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Raghuraman N, Bedford T, Tran N, Haycock NR, Wang Y, Colloca L. The Interplay Between Health Disparities and Acceptability of Virtual Reality: A Survey Study. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024. [PMID: 39088356 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a nonpharmacological adjuvant to manage acute and chronic pain symptoms. The goal of this survey study was to determine the acceptability of VR among chronic pain participants hailing from distressed and prosperous neighborhoods in the state of Maryland. We hypothesized that pain severity and interference vary in groups experiencing health disparities, potentially influencing VR's acceptability. From March 11 to March 15, 2020, we surveyed a cohort of clinically phenotyped participants suffering from chronic orofacial pain. Participants were asked to express their willingness to participate in a longitudinal VR study and their expectation of pain relief from using VR. Seventy out of 350 participants with chronic pain completed the survey (response rate: 20%). There was no difference in the likelihood of responding to the survey based on their neighborhood distress. Among survey respondents and nonrespondents, similar proportions of participants were from distressed neighborhoods. Among the respondents, 63 (90%) and 59 (84.3%) were willing to participate and expected to experience pain relief from the VR intervention, respectively. Age, sex, race, neighborhood distress, severity of pain, and prior VR experience did not influence willingness to participate in the VR trial or the expectations of VR-induced improvement. These findings suggest that VR as an adjuvant intervention is potentially accepted by chronic pain participants, irrespective of neighborhood-level social determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Raghuraman
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Program in Epidemiology and Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Theresa Bedford
- 711th Human Performance Wing, En Route Care, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA
| | - Nhi Tran
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nathaniel R Haycock
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology & Psychiatry, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Botvinik-Nezer R, Petre B, Ceko M, Lindquist MA, Friedman NP, Wager TD. Placebo treatment affects brain systems related to affective and cognitive processes, but not nociceptive pain. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6017. [PMID: 39019888 PMCID: PMC11255344 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50103-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug treatments for pain often do not outperform placebo, and a better understanding of placebo mechanisms is needed to improve treatment development and clinical practice. In a large-scale fMRI study (N = 392) with pre-registered analyses, we tested whether placebo analgesic treatment modulates nociceptive processes, and whether its effects generalize from conditioned to unconditioned pain modalities. Placebo treatment caused robust analgesia in conditioned thermal pain that generalized to unconditioned mechanical pain. However, placebo did not decrease pain-related fMRI activity in brain measures linked to nociceptive pain, including the Neurologic Pain Signature (NPS) and spinothalamic pathway regions, with strong support for null effects in Bayes Factor analyses. In addition, surprisingly, placebo increased activity in some spinothalamic regions for unconditioned mechanical pain. In contrast, placebo reduced activity in a neuromarker associated with higher-level contributions to pain, the Stimulus Intensity Independent Pain Signature (SIIPS), and affected activity in brain regions related to motivation and value, in both pain modalities. Individual differences in behavioral analgesia were correlated with neural changes in both modalities. Our results indicate that cognitive and affective processes primarily drive placebo analgesia, and show the potential of neuromarkers for separating treatment influences on nociception from influences on evaluative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Botvinik-Nezer
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
| | - Bogdan Petre
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Marta Ceko
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Martin A Lindquist
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Naomi P Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Tor D Wager
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
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3
