Chronic Pancreatitis Pain
Top-Line Summary:
A small, single center, retrospective cohort study at a US hospital looked at patients with chronic pancreatitis who were treated with 1.) intrathecal morphine pump (n=13) or 2.) total pancreatectomy with autologous islet cell transplant (n=30). Both lead to clinically significant pain relief and decreased MME requirement in chronic pancreatitis. Surgical treatment, even with islet cell transplant, has increased risk of developing post-operative insulin-dependent diabetes (about 46% of patients at 5-year follow-up).
Source
Gut Microbes. 16(1):2310291, 2024 Jan-Dec.
Authors
Kesh K; Tao J; Ghosh N; Jalodia R; Singh S; Dawra R; Roy S
Abstract
Opioids, such as morphine and oxycodone, are widely used for pain management associated with chronic pancreatitis (CP); however, their impact on the progression and pain sensitivity of CP has never been evaluated. This report investigates the impact of opioid use on the severity of CP, pain sensitivity, and the gut microbiome. C57BL/6 mice were divided into control, CP, CP with morphine/oxycodone, and either morphine or oxycodone alone groups. CP was induced by administration of caerulein (50ug/kg/h, i.p. hourly x7, twice a week for 10 weeks). The mouse-to-pancreas weight ratio, histology, and Sirius red staining were performed to measure CP severity. Tail flick and paw pressure assays were used to measure thermal and mechanical pain. DNA was extracted from the fecal samples and subjected to whole-genome shotgun sequencing. Germ-free mice were used to validate the role of gut microbiome in sensitizing acute pancreatic inflammation. Opioid treatment exacerbates CP by increasing pancreatic necrosis, fibrosis, and immune-cell infiltration. Opioid-treated CP mice exhibited enhanced pain hypersensitivity and showed distinct clustering of the gut microbiome compared to untreated CP mice, with severely compromised gut barrier integrity. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from opioid-treated CP mice into germ-free mice resulted in pancreatic inflammation in response to a suboptimal caerulein dose. Together, these analyses revealed that opioids worsen the severity of CP and induce significant alterations in pain sensitivity and the gut microbiome in a caerulein CP mouse model. Microbial dysbiosis plays an important role in sensitizing the host to pancreatic inflammation.
Source
World Journal of Gastroenterology. 22(16):4160-7, 2016 Apr 28.
Authors
Mokadem M; Noureddine L; Howard T; McHenry L; Sherman S; Fogel EL; Watkins JL; Lehman GA
Abstract
AIM: To evaluate pain control in chronic pancreatitis patients who underwent total pancreatectomy with islet cell transplantation or intrathecal narcotic pump infusion.
METHODS: We recognized 13 patients who underwent intrathecal narcotic pump (ITNP) infusion and 57 patients who underwent total pancreatectomy with autologous islet cell transplantation (TP + ICT) for chronic pancreatitis (CP) pain control between 1998 and 2008 at Indiana University Hospital. All patients had already failed multiple other modalities for pain control and the decision to proceed with either intervention was made at the discretion of the patients and their treating physicians. All patients were evaluated retrospectively using a questionnaire inquiring about their pain control (using a 0-10 pain scale), daily narcotic dose usage, and hospital admission days for pain control before each intervention and during their last follow-up.
RESULTS: All 13 ITNP patients and 30 available TP + ICT patients were evaluated. The mean age was approximately 40 years in both groups. The median duration of pain before intervention was 6 years and 7 years in the ITNP and TP + ICT groups, respectively. The median pain score dropped from 8 to 2.5 (on a scale of 0-10) in both groups on their last follow up. The median daily dose of narcotics also decreased from 393 mg equivalent of morphine sulfate to 8 mg in the ITNP group and from 300 mg to 40 mg in the TP + ICT group. No patient had diabetes mellitus (DM) before either procedure whereas 85% of those who underwent pancreatectomy were insulin dependent on their last evaluation despite ICT.
CONCLUSION: ITNP and TP + ICT are comparable for pain control in patients with CP however with high incidence of DM among those who underwent TP + ICT. Prospective comparative studies and longer follow up are needed to better define treatment outcomes.
Pharmacological management of pain in chronic pancreatitis. [Review]
Source
Scottish Medical Journal. 59(1):71-9, 2014 Feb.
Authors
Paisley P; Kinsella J
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Chronic pancreatitis is a condition that is rising in incidence in the Western World. It is predominated by severe intractable abdominal pain that presents a significant impact on patients' quality of life and physical functioning. The pain is persistent in many patients, requiring admission to hospital for the majority at some stage in their illness. There is no current NICE or SIGN guideline with associated grading for the pharmacological management of this symptom. This paper aims to investigate and summarise the current pharmacological therapies for pain control in an attempt to formulate the levels of evidence supporting their use.
METHODS: The online digital archives PubMed, Science Direct, Medscape and the Cochrane Library were searched for the keywords pain and chronic pancreatitis. Hand searches of relevant journals and citations were used to complete the investigation of current literature on the topic. Relevant articles and studies were critically analysed in a standard format with relation to study type, population, number, end point and outcomes. Publications not relevant to the management of pain in chronic pancreatitis were excluded.
RESULTS: Medical therapies, including oral analgesics and enzyme preparations, were included in the analysis of current modalities for treating pain in chronic pancreatitis.
CONCLUSIONS: A summary of the evidence base for different pharmacological treatments in the context of chronic pancreatitis has shown that large number trials evaluating their efficacy in managing pain are lacking and offer scope for future research on this topic. The use of 'alternative' treatments such as antioxidant preparations and enzyme antagonists has shown promise. With regard to opioids, tramadol is as effective as morphine with less neuropsychiatric and gastrointestinal side effects. Oxycodone may derive more benefit than morphine due to an additional Kappa-agonist effect.
Source
British Journal of Surgery. 99(6):761-6, 2012 Jun.
Authors
Bramis K; Gordon-Weeks AN; Friend PJ; Bastin E; Burls A; Silva MA; Dennison AR
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation (TP/IAT) is a treatment option in a subset of patients with chronic pancreatitis. A systematic review of the literature was performed to evaluate the outcome of this procedure, with an attempt to ascertain when it is indicated.
METHODS: MEDLINE (1950 to present), Embase (1980 to present) and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify studies of outcomes in patients undergoing TP/IAT. Cohort studies that reported the outcomes following the procedure were included. The MOOSE guidelines were used as a basis for this review.
RESULTS: Five studies met the inclusion criteria. The techniques reported for pancreatectomy and islet cell isolation varied between studies. TP/IAT was successful in reducing pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Comparing morphine requirements before and after the procedure, two studies recorded significant reductions. Concurrent IAT reduced the insulin requirement after TP; the rate of insulin independence ranged from 46 per cent of patients at 5 years' mean follow-up to 10 per cent at 8 years. The impact on quality of life was poorly reported. The studies reviewed did not provide evidence for optimal timing of TP/IAT in relation to the evolution of chronic pancreatitis.
CONCLUSION: This systematic review showed that TP/IAT had favourable outcomes with regard to pain reduction. Concurrent IAT enabled a significant proportion of patients to remain independent of insulin supplementation. Copyright © 2012 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.