Daily subcutaneous parecoxib injection for cancer pain: an open label pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs) are useful in cancer pain but the specific use of subcutaneous parecoxib has not been previously reported. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aimed to establish the efficacy and side effect profile of short-term sequential single daily dose subcutaneous parecoxib sodium in patients with severe cancer bone pain. METHODS: Nineteen hospitalized patients with advanced cancer and uncontrolled malignant bone pain (9 males, 10 females) received 24 courses of one, two, or three days sequential therapy with 'off-label' daily subcutaneous parecoxib. All patients were receiving opioid therapy; the median baseline daily oral equivalent dose (OED) of morphine was 180 mg. Pain was assessed at baseline, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours. Pain scores as assessed on an 11-point numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), any side effects including subcutaneous site reactions, as well as patient satisfaction rating with analgesia were recorded. A clinically significant decrease in pain scores was defined as a reduction of two or more points on the NPRS. RESULTS: Median pain score of all patient treatments decreased from 7 to 4.5 at 24 hours (p<0.001) and 4.0 at 48 hours. A response was seen in 17 (71%) of the 24 treatments at 24 hours. There was no difference between median negative change in pain scores in 19 (79%) treatments where pain was either strongly movement related, or in 22 (94%) treatments where local bone tenderness was more pronounced. No major side effects were observed during treatment. One patient died from pulmonary embolism after cessation of concurrent prophylactic low molecular weight heparin prior to staging liver biopsy. Subcutaneous site reactions occurred in 2 (8%) treatments and were mild and self limiting. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term daily subcutaneous parecoxib injection was effective for malignant bone pain when added to existing analgesic therapy and was well tolerated. Further research is warranted into the short-term use of parecoxib in hospitalized patients with intractable malignant bone pain.

A case of mixed type of paroxysmal dyskinesia: is there an overlap between two clinical categories of paroxysmal dyskinesia?

We report a sporadic case of paroxysmal dyskinesia of predominantly choreic and ballistic movements of 10 years duration in a 22-year-old male. The movement starts after exercise for certain period. However, for the next 5-15 min, the movements are triggered by sudden voluntary activity. These dyskinesias persist for about 10-30 s after sudden voluntary activity. Patient has to be immobile once symptoms start after the exercise to prevent the kinesigenic involuntary movements. Involuntary movements could be induced in the lower limbs, upper limbs, facial and jaw muscle by local exercise. Overtime symptoms occurred with minimal exercise. Secondary dyskinesia was ruled out by investigations. Patient responded well to Carbamazepine, relapsed when stopped taking it.

Hepatitis viruses causing pancreatitis and hepatitis: a case series and review of literature.

OBJECTIVES: Association between acute pancreatitis and acute viral hepatitis (AVH) is more frequent than previously thought. Most cases are hepatitis A or B virus related. Only 6 cases of acute pancreatitis with acute hepatitis E virus (HEV)-related hepatitis has been reported so far. METHODS: We analyzed the hospital records of 334 patients of acute pancreatitis admitted from December 2004 to March 2006. Seven patients had an associated AVH. RESULTS: Of these, 4 had HEV-related and 3 had hepatitis A virus-related AVH. All but one were young males who presented with abdominal pain during the second to third week of hepatitis illness. None had a history of biliary colic, alcoholism, abdominal trauma, or intake of drugs causing pancreatitis or a family history of pancreatitis. Mean bilirubin was 10.74 mg/dL; alanine aminotransferase levels, 482.85 IU/L; and serum amylase, 1263.57 IU/L. All patients had an imaging evidence of pancreatitis. Two patients with HEV-related disease had grades D to E pancreatitis. All were managed conservatively and recovered completely. CONCLUSIONS: Association between acute pancreatitis and nonfulminant viral hepatitis is now more frequently recognized. Seen more commonly in young males during the second and third week of hepatitis illness, HEV might be associated with severe pancreatitis.