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Yeung VWL. Enhancing placebo analgesia: Unravelling the powerful interplay of ownership and verbal suggestion. Eur J Pain 2024. [PMID: 38923640 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Placebo analgesic research demonstrates pain reduction after using a placebo analgesic. Recent studies have documented that sometimes possessing a placebo analgesic induces placebo analgesia. These prior studies used a 'cream' as the stimulus and proposed that the effect is driven by an expectancy of obtaining benefits from the owned analgesic. This paper examines three pivotal components of placebo analgesia: placebo form, ownership and expectancy induced by verbal suggestion. We investigate analgesic expectancy between cream versus oil form of placebo stimulus and systematically isolate the effects of ownership, verbal suggestion and their interaction, comparing with the effect of use, to decipher the dynamics of placebo analgesia. METHODS Study 1 (N = 46) evaluated analgesic expectancy between cream and oil. Study 2 (N = 119) exposed participants to a placebo analgesic oil and randomized them into PU (possess and use), PA (possess and anticipate), P (possess-only) or A (anticipate-only) conditions. Pain outcomes were assessed using a cold pressor test. Comparing PA and P conditions assessed the verbal suggestion effect, comparing PA and A conditions evaluated the possession effect, while comparing PU and PA conditions shed light on the use effect. RESULTS In Study 1, participants showed comparable analgesic expectancy for cream and oil. In Study 2, both PA and PU groups performed equally well, reporting higher pain threshold, F(3, 115) = 5.14, p = 0.002,η p 2 $$ {\eta}_p^2 $$ = 0.12; and a greater probability of persistent hand submersion than P and A groups, X2(3) = 8.06, p = 0.045. CONCLUSION The findings highlight the significance of integrating possession with expectancy to induce placebo analgesia, which has clinical implications. SIGNIFICANCE This study delves into the intricate dynamics of placebo analgesia, shedding light on the significant influence of ownership and verbal suggestion. Through a meticulous exploration of the relationship between ownership and expectancy induced by verbal suggestion, we propose novel avenues for enhancing placebo responses. This research has implications for clinical practice and pain management strategies, potentially revolutionizing approaches to pain relief and therapeutic outcomes. Our findings contribute to a paradigm shift in understanding placebo analgesia, emphasizing the pivotal interaction between ownership and verbal suggestion.
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Raghuraman N, White JN, Watson L, Belleï-Rodriguez CÉ, Shafir R, Wang Y, Colloca L. Neuropsychological mechanisms of observational learning in human placebo effects. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06608-7. [PMID: 38743108 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06608-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Scientific evidence indicates that placebo effects are psychoneurobiological events involving the contribution of distinct central nervous systems and peripheral physiological mechanisms that influence pain perception and other symptoms. Placebo effects can occur without formal conditioning and direct prior experience because crucial information can be acquired through observational learning. Observation of benefits in another person results in placebo effects of a magnitude like those induced by directly experiencing an analgesic benefit. Understanding the psychological mechanisms of observationally induced placebo effects is a complex and multifaceted endeavor. While previous reviews have highlighted various frameworks and models to understand these phenomena, the underlying biological mechanisms have been overlooked. We summarize critically current understanding of its behavioral and neural mechanisms. Understanding the neural mechanisms of hypoalgesia driven by observation can serve as a foundation for future development of novel theoretical and methodological approaches and ultimately, applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Raghuraman
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Program in Epidemiology and Human Genetics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jewel N White
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA
- Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Lakota Watson
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | | | - Roni Shafir
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA.
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
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Wang Y, Varghese J, Muhammed S, Lavigne G, Finan P, Colloca L. Clinical Phenotypes Supporting the Relationship Between Sleep Disturbance and Impairment of Placebo Effects. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:819-831. [PMID: 37871682 PMCID: PMC10922511 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Lack of good sleep or insomnia can lead to many health issues, including an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatigue, low mood, and pain. While chronic pain negatively impacts sleep quality, the relationship between descending pain modulatory systems like placebo effects and sleep quality is not thoroughly known. We addressed this aspect in a cross-sectional study in participants with chronic pain. Placebo effects were elicited in a laboratory setting using thermal heat stimulations delivered with visual cues using classical conditioning and verbal suggestions. We estimated the levels of insomnia severity with the Insomnia Severity Index and the sleep quality with the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. The previous night's sleep continuity was assessed as total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and sleep midpoint the night before the experiment. 