up for 12 weeks. After treatment, numerical rating scale (NRS) score of patients in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference of NRS scores between the two groups was statistically significant at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. The frequency of breakthrough pain in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that in the control group 1 and 4 weeks after treatment.After treatment, the quality of sleep in the hydromorphone group was significantly improved compared with the control group. The most common adverse reactions in the hydromorphone group were dizziness and nausea, with no significant respiratory depression. @*Conclusions@#IV PCA hydromorphone combined with oral pregabalin provides superior pain relief in patients with PHN, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Parthenolide promotes the repair of spinal cord injury by modulating M1/M2 polarization via the NF-κB and STAT 1/3 signaling pathway.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological disease; however, there is no effective treatment for spinal cord injury. Neuroinflammation involves the activation of resident microglia and the infiltration of macrophages is the major pathogenesis of SCI secondary injury and considered to be the therapeutic target of SCI. Parthenolide (PN) has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory effects in fever, migraines, arthritis, and superficial inflammation; however, the role of PN in SCI therapeutics has not been clarified. In this study, we showed that PN could improve the functional recovery of spinal cord in mice as revealed by increased BMS scores and decreased cavity of spinal cord injury in vivo. Immunofluorescence staining experiments confirmed that PN could promote axonal regeneration, increase myelin reconstitution, reduce chondroitin sulfate formation, inhibit scar hyperplasia, suppress the activation of A1 neurotoxic reactive astrocytes and facilitate shift from M1 to M2 polarization of microglia/macrophages. To verify how PN exerts its effects on microglia/macrophages polarization, we performed the mechanism study in vitro in microglia cell line BV-2. PN could significantly reduce M1 polarization in BV2 cells and partially rescue the decrease in the expression of M2 phenotype markers of microglia/macrophage induced by LPS, but no significant effect on M2 polarization stimulated with IL-4 was observed. Further study demonstrated PN inhibited NF-κB signal pathway directly or indirectly, and suppressed activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 or 3 (STAT1/3) via reducing the expression of HDAC1 and subsequently increasing the levels of STAT1/3 acetylation. Overall, our study illustrated that PN may be a promising strategy for traumatic SCI.

Ceftriaxone Calcium Crystals Induce Acute Kidney Injury by NLRP3-Mediated Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress injury in the mechanisms of ceftriaxone calcium crystal-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) both in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups of ten each according to different concentrations of ceftriaxone and calcium. Based on the levels of serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), the AKI group was chosen for the subsequent experiments. Kidney histological examination and immunohistochemistry were performed. The expression of NLRP3 and IL-1ß protein and the concentrations of oxidative stress markers such as ROS, MDA, and H2O2 in kidney tissues were estimated. In parallel, HK-2 human renal proximal tubule cells were exposed to ceftriaxone calcium crystals. The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and IL-1ß and the concentrations of oxidative stress markers were evaluated. Finally, cell viability and rat survival were also assessed. RESULTS: The results showed that significantly increased Scr and BUN levels, consistent with morphological changes and kidney stones, were found in the rats that received the highest concentration of ceftriaxone (1000 mg/kg) combined with calcium (800 mg/kg). The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome axis and the marked elevation of MDA, H2O2, and ROS levels were observed both in vivo and in vitro. High expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 was also documented. In addition, cell apoptosis and rat mortality were promoted by ceftriaxone calcium crystals. CONCLUSIONS: Notably, we found that ceftriaxone-induced urolithiasis was associated with a high risk of AKI and NLRP3-mediated inflammasome and oxidative stress injury were of major importance in the pathogenesis.

Physicochemical analysis of ceftriaxone-associated urinary stone / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To investigate the physicochemical characteristics of urinary stone induced by ceftriaxone.Methods Two children cefriaxone-associated urinary stone samples were received for component analysis in our hospital in April 2012,of which one was from a boy whose clinical data was not available,and the other was from a boy who suffered acute lower abdominal pain and vomiting after treatment with ceftriaxone for 5 d in early April.Ultrasound demonstrated a stone in his right upper ureter.Computed tomography showed right upper ureteral stone,which was radiolucent on plain abdominal radiograph.After a conservative treatment for 3 d,the stone in right upper ureter was spontaneously passed,which was confirmed by the ultrasound and intravenous pyelography.The two received stone samples were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy and energy disperse spectroscopy for component analysis.Results The compositions of two stone samples were free ceftriaxone and calcium ions combined with a molar ratio of 1:1.Conclusions The ceftriaxone could induce urinary stone in children.This special stone has radiolueent imaging,and it is composed of calcium ceftriaxone salt.