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Hum Brain Mapp 2022 Jun 25. Epub 2022 Jun 25.

CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.

Studies on functional and structural changes in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) have provided important insights into neural mechanisms underlying several chronic pain conditions. However, the role of S1 plasticity in postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) remains elusive. Combining psychophysics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we investigated whether pain in PHN patients is linked to S1 reorganization as compared with healthy controls. Read More

Andes Pediatr 2022 Apr;93(2):270-275

Hospital Universitario Francisco de Borja, Valencia, España.

Herpes Zoster (HZ) is rare in childhood and is defined as the reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus in patients who have previously been infected with varicella. When the virus affects the ophthal mic nerve it is called herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and it can produce, among other symptoms, acute headache, so it must be considered as a differential diagnosis.

Objective: To describe a clinical case of HZO in a pediatric patient and to recognize its clinical manifestations and their importance in the differential diagnosis of acute headache in children. Read More

Front Immunol 2022 1;13:887892. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Objectives: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) can induce herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Immune cells play an important role in regulating HZ and PHN pathogenesis, but the dynamic immune profiles and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to screen dynamic immune signatures during HZ progression and elucidate the mechanism of VZV-specific T cells in PHN. Read More

Front Neurol 2022 3;13:811298. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Department of Pain Management, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

Objective: To compare the effect, safety, and patient satisfaction of pulsed radiofrequency combined with methylene blue paravertebral nerve block and pulsed radiofrequency alone in the treatment of thoracic postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Methods: A total of seventy-two patients with PHN diagnosed in the Department of Pain Management of Shengjing Hospital at China Medical University, from September 2019 to April 2021, were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Read More

Pain Res Manag 2022 10;2022:2180214. Epub 2022 Jun 10.

Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, Zhejiang, China.

Objectives: This study aims at investigating the internal heat acupuncture (IHA) combined with the high-voltage long-duration pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) therapeutic effect on subacute postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Methods: This retrospective study comprised 81 cases with PHN. They were divided into three groups: IHA combined with the high-voltage long-duration PRF group (IHA-PRF), intradermal injection combined with the high-voltage long-duration PRF group (II-PRF), and the high-voltage long-duration PRF group. Read More

Asian J Surg 2022 Jun 15. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.

Clin J Pain 2022 May 12. Epub 2022 May 12.

Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University College of Health Sciences, Nigeria.

Neuropathic pain is a debilitating symptom reported by patients presenting with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Efforts to alleviate this pain have been projected to lie in individualization of pharmacological treatment through pain phenotyping and subsequent investigations into the genetic basis of postherpetic neuralgia therapy. Understanding the various mechanisms related to these phenotypes can aid in improvement of available treatment options and discovery of new ones. Read More

Pain Ther 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.

Pain Ther 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.

Medicine (Baltimore) 2022 Jun 10;101(23):e29394. Epub 2022 Jun 10.

Department of Pain, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China.

Abstract: To provide a basis for treating postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), we compared the efficacy of lidocaine and ropivacaine stellate ganglion block (SGB) in PHN treatment in the upper limbs.Data from 252 patients with upper-limb PHN were retrospectively analyzed. The lidocaine group (n = 118) was treated with oral pregabalin capsules 75 mg twice a day, tramadol hydrochloride sustained release tablets 100 mg twice a day, and amitriptyline 25 mg once at night combined with ultrasound-guided lidocaine SGB; the ropivacaine group (n = 134) was orally administered the same medicines combined with ultrasound-guided ropivacaine SGB. Read More

Contrast Media Mol Imaging 2022 30;2022:1579937. Epub 2022 May 30.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Department of Anesthesiology, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China.

This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) and pulsed radiofrequency (RF) in the clinical treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). A total of 100 patients with PHN were randomly divided into two groups ( = 50 per group): RF group and BoNT-A group. Based on conventional drug treatment, patients were treated with either a single nerve root pulsed radiofrequency therapy or a single local subcutaneous injection of BoNT-A in the lesion area. Read More

Comput Math Methods Med 2022 27;2022:7722951. Epub 2022 May 27.

Department of Pain Management, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 166 DaXue East Road, Nanning, 530007 Guangxi, China.