277 people with chronic pain and 189 pain-free control individuals participated. Participants with chronic pain and insomnia showed smaller placebo effects than those with chronic pain without insomnia. Similarly, poor sleep quality was associated with reduced placebo effects among participants with chronic pain. Clinical anxiety measured by Depression Anxiety Stress Scales partially mediated these effects. In contrast, placebo effects were not influenced by the presence of insomnia or poor sleep quality in pain-free participants. Sleep continuity the night before the experiment did not influence the placebo effects. Our results indicate that participants who experience insomnia and/or poor sleep quality and chronic pain have smaller placebo effects, and that the previous night sleep continuity does not influence the magnitude of placebo effects. PERSPECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between sleep disturbances and experimentally induced placebo effects. We found that individuals with chronic pain who experience insomnia and poor sleep quality demonstrated reduced placebo effects compared to their counterparts with good sleep quality and no insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jeril Varghese
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
| | - Salim Muhammed
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
| | - Gilles Lavigne
- Faculty of Dental medicine, Université de Montreal, and Center for Advance Research in Sleep Medicine, CIUSSS Nord Ile de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Patrick Finan
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
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Blease C, Colagiuri B, Locher C. Replication crisis and placebo studies: rebooting the bioethical debate. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2023; 49:663-669. [PMID: 36609361 DOI: 10.1136/jme-2022-108672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of cross-cultural survey research shows high percentages of clinicians report using placebos in clinical settings. One motivation for clinicians using placebos is to help patients by capitalising on the placebo effect's reported health benefits. This is not surprising, given that placebo studies are burgeoning, with increasing calls by researchers to ethically harness placebo effects among patients. These calls propose placebos/placebo effects offer clinically significant benefits to patients. In this paper, we argue many findings in this highly cited and 'hot' field have not been independently replicated. Evaluating the ethicality of placebo use in clinical practice involves first understanding whether placebos are efficacious clinically. Therefore, it is crucial to consider placebo research in the context of the replication crisis and what can be learnt to advance evidence-based knowledge of placebos/placebo effects and their clinical relevance (or lack thereof). In doing so, our goal in this paper is to motivate both increased awareness of replication issues and to help pave the way for advances in scientific research in the field of placebo studies to better inform ethical evidence-based practice. We argue that, only by developing a rigorous evidence base can we better understand how, if at all, placebos/placebo effects can be harnessed ethically in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Blease
- General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Digital Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ben Colagiuri
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cosima Locher
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Psychology, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
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Neogi T, Colloca L. Placebo effects in osteoarthritis: implications for treatment and drug development. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2023; 19:613-626. [PMID: 37697077 PMCID: PMC10615856 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-023-01021-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis worldwide, affecting ~500 million people, yet there are no effective treatments to halt its progression. Without any structure-modifying agents, management of OA focuses on ameliorating pain and improving function. Treatment approaches typically have modest efficacy, and many patients have contraindications to recommended pharmacological treatments. Drug development for OA is hindered by the gradual and progressive nature of the disease and the targeting of established disease in clinical trials. Additionally, new medications for OA cannot receive regulatory approval without demonstrating improvements in both structure (pathological features of OA) and symptoms (reduced pain and/or improved function). In clinical trials, people with OA show high 'placebo responses', which hamper the ability to identify new effective treatments. Placebo responses refer to the individual variability in response to placebos given in the context of clinical trials and other settings. Placebo effects refer specifically to short-lasting improvements in symptoms that occur because of physiological changes. To mitigate the effects of the placebo phenomenon, we must first understand what it is, how it manifests, how to identify placebo responders in OA trials and how these insights can be used to improve clinical trials in OA. Leveraging placebo responses and effects in clinical practice might provide additional avenues to augment symptom management of OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuhina Neogi
