Changes in pain-related beliefs, coping, and catastrophizing predict changes in pain intensity, pain interference, and psychological functioning in individuals with myotonic muscular dystrophy and facioscapulohumeral dystrophy

The primary aim of this study was to test hypothesized associations between changes in psychological variables (i.e., pain beliefs, catastrophizing and coping strategies) and changes in pain intensity and related adjustment (i.e., pain interference and psychological functioning) in individuals with Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy (MMD) and Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). Methods: A sample of 107 adults with a diagnosis of MMD or FSHD, reporting pain in the past three months, completed assessments at two time-points, separated by about 24 months. Results showed that changes in pain-related psychological variables were significantly associated with changes in psychological functioning, pain intensity and pain interference. Specifically, increases in the belief that emotion influences pain, and catastrophizing were associated with decreases in psychological functioning. Increases in the coping strategies of asking for assistance and resting, and the increases of catastrophizing were associated with increases in pain intensity. Finally, increases in pain intensity and asking for assistance were associated with increases in pain interference. Discussion: The results support the utility of the biopsychosocial model of pain for understanding pain and its impact in individuals with MMD or FSHD. These findings may inform the design and implementation of psychosocial pain treatments for people with muscular dystrophy and chronic pain

Realidad virtual no interactiva para manejar el dolor

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of a noninteractive virtual reality (VR) intervention on pain related measures and on cognitive variables during a cold-pressor experience. Forty-six healthy participants underwent two consecutive cold-pressor trials, one staring to a virtual figure and one without VR, in counterbalanced order. During the VR intervention, participants were asked to passively imagine the correspondence between a stereoscopic VR figure and the experienced pain. Results showed no significant differences between the VR and no-VR condition for either pain or cognitive measures. The usefulness of a non-interactive VR intervention versus active VR strategies to cope with pain is discussedEl objetivo del presente estudio es investigar si una intervención no interactiva de realidad virtual (RV) puede influir en medidas relacionadas con el dolor y en los pensamientos relacionados con el dolor durante una experiencia de cold-pressor. Cuarenta y seis participantes sanos se sometieron a dos ensayos consecutivos de cold-pressor, uno mirando una figura virtual y otro sin RV, en orden contrabalanceado. La intervención de RV sugirió a los participantes imaginar pasivamente la correspondencia entre la experiencia dolorosa y una figura estereoscópica de RV. Los resultados no mostraron diferencias significativas en ninguna de las medidas de dolor ni en las medidas cognitivas entre la condición de RV y sin-RV. Finalmente, se discute la utilidad de las intervenciones con RV no interactiva en comparación con las estrategias activas de RV para el afrontamiento del dolo

Non-interactive virtual reality to manage pain

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of a noninteractive virtual reality (VR) intervention on pain related measures and on cognitive variables during a cold-pressor experience. Forty-six healthy participants underwent two consecutive cold-pressor trials, one staring to a virtual figure and one without VR, in counterbalanced order. During the VR intervention, participants were asked to passively imagine the correspondence between a stereoscopic VR figure and the experienced pain. Results showed no significant differences between the VR and no-VR condition for either pain or cognitive measures. The usefulness of a non-interactive VR intervention versus active VR strategies to cope with pain is discusse

Realidad virtual no interactiva para manejar el dolor

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of a noninteractive virtual reality (VR) intervention on pain related measures and on cognitive variables during a cold-pressor experience. Forty-six healthy participants underwent two consecutive cold-pressor trials, one staring to a virtual figure and one without VR, in counterbalanced order. During the VR intervention, participants were asked to passively imagine the correspondence between a stereoscopic VR figure and the experienced pain. Results showed no significant differences between the VR and no-VR condition for either pain or cognitive measures. The usefulness of a non-interactive VR intervention versus active VR strategies to cope with pain is discussedEl objetivo del presente estudio es investigar si una intervención no interactiva de realidad virtual (RV) puede influir en medidas relacionadas con el dolor y en los pensamientos relacionados con el dolor durante una experiencia de cold-pressor. Cuarenta y seis participantes sanos se sometieron a dos ensayos consecutivos de cold-pressor, uno mirando una figura virtual y otro sin RV, en orden contrabalanceado. La intervención de RV sugirió a los participantes imaginar pasivamente la correspondencia entre la experiencia dolorosa y una figura estereoscópica de RV. Los resultados no mostraron diferencias significativas en ninguna de las medidas de dolor ni en las medidas cognitivas entre la condición de RV y sin-RV. Finalmente, se discute la utilidad de las intervenciones con RV no interactiva en comparación con las estrategias activas de RV para el afrontamiento del dolo