Objectives: This study is aimed at investigating the analgesic effect of the administration of Corydalis decumbens (CD) in a mouse model of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and at elucidating its mechanism of analgesic action.

Methods: Adult Kunming (KM) mice were randomly divided into control, CD, and vehicle-treated groups. Neuropathic pain was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of resiniferatoxin (RTX). Read More

Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2022 Jun 6;12(6):1447-1467. Epub 2022 Jun 6.

GSK, 1-8-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0052, Japan.

Introduction: This study aimed to update cost-effectiveness and public health impact estimates of the two-dose recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) compared with no vaccination against herpes zoster (HZ) in the Japanese population aged 65 years. List price of the vaccine and latest RZV efficacy and waning estimates were incorporated.

Methods: A multicohort static Markov model with a cycle length of 1 year was used to follow a hypothetical cohort of one million people aged 65 years over their remaining lifetime (base case). Read More

World J Clin Cases 2022 May;10(13):4220-4225

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China.

Background: Primary trigeminal neuralgia can achieve satisfactory results through clinical treatment and intervention. The pathogenesis of neuralgia caused by varicella-zoster virus infection of the trigeminal nerve is more complex, and it is still difficult to relieve the pain in some patients simply by drug treatment or surgical intervention.

Case Summary: A 66-year-old woman was hospitalized with herpetic neuralgia after herpes zoster ophthalmicus (varicella-zoster virus infects the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve). Read More

Pain Physician 2022 05;25(3):E481-E488

Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), as the most common complication of herpes zoster (HZ), is very refractory to current therapies. Studies of HZ have indicated that early aggressive pain interventions can effectively prevent PHN; therefore, accurately predicting PHN in outpatients with HZ and treating HZ promptly, would be of great benefit to patients. Multiple logistic regression (MLR) has often been used to predict PHN. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2022 May;26(10):3664-3676

Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Objective: Chronic pain is currently considered a disease state with biopsychosocial consequences and a negative impact on patients' quality of life (QoL). Pain from postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) can persist for months or years and is a prototypical example of chronic pain. We analyzed PHN as a model of chronic pain, including its effects on QoL and clinical aspects. Read More

Medicina (Kaunas) 2022 Apr 30;58(5). Epub 2022 Apr 30.

Head of Pain Clinic, Hospital de la Princesa, Calle Diego de León 62, 28006 Madrid, Spain.

Interventional management of neuropathic pain (NP) is available to the patients who do not obtain satisfactory pain relief with pharmacotherapy. Evidence supporting this is sparse and fragmented. We attempted to summarize and critically appraise the existing data to identify strategies that yield the greatest benefit, guide clinicians, and identify areas that merit further investigation. Read More

Contrast Media Mol Imaging 2022 10;2022:2250621. Epub 2022 May 10.

Dermatology of 1st Department, Hebei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei, China.

This work aimed to investigate the brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology based on the depth autoencoders algorithm and to evaluate the clinically curative effect of pregabalin in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). In this study, 40 patients with PHN were selected and rolled randomly into a treatment group and a control group (20 cases in each group). Then, a depth autoencoders algorithm was constructed and applied in the brain resting-state fMRI technology. Read More

Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg 2022 May 20. Epub 2022 May 20.

Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Purpose: To describe a novel, minimally invasive surgical technique to treat severe, intractable periorbital neuropathic pain.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with severe, treatment-refractory periorbital pain who underwent transection of affected sensory trigeminal branches with nerve repair was performed. Collected data included etiology and duration of neuropathic pain, comorbidities, prior treatment history, surgical technique including site of transected sensory nerves and type of nerve repair, preoperative and postoperative pain scores as well as follow-up duration. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 26;9:850762. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.

Purpose: Herpes zoster infection, with its considerable burden to individuals and society, remains a challenge around the world. However, to the knowledge of the authors, little bibliometric quantitative or qualitative analysis has been carried out to evaluate herpes zoster research. This study aimed to use a bibliometric analysis to evaluate current publication trends and hotspots on herpes zoster research worldwide, in order to advance research in this field. Read More

Skinmed 2022 30;20(2):149-151. Epub 2022 Apr 30.