- Section of Rheumatology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translation Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Cundiff-O’Sullivan RL, Wang Y, Thomas S, Zhu S, Campbell CM, Colloca L. Individual Dimensions of Pain Catastrophizing Do Not Mediate the Effect of Sociodemographic and Psychological Factors on Chronic Orofacial Pain Severity, Interference, and Jaw Limitation: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1617-1632. [PMID: 37121497 PMCID: PMC10528356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Pain catastrophization (PC), involving rumination, magnification, and helplessness, can be viewed as a coping strategy associated with chronic pain. PC is considered a driving force in mediating pain-related outcomes, but it is still unclear whether PC mediates the relationship between psychological and sociodemographic factors with chronic pain when considered in a single model. Using baseline data from a parent study, this study examined the effect of positive and negative psychological and sociodemographic factors on pain severity, interference, and jaw limitation mediated by the PC dimensions in a sample of 397 temporomandibular disorder (TMD) participants using structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM revealed that pain severity regressed on age, sex, education, and income; interference regressed on positive and negative psychological factors, education, and income; and jaw limitation regressed on age. The PC dimensions did not individually mediate these relationships. Although they jointly mediated the relationships between negative psychological factors and pain severity and between age and pain interference, the effect size was small, suggesting that PC is not a critical factor in mediating TMD pain outcomes. Reducing negative cognitions, not just PC, may be of greatest benefit to the most vulnerable TMD populations. PERSPECTIVE: This study examines sociodemographic and psychological factors that affect orofacial pain, finding that the pain catastrophizing dimensions do not mediate these relationships. Understanding which factors most strongly affect pain outcomes will help identify targets for intervention to produce the greatest benefit for the most vulnerable persons suffering from pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L. Cundiff-O’Sullivan
- Program in Neuroscience, Graduate Program in Life Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
| | - Yang Wang
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
| | - Sharon Thomas
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
- Doctoral Program in Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
| | - Shijun Zhu
- Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
- Office of Research and Scholarship, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
| | - Claudia M. Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, US
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, US
| | - Luana Colloca
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, US
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US
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Yin M, Muhammed SA, Wang Y, Colloca L. Yoga and massage are associated with small experimental placebo effects in chronic orofacial pain. Eur J Pain 2023; 27:816-830. [PMID: 36932918 PMCID: PMC11001249 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches (CIHA), including but not limited to, natural products and Mind and Body Practices (MBPs), are promising non-pharmacological adjuvants to the arsenal of pain management therapeutics. We aim to establish possible relationships between use of CIHA and the capacity of descending pain modulatory system in the form of occurrence and magnitude of placebo effects in a laboratory setting. METHODS This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between self-reported use of CIHA, pain disability, and experimentally induced placebo hypoalgesia in chronic pain participants suffering from Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). In the 361 enrolled TMD participants, placebo hypoalgesia was measured using a well-established paradigm with verbal suggestions and conditioning cues paired with distinct heat painful stimulations. Pain disability was measured with the Graded Chronic Pain Scale, and use of CIHA were recorded with a checklist as part of the medical history. RESULTS Use of physically oriented MBPs (e.g., yoga and massage) was associated with reduced placebo effects (F1,2110.44 = 23.15, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.171). Further, linear regressions indicated that greater number of physically oriented MBPs predicted smaller placebo effects (β = -0.17, p = 0.002), and less likelihood of being a placebo responder (OR = 0.70, p = 0.004). Use of psychologically oriented MBPs and natural product were not associated with placebo effects magnitude and responsiveness. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that use of physically oriented CIHA was associated with experimental placebo effects possibly through an optimized capability to recognize distinct somatosensorial stimulations. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying placebo-induced pain modulation in CIHA users. SIGNIFICANCE Chronic pain participants who use physically oriented mind-body practices, such as yoga and massage, demonstrated attenuated experimentally induced placebo hypoalgesia in comparison with those who do not use them. This finding disentangled the relationship between use of complementary and integrative approaches and placebo effects, providing the potential therapeutic perspective of endogenous pain modulation in chronic pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Yin