Undergraduate psychology students' perceptions about the use of ICT for health purposes

Objective: Information and communication technologies (ICT) have great potential for health care. In this study we explore undergraduate psychology students' perceptions about different specific uses of ICT for health (i.e. online interventions, health information websites, telehealth and online social networks). A total of 113 students answered an online survey designed to gather their perceptions about the use of these four types of interventions for health purposes. Results: Results showed that online interventions and telehealth were assessed as the best ways of using ICT for health, while the worst way was using social networks for health. The most frequently mentioned advantages were related to the fact that ICT can help with access to information and/or treatments, and that they are comfortable. The most frequently mentioned disadvantages were related to the quality of the information (for social networks and health information websites) and the fact that they were considered impersonal (for telehealth and online interventions). Conclusions: Students were not very enthusiastic about the use of ICT for health. Education is needed to change these perceptions and increase the likelihood that they will incorporate ICT in their future practice

Differential effects of two virtual reality interventions: distraction versus pain control

There is evidence that virtual reality (VR) pain distraction is effective at improving pain-related outcomes. However, more research is needed to investigate VR environments with other pain-related goals. The main aim of this study was to compare the differential effects of two VR environments on a set of pain-related and cognitive variables during a cold pressor experiment. One of these environments aimed to distract attention away from pain (VRD), whereas the other was designed to enhance pain control (VRC). Participants were 77 psychology students, who were randomly assigned to one of the following three conditions during the cold pressor experiment: (a) VRD, (b) VRC, or (c) Non-VR (control condition). Data were collected regarding both pain-related variables (intensity, tolerance, threshold, time perception, and pain sensitivity range) and cognitive variables (self-efficacy and catastrophizing). Results showed that in comparison with the control condition, the VRC intervention significantly increased pain tolerance, the pain sensitivity range, and the degree of time underestimation. It also increased self-efficacy in tolerating pain and led to a reduction in reported helplessness. The VRD intervention significantly increased the pain threshold and pain tolerance in comparison with the control condition, but it did not affect any of the cognitive variables. Overall, the intervention designed to enhance control seems to have a greater effect on the cognitive variables assessed. Although these results need to be replicated in further studies, the findings suggest that the VRC intervention has considerable potential in terms of increasing self-efficacy and modifying the negative thoughts that commonly accompany pain problems

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Aproximación a la definición del dolor: un problema de salud muy frecuente

Intervenció de Rubén Nieto Luna, professor de psicologia clínica de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, sobre la conceptualització del dolor, considerat com una experiència subjectiva, i diferències entre dolor agut i dolor crònic, en el marc de les "IV Jornadas de Cultura Jurídica 2018

Giving less importance to pain and focusing on achieving objectives

Giving less importance to pain and focusing on achieving objectives in accordance with values can help people to live their lives in spite of the pain. We present a rationale for this orientation and several techniques that can help people achieve this. Specifically, we present the importance of starting the intervention by educating people about pain and setting objectives in line with each person's personal values. After that, we present some techniques that can help people deal with triggers and barriers that can make it difficult to stay on track when it comes to giving less importance to pain and more to achieving objectives

Testing a virtual reality intervention for pain control

Background: This study aimed (1) to assess the validity of a virtual reality (VR) intervention designed specifically to gain control over pain, (2) to test whether the association between the virtual environment and pain can be potentiated using a differential conditioning procedure, and (3) to examine the effects of this VR intervention in a cold pressor experiment. Methods: The VR intervention was based on a figure representing pain. This figure could be manipulated until reaching a no-pain state. Participants were 64 undergraduate students, who were asked to evaluate this environment in terms of arousal and valence. A differential conditioning procedure was then applied, in which the pain figure was paired with electric shock and the no-pain figure was presented without shock. Afterwards, participants performed a cold pressor task. Results: In the initial testing, the pain figure was evaluated as more arousing and more unpleasant than the no-pain figure. After the conditioning procedure, these ratings significantly increased; with the pain figure being rated as more anxiety eliciting and a better predictor of shocks than the no-pain figure. During cold pressor, the interaction with the conditioned VR figure led to significant increases in pain threshold and tolerance, as well as a significantly greater underestimation of time, but it did not affect pain intensity. Conclusions: These results provide preliminary support for the use of our VR intervention to gain control over pain