Department of Dermatology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY.

Case 1: An 89-year-old obese Caucasian man with a history of coronary artery disease, hypothyroidism, and hyperlipidemia presented with herpes zoster on the lower back, and postherpetic neuralgia. The patient complained of significant pain and reported that he had been spending most of his day over the past few weeks in a seated position. (. Read More

Neural Plast 2022 27;2022:7055697. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Department of Pain Management, The State Key Clinical Specialty in Pain Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common and severe complication after varicella-zoster infection, especially in elderly patients. PHN is always refractory to treatment. Both pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and short-term spinal cord stimulation (stSCS) have been used as effective analgesia methods in clinic. Read More

Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2022 May 2;12(5):1239-1252. Epub 2022 May 2.

NPO Health Institute Research of Skin, 2nd Floor, Fukuda Building 1-8-9 Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0047, Japan.

Introduction: Amenamevir is a new anti-varicella-zoster virus drug that inhibits the helicase-primase complex involved in viral replication. Amenamevir has the same effect as valaciclovir on acute pain and skin eruption, but no studies have examined the presence of long-term zoster-associated pain (ZAP) or postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) after amenamevir treatment.

Methods: A total of 785 herpes zoster patients treated with amenamevir were followed up for 12 months. Read More

Hautarzt 2022 Jun 27;73(6):442-451. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland.

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common skin disease resulting from a regionally limited reactivation of a latent infection with the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Despite its usually self-limiting course, HZ is associated with a considerable individual and public health burden of disease, particularly due to its high rate of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Objectives: To improve knowledge of the current recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Mar 29;10(4). Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Division of Tuberculosis Vaccine and Allergen Products, Institute of Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 102629, China.

Herpes zoster (HZ) is one of two distinct syndromes caused by Varicella-zoster virus (VZV). A primary infection with VZV causes varicella in susceptible young children. After resolution of the primary infection, VZV establishes a lifelong latency within the cranial or dorsal root ganglia. Read More

Pain Res Manag 2022 11;2022:5299753. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

The Department of Pain, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550000, China.

Objective: Under the guidance of a digital subtraction angiography (DSA) machine, via fluoroscopic imaging techniques, patients diagnosed with herpes zoster neuralgia at the subacute stage, where self-reported pain lasts between 30 and 90 days, were treated with nerve pulsed radiofrequency surgery combined with intravenous lidocaine infusion or saline infusion as control. This study explores the clinical efficacy, safety, and clinical value of the combined treatment compared with nerve pulsed radiofrequency surgery alone.

Methods: In this study, 72 patients diagnosed with herpes zoster neuralgia at the subacute stage were randomly divided into two groups with matched gender, age, and clinical symptoms. Read More

J Dermatolog Treat 2022 Apr 26:1-7. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of methylprednisolone combined with local anesthetics on the incidence or intensity of long-term Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Methods: We have performed comprehensive literature research in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library, and China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) databases (inception through October 19 2021). Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with long-term duration were included, regardless of the injection method. Read More

J Med Virol 2022 Aug 29;94(8):3924-3929. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Hematology Department, Bayındır Health Group, Ankara, Turkey.

The risk of herpes zoster (HZ) increases as cell-mediated immunity declines with age. Even though oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the development of HZ, there are few serum biomarkers of the disease's antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the blood levels of major antioxidants in HZ patients. Read More

Mol Pain 2022 Jan-Dec;18:17448069221089784

Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, 12952University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.

Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) therapy is one of the most common treatment options for neuropathic pain, albeit the underlying mechanism has not been hitherto elucidated. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and mechanism of PRF therapy on resiniferatoxin (RTX)-induced mechanical allodynia, which has been used as a model of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Adult male rats were intraperitoneally injected with a vehicle or RTX. Read More

J Pain Res 2022 5;15:959-968. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Hangzhou Third Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.

Introduction: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a severe complication of herpes zoster (HZ), representing an important burden of disease in the elderly. Electroacupuncture (EA) has become growingly appreciated as a therapy of PHN with the situation that effectiveness of conventional therapy of PHN is less than ideal. Owing to its low price, no side effects, high safety and high patients acceptance, EA has been used in treating PHN more frequently. Read More