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Gifted & Talented Research Program, Glenelg High School, Glenelg, Maryland, USA
- Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Salim A Muhammed
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Colloca L, Dworkin RH, Farrar JT, Tive L, Yang J, Viktrup L, Dasic G, West CR, Whalen E, Brown MT, Gilbert SA, Verburg KM. Predicting Treatment Responses in Patients With Osteoarthritis: Results From Two Phase III Tanezumab Randomized Clinical Trials. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2023; 113:878-886. [PMID: 36621827 PMCID: PMC11000258 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Prediction of treatment responses is essential to move forward translational science. Our question was to identify patient-based variables that predicted responses to treatments. We conducted secondary analyses on pooled data from two randomized phase III clinical trials (NCT02697773 and NCT02709486) conducted in participants with moderate to severe osteoarthritis randomized to subcutaneous placebo (n = 514) or tanezumab 2.5 mg (n = 514). We used gradient boosted regression trees to identify variables that predicted Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Pain subscale scores at Week 16 and marginal plots to determine the directional relationship between each variable category and responses to placebo or tanezumab within the models. We also used Virtual Twins models to identify potential subgroups of response to the active treatment vs. placebo. We found that responses to placebo were predicted by baseline WOMAC Physical Function, baseline WOMAC Pain, the radiographic classification of the index joint, and the standard deviation of diary pain scores at baseline. In contrast, baseline WOMAC Pain along with failure of prior medications, duration of disease, and standard deviation of diary pain scores at baseline were predictive of tanezumab responses as expressed by the WOMAC Pain scores at Week 16. Those who responded to tanezumab vs. placebo were identified based on the radiographic classification of the index joint and either age or smoking status. These secondary-data analyses identified distinct and common patient-based variables to predict response to placebo or tanezumab. These findings will inform the design of future clinical trials, helping to move forward clinical pharmacology and translational science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - John T Farrar
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Letzen JE, Hunt C, Kuwabara H, McGill LS, Reid MJ, Hamilton KR, Buenaver LF, Burton E, Sheinberg R, Wong DF, Smith MT, Campbell CM. Preliminary Evidence for the Sequentially Mediated Effect of Racism-Related Stress on Pain Sensitivity Through Sleep Disturbance and Corticolimbic Opioid Receptor Function. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1-18. [PMID: 36167231 PMCID: PMC10863672 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Sleep disturbance predicts worse pain outcomes. Because sleep disturbance inequitably impacts Black adults - with racism as the upstream cause - understanding how racism-related stress impacts pain through sleep might help minimize racialized pain inequities. This preliminary study examined sequential mediation of the effect of racism-related stress on experimental pain through sleep disturbance and corticolimbic μOR function in pain-free non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and White (NHW) adults. Participants completed questionnaires, actigraphy, positron emission tomography, and sensory testing. We reproduced findings showing greater sleep disturbance and pain sensitivity among NHB participants; greater sleep disturbance (r = .35) and lower pain tolerance (r=-.37) were significantly associated with greater racism-related stress. In a sequential mediation model, the total effect of racism-related stress on pain tolerance (β=-.38, P = .005) weakened after adding sleep disturbance and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) μOR binding potential (BPND) as mediators (β = -.18, P = .16). The indirect effect was statistically significant [point estimate = -.003, (-.007, -.0003). Findings showed a potential sequentially mediated effect of racism-related stress on pain sensitivity through sleep disturbance and vmPFC μOR BPND. As policy efforts are enacted to eliminate the upstream cause of systemic racism, these results cautiously suggest that sleep interventions within racism-based trauma informed therapy might help prevent downstream effects on pain. PERSPECTIVE: This preliminary study identified the effect of racism-related stress on pain through sleep disturbance and mu-opioid receptor binding potential in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Findings cautiously support the application of sleep interventions within racism-based trauma-informed therapy to prevent pain inequities as policy changes function to eliminate all levels of racism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle E Letzen
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland..
