[Benefits and harms of cannabis-based medicines from the viewpoint of patients with chronic pain and their physicians : A cohort study in three pain centers of the German federal state Saarland].

Background: There are no studies available that have simultaneously assessed the benefits and harms of cannabis-based medicines from the viewpoint of patients and their physicians.

Methods: All chronic pain patients at three pain centres in the German federal state of Saarland who had received at least one prescription of cannabis-based medicines (CbMs) in the past from the study centre were included in a cross-sectional study from January 1 to December 31, 2021. Patients and their physicians completed a self-developed questionnaire separately.

Cannabis use disorder in patients with chronic pain: overestimation and underestimation in a cross-sectional observational study in 3 German pain management centres.

There are concerns that cannabis use disorder (CUD) may develop in patients with chronic pain prescribed medical cannabis (MC). The criteria for CUD according to the Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders Version 5 (DSM-5) were not developed for the identification of patients using cannabis for therapeutic reasons. In addition, some items of CUD might be attributed to the desire of the patient to relieve the pain.

Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up.

Background: Integrative medicine is used frequently alongside chemotherapy treatment in pediatric oncology, but little is known about the influence on toxicity. This German, multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of complementary treatments on toxicity related to intensive-phase chemotherapy treatment in children aged 1-18 with the primary outcome of the toxicity sum score. Secondary outcomes were chemotherapy-related toxicity, overall and event-free survival after 5 years in study patients.

Wishes and Needs at the End of Life–Communication Strategies, Counseling, and Administrative Aspects.

Background: Managing the last phase of life properly, i.e., taking care that a patient's wishes are respected at the end of life and beyond, is very important and can relieve the patient and his or her family of unnecessary burdens.

Safety Considerations in Cannabinoid-Based Medicine.

Cannabinoids are a diverse class of chemical compounds that are increasingly recognized as potential therapeutic options for a range of conditions. While many studies and reviews of cannabinoids focus on efficacy, safety is much less well reported. Overall assessment of the safety of cannabinoid-based medicines is confounded by confusion with recreational cannabis use as well as different study designs, indications, dosing, and administration methods.

[Cannabis-based medicines for chronic pain: indications, selection of drugs, effectiveness and safety : Experiences of pain physicians in Saarland].

Background: There are uncertainties among physicians with respect to the indications, selection of drugs, effectiveness and safety of cannabis-based medicines for chronic pain.

Methods: All statutory health insurance pain physicians in Saarland were asked to complete a self-developed questionnaire assessing their experiences with cannabis-based medicines, which they prescribed between