Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for December 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Effect Sizes Uncertain for Meds Versus Placebo in Knee OA

FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with knee osteoarthritis and at least 12 months of follow-up, there is uncertainty around estimates of effect size for the change in pain in association with medications versus placebo, according to a meta-analysis published in the Dec. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Targeted Muscle Reinnervation Can Reduce Phantom Limb Pain

THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Use of primary targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) can prevent or reduce pain in below-the-knee amputees, according to a report published online Dec. 27 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

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Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages

THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The lowest-priced generic drugs are more likely to experience shortages, according to a study published in the November issue of Value in Health.

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Opioid Prescribing Patterns Vary for Pediatric Patients

THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is considerable variation in opioid prescribing among pediatric patients, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.

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Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An institutional gender equity initiative (GEI) can reduce gender-based salary gaps among medical school faculty, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.

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Most Nurses Unsatisfied With Hospitals’ End-of-Life Care

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The majority of nurses have an unfavorable opinion of their hospital’s end-of-life care, according to a study published online Dec. 2 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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Massage Offers Short-Term Relief of Knee Pain in Arthritis Patients

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Weekly massage sessions may provide short-term symptom relief for knee osteoarthritis patients, but the benefit is not maintained over one year of follow-up, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

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Growth in Use of Telemedicine Seen From 2005 to 2017

THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2017, there was a substantial increase in telemedicine use, although use was still uncommon in 2017, according to a research letter published online Nov. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Higher Than Expected

THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite numerous difficulties, early figures show that sign-ups for health coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act are higher than expected.

AP News Article

FDA Advisory Panels: Prescribe Naloxone With Opioid Painkillers

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The labels of prescription opioid painkillers should advise doctors to consider simultaneously prescribing the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, two U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panels recommend.

Washington Post Article

Opioids Offer Small Improvement in Pain, Physical Function

TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Opioid use is associated with small improvements in pain and physical functioning in patients with chronic noncancer pain, according to research published in the Dec. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Palliative Care in MS Inpatients Rises From 2005 to 2014

TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2014, trends in palliative care use increased substantially among multiple sclerosis (MS) inpatients, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.

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Exclusion of Doctors From Public Health Insurance Up 2007 to 2017

TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017, the number of physicians excluded from Medicare and state public insurance programs increased, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.

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Early PT Linked to Less Opioid Use in Musculoskeletal Pain

FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with musculoskeletal pain, early physical therapy is associated with reduced subsequent opioid use, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.

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Persistent Discrimination ID’d Among Physician Mothers

FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician mothers experience discrimination in a range of ways, which can impact the medical profession, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in The BMJ.

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Guidelines Developed for Opioid Use in Vaginal Birth

FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines have been developed for use of opioids for uncomplicated spontaneous vaginal birth; the draft consensus guidelines were published online Dec. 4 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Medication Errors Resulting in Death Most Common in Elderly

THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medication errors in acute care that result in death occur most often in patients older than 75 years, with the most common error category being omitted medicine or ingredient, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.

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Patient-Reported Outcome Measures May Aid Communication

THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) can be useful for measuring symptoms in primary care clinics if clinicians use these measures to improve care, according to patient interview data published in the December issue of Quality of Life Research.

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Enrollment Under the Affordable Care Act Down From Last Year

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is down with just days left to sign up, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

AP News Article

2017 Saw Slowing in National Health Care Spending

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National health care spending slowed in 2017, according to a report published online Dec. 6 in Health Affairs.

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U.S. Medical Schools See Increase in Diversity

TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After implementation of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) diversity accreditation standards, U.S. medical schools saw increasing percentages of female, black, and Hispanic matriculants, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Paid Childbearing Policies Lacking for Residents

TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Policies for paid childbearing or family leave for residents are lacking at top-ranking medical schools and may be exacerbated by lack of direction from specialty boards, according to two research letters published in the Dec. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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HIT-Related Stress Linked to Burnout Among Physicians

MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stress related to use of health information technology (HIT) is common and predictive of burnout among physicians, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

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Most Insured Patients Not Using Online Portals

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nearly two-thirds of insured adults with a previous health care visit did not use an online patient portal in 2017, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.

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Ultrarestrictive Opioid Rx Protocol Cuts Postoperative Opioid Use

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An ultrarestrictive opioid prescription protocol (UROPP) can reduce the number of opioids prescribed to patients after gynecologic and abdominal surgery without negative health consequences, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in JAMA Network Open.

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Functional Nasal Surgery Can Improve Headache Symptoms

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For appropriately selected patients, functional nasal surgery is viable for improving headache symptoms, according to a review published in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

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New Guidance Addresses Early Dx of Dysmenorrhea in Adolescents

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Early diagnosis of dysmenorrhea is key to ensuring that adolescents and women can maintain their quality of life, according to a Committee Opinion published in the December issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Opioids Overprescribed After Arthroscopic Meniscectomy

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Prescription opioid medications are overprescribed after simple arthroscopic meniscectomy, according to a study recently published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

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Few Physicians Work in Practices That Use Telemedicine

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Only 15.4 percent of physicians work in practices that use telemedicine for a wide spectrum of patient interactions, with larger practice size being an important correlate of telemedicine use, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.

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HHS Issues Draft Strategy for Reducing Health IT Burden

TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a draft strategy to reduce the health information technology (IT) burden, and the strategy is open for public comment through Jan. 28, 2019.

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Many Patients Withhold Information From Clinicians

TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many patients intentionally withhold information from clinicians, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Network Open.

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Joint Mobilization Plus Exercise Beneficial for Knee Osteoarthritis

MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patellar mobilization therapy (PMT) plus exercise has the potential to reduce pain and improve function and quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to a phase 2 study published Nov. 12 in the Annals of Family Medicine.

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