| | - Carly Hunt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hiroto Kuwabara
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Lakeya S McGill
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Matthew J Reid
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Katrina R Hamilton
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Luis F Buenaver
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Emily Burton
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Rosanne Sheinberg
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Dean F Wong
- Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurosciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, St, Louis Missouri
| | - Michael T Smith
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Claudia M Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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12
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Tu Y, Zhang L, Kong J. Placebo and nocebo effects: from observation to harnessing and clinical application. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:524. [PMID: 36564374 PMCID: PMC9789123 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02293-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Placebo and nocebo effects are salubrious benefits and negative outcomes attributable to non-specific symbolic components. Leveraging advanced experimental and analytical approaches, recent studies have elucidated complicated neural mechanisms that may serve as a solid basis for harnessing the powerful self-healing and self-harming capacities and applying these findings to improve medical practice and minimize the unintended exacerbation of symptoms in medical practice. We review advances in employing psychosocial, pharmacological, and neuromodulation approaches to modulate/harness placebo and nocebo effects. While these approaches show promising potential, translating these research findings into clinical settings still requires careful methodological, technical, and ethical considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiheng Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Libo Zhang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Kong
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA USA
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13
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Blease C. Sharing online clinical notes with patients: implications for nocebo effects and health equity. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2022; 49:medethics-2022-108413. [PMID: 35918134 DOI: 10.1136/jme-2022-108413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Patients in around 20 countries worldwide are now offered online access to at least some of their medical records. Access includes test results, medication lists, referral information, and/or the very words written by clinicians (so-called 'open notes'). In this paper, I discuss the possibility of one unintended negative consequence of patient access to their clinical notes-the potential to increase 'nocebo effects'. A growing body of research shows that nocebo effects arise by engaging perceptual and cognitive processes that influence negative expectancies, and as a consequence, adverse health effects. Studies show that increased awareness about the side effects of medications, the framing of information and the socioemotional context of care can increase the risk of nocebo effects. Connecting research into the nocebo effect with open notes provides preliminary support for the hypothesis that patient access to clinical notes might be a forum for facilitating unwanted nocebo effects. Furthermore, current findings indicate that we might expect to see systematic differences in how nocebo effects are experienced among different patient populations. The ethical implications of the tension between transparency and the potential for harm are discussed, with an emphasis on what open notes might mean for justice and equity in clinical care for a range of already marginalised patient populations. I argue that to resolve these challenges does not thereby justify 'closed notes', and conclude with suggestions for how health systems and clinicians might adapt to this innovation to reduce the risk of potential nocebo effects arising via this novel route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Blease
- Division of General Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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14
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Cayrol T, Meeus M, Aron V, Gatto C, Mouraux A, Roussel N, Sallaz L, van den Broeke E, Pitance L. Evidence for alterations to dynamic quantitative sensory tests in patients with chronic temporomandibular myalgia: a systematic review of observational studies with meta-analysis. J Oral Rehabil 2022; 49:654-670. [PMID: 35342987 DOI: 10.1111/joor.13320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conflicting results exist between somatosensory profiles of patients with temporomandibular myalgia (TMDm). The objective of this review was to examine whether adults with TMDm show altered responses to dynamic quantitative sensory tests compared with healthy controls. METHODS We searched five electronic databases for studies, excluding those without suitable controls or where TMDm was associated with confounding non-musculoskeletal disorders. Risk of bias was assessed with the SIGN case-control study checklist. Findings were structured around dynamic quantitative sensory tests and their localization. Where possible, we performed meta-analysis with a random inverse variance model to compare patients with TMDm and healthy controls. Statistical heterogeneity was estimated with Chi² test and inconsistency index, I². RESULTS We extracted data from 23 studies comprising 1284 adults with chronic TMDm and 2791 healthy controls. Risk of bias was assessed as high for 20 studies. Mechanical temporal summation, the most studied phenomenon (14 studies), is increased in the upper limb of patients with TMDm (SMD = .43; 95% CI: .11 to .75; p = .0001) but not in the jaw area (p = .09) or in the cervical area (p = .29). Very little evidence for altered thermal temporal summation (five studies), conditioned pain modulation (seven studies), exercise-induced hypoalgesia (two studies), placebo analgesia (two studies), stress-induced hypoalgesia (one study) and offset analgesia (one study) was found. DISCUSSION A major limitation of this review was the risk of bias of included studies. Future studies would benefit from following methodological guidelines and consideration of confounding factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée Cayrol
