Regulation of peripheral blood flow in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: clinical implication for symptomatic relief and pain management

Background. During the chronic stage of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), impaired microcirculation is related to increased vasoconstriction, tissue hypoxia, and metabolic tissue acidosis in the affected limb. Several mechanisms may be responsible for the ischemia and pain in chronic cold CPRS. Discussion. The diminished blood flow may be caused by either sympathetic dysfunction, hypersensitivity to circulating catecholamines, or endothelial dysfunction. The pain may be of neuropathic, inflammatory, nociceptive, or functional nature, or of mixed origin. Summary. The origin of the pain should be the basis of the symptomatic therapy. Since the difference in temperature between both hands fluctuates over time in cold CRPS, when in doubt, the clinician should prioritize the patient's report of a persistent cold extremity over clinical tests that show no difference. Future research should focus on developing easily applied methods for clinical use to differentiate between central and peripheral blood flow regulation disorders in individual patients

Factors affecting Helicobacter pylori eradication using a seven-day triple therapy with a proton pump inhibitor, tinidazole and clarithromycin, in brazilian patients with peptic ulcer Fatores que afetam a erradicação do Helicobacter pylori usando um tratamento triplo de sete dias com um inibidor de bomba de prótons associado ao tinidazol e a claritromicina, em pacientes brasileiros com úlcera péptica

Triple therapy is accepted as the treatment of choice for H. pylori eradication. In industrialized countries, a proton pump inhibitor plus clarithromycin and amoxicillin or nitroimidazole have shown the best results. Our aims were: 1. To study the eradication rate of the association of a proton pump inhibitor plus tinidazole and clarithromycin on H. pylori infection in our population. 2. To determine if previous treatments, gender, age, tobacco, alcohol use, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) change the response to therapy. METHODS: Two hundred patients with peptic ulcer (upper endoscopy) and H. pylori infection (histology and rapid urease test - RUT) were included. A proton pump inhibitor (lansoprazole 30 mg or omeprazole 20 mg), tinidazole 500 mg, and clarithromycin 250 mg were dispensed twice a day for a seven-day period. Eradication was assessed after 10 to 12 weeks of treatment through histology and RUT. RESULTS: The eradication rate of H. pylori per protocol was 65% (128/196 patients). This rate was 53% for previously treated patients, rising to 76% for not previously treated patients, with a statistical difference p<0.01. No significant difference was observed regarding sex, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and NSAID use, but for elderly patients the difference was p = 0.05. Adherence to treatment was good, and side effects were mild. CONCLUSIONS: A proton pump inhibitor, tinidazole, and clarithromycin bid for seven days resulted in H. pylori eradication in 65% of the patients. Previous treatments were the main cause of treatment failure.<br>O esquema tríplice tem sido demonstrado como sendo o melhor tratamento para a erradicação do Helicobacter pylori. Nos países industrializados o uso de um inibidor de bomba de prótons associado a claritromicina e a amoxicilina ou a um nitroimidazólico, tem proporcionado os melhores resultados. Objetivamos estudar na nossa população a taxa de erradicação do H. pylori para a associação de um inibidor de bomba de prótons com o tinidazol e a claritromicina e determinar se a resposta ao tratamento é influenciada pelo tratamento prévio, sexo, tabagismo, alcoolismo, idade e uso de anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais (AINEs). PACIENTES E PROCEDIMENTOS: Duzentos pacientes com diagnóstico endoscópico de úlcera péptica e com infecção pelo H. pylori, confirmada pelo exame histológico e pelo teste rápido da urease (TRU), foram incluídos no estudo. Um inibidor de bomba de prótons (lansoprazol 30mg ou omeprazol 20 mg), tinidazol 500mg e claritromicina 250mg foram ministrados duas vezes ao dia, por um período de 7 dias. A erradicação era determinada depois de 10 a 12 semanas após o fim do tratamento, por histologia e TRU. RESULTADOS: O percentual de erradicação do H. pylori (por protocolo) foi de 65% (128/196 pacientes). Para pacientes previamente tratados o valor foi de 53%, aumentando para 76% nos pacientes não previamente tratados com diferença estatística (p<0,01). Não houve diferença significativa para sexo, tabagismo, alcoolismo e uso de AINEs, mas para pacientes de mais idade houve diferença com p = 0,05. A aderência ao tratamento foi boa e os efeitos adversos, leves. CONCLUSÃO: O esquema inibidor de bomba de prótons, tinidazol e claritromicina, dados duas vezes ao dia por 7 dias proporcionou erradicação do H. pylori em 65% dos pacientes. O tratamento prévio foi o principal fator para seu insucesso