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mira Meeus
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (MOVANT), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Pain in Motion, International Research Group, Belgium
| | - Vladimir Aron
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Claire Gatto
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - André Mouraux
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Roussel
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (MOVANT), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Léo Sallaz
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Laurent Pitance
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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15
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Weaver KR, Griffioen MA, Klinedinst NJ, Galik E, Duarte AC, Colloca L, Resnick B, Dorsey SG, Renn CL. Quantitative Sensory Testing Across Chronic Pain Conditions and Use in Special Populations. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH (LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 2:779068. [PMID: 35295425 PMCID: PMC8915716 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.779068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain imposes a significant burden to the healthcare system and adversely affects patients' quality of life. Traditional subjective assessments, however, do not adequately capture the complex phenomenon of pain, which is influenced by a multitude of factors including environmental, developmental, genetic, and psychological. Quantitative sensory testing (QST), established as a protocol to examine thermal and mechanical sensory function, offers insight on potential mechanisms contributing to an individual's experience of pain, by assessing their perceived response to standardized delivery of stimuli. Although the use of QST as a research methodology has been described in the literature in reference to specific pain populations, this manuscript details application of QST across a variety of chronic pain conditions. Specific conditions include lower extremity chronic pain, knee osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, temporomandibular joint disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome. Furthermore, we describe the use of QST in placebo/nocebo research, and discuss the use of QST in vulnerable populations such as those with dementia. We illustrate how the evaluation of peripheral sensory nerve function holds clinical promise in targeting interventions, and how using QST can enhance patient education regarding prognostic outcomes with particular treatments. Incorporation of QST methodology in research investigations may facilitate the identification of common mechanisms underlying chronic pain conditions, guide the development of non-pharmacological behavioral interventions to reduce pain and pain-related morbidity, and enhance our efforts toward reducing the burden of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen R. Weaver
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research (CACPR), University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Kristen R. Weaver
| | - Mari A. Griffioen
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research (CACPR), University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,College of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - N. Jennifer Klinedinst
- Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Elizabeth Galik
- Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ana C. Duarte
- Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research (CACPR), University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Barbara Resnick
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research (CACPR), University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Susan G. Dorsey
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research (CACPR), University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Cynthia L. Renn
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States,Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research (CACPR), University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
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16
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Temporal expectancy induced by the mere possession of a placebo analgesic affects placebo analgesia: preliminary findings from a randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1395. [PMID: 35082351 PMCID: PMC8792021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05537-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on placebo analgesia usually shows that people experienced a reduction in pain after using a placebo analgesic. An emerging line of research argues that, under some circumstances, merely possessing (but not using) a placebo analgesic could induce placebo analgesia. The current study investigates how temporary expectation of pain reduction associated with different forms of possessing a placebo analgesic affects pain outcomes. Healthy participants (n = 90) were presented with a vial of olive oil (placebo), described as a blended essential oil that blocks pain sensations upon nasal inhalation, and were asked to anticipate the benefits of such analgesic oil to the self (such as anticipating the analgesic oil to reduce their pain). Participants were randomized into one of three different possession conditions: physical-possession condition (participants possessed a tangible placebo analgesic oil, inducing an expectation to acquire analgesic benefit early upon the experience of pain), psychological-possession condition (participants possessed a coupon, which can be redeemed for a placebo analgesic oil, inducing an expectation to acquire analgesic benefit later upon the experience of pain), or no-possession condition. Participants did a cold pressor test (CPT) to experience experimentally-induced pain on their non-dominant hand. Their objective physical pain responses (pain-threshold and pain-tolerance), and subjective psychological pain perception (pain intensity, severity, quality, and unpleasantness) were measured. Results revealed that participants in the physical-possession condition reported greater pain-threshold, F(2, 85) = 6.65, p = 0.002, and longer pain-tolerance, F(2, 85) = 7.19, p = 0.001 than participants in the psychological-possession and no-possession conditions. No significant group difference was found in subjective pain perception. The results of this study can advance knowledge about pain mechanisms and novel pain management.
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17
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Gersner R, Barnea-Ygael N, Tendler A. Moderators of the response to deep TMS for smoking addiction. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1079138. [PMID: 36699493 PMCID: PMC9869803 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1079138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (Deep TMS™) was recently cleared by the FDA as a short-term treatment for smoking cessation. However, it is unknown which participants are more likely to benefit from the treatment. METHODS We evaluated the data from the published randomized controlled trial of 262 participants 22-70 years old that led to the FDA clearance to characterize demographic and smoking history factors that moderate Deep TMS treatment efficacy. The current analysis included 75 completers in the active TMS group and 94 completers in the sham TMS group. RESULTS We found that participants younger than 40 had four times the quit rate than those older than 40. Additionally, participants who quit following treatment smoked 10 years less than non-quitters. Moreover, Caucasian participants had two times the quit rate than African-American participants. Strikingly, participants with more than 12 years of education had 7 times the quit rate than participants with less education. CONCLUSION Three weeks of Deep TMS has a higher smoking addiction quit rate in participants who are younger, more educated, Caucasian and with less extensive smoking history. Participants who are older, with less education and more extensive smoking history may need a longer treatment course and/or combined treatment modalities. Potential reasons may be related to the challenges of inducing neuronal modifications in those with greater physical and psychological dependence. Further investigation is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noam Barnea-Ygael
- BrainsWay, Burlington, VT, United States.,Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Aron Tendler
- BrainsWay, Burlington, VT, United States.,Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
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18
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Olson EM, Akintola T, Phillipsc J, Blasini M, Haycock NR, Martinez PE, Greenspan JD, Dorsey SG, Wang Y, Colloca L. Effects of sex on placebo effects in chronic pain participants: a cross-sectional study. Pain 2021; 162:531-542. [PMID: 32826757 PMCID: PMC7854995 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Sex-related differences can influence outcomes of randomized clinical trials and may jeopardize the effectiveness of pain management and other therapeutics. Thus, it is essential to understand the mechanistic and translational aspects of sex differences in placebo outcomes. Recently, studies in healthy participants have shed light on how sex-related placebo effects might influence outcomes, yet no research has been conducted in a patient population. Herein, we used a tripartite approach to evaluate the interaction of prior therapeutic experience (eg, conditioning), expectations, and placebo effects in 280 chronic (orofacial) pain patients (215 women). In this cross-sectional study, we assessed sex differences in placebo effects, conditioning as a proxy of prior therapeutic effects, and expectations evaluated before and after the exposure to positive outcomes, taking into account participant-experimenter sex concordance and hormonal levels (estradiol and progesterone assessed in premenopausal women). We used mediation analysis to determine how conditioning strength and expectations impacted sex differences in placebo outcomes. Independent of gonadal hormone levels, women showed stronger placebo effects than men. We also found significant statistical sex differences in the conditioning strength and reinforced expectations whereby reinforced expectations mediated the sex-related placebo effects. In addition, the participant-experimenter sex concordance influenced conditioning strength, reinforced expectations, and placebo effects in women but not in men. Our findings suggest that women experience larger conditioning effects, expectations, and placebo effects emphasizing the need to consider sex as a biological variable when placebo components of any outcomes are part of drug development trials and in pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Titilola Akintola
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jane Phillipsc
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, and Brotman Facial Pain Clinic, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maxie Blasini
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nathaniel R. Haycock
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pedro E. Martinez
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joel D. Greenspan
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, and Brotman Facial Pain Clinic, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
- University of Maryland Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Susan G. Dorsey
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
- University of Maryland Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luana Colloca
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
- University of Maryland Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
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19
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Open-Label Placebo Trial among Japanese Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain. Pain Res Manag 2020; 2020:6636979. [PMID: 33425079 PMCID: PMC7781721 DOI: 10.1155/2020/6636979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to confirm the effectiveness of open-label placebo (OLP) in Japanese patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), similar to previous reports, and to investigate its short- and medium-term effects in this study population. Methods Fifty-two patients with CLBP were randomized into a treatment as usual (TAU) group (n = 26) or an OLP + TAU group (n = 26) for 12 weeks. The TAU included advice to remain active and exercise in conjunction with recent psychological education based on a self-management strategy. In contrast, participants in the OLP + TAU group were instructed to take two OLP capsules a day. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and at weeks 3 and 12 using the Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain intensity, and the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) test. Difference in outcomes between the two groups was compared at the two follow-up points. Results Although all participants completed the 3-week follow-up, four patients (two in each group) were lost to follow-up beyond week 3. There were no significant intergroup differences in changes in the RMDQ score (p=0.40), pain-NRS score (p=0.19), and TUG time (p=0.98) at week 3. Two-way repeated measure analyses of covariance showed significant time-course effects but did not show group effects or any interactions between the time-course and group in terms of the RMDQ score. However, it did not show any effects in the pain-NRS score and TUG time at week 12. Conclusions The OLP + TAU group showed no superior findings in comparison with the TAU group after 3 weeks and 12 weeks for Japanese patients with CLBP. Nonetheless, significant improvements in functional disability were observed in both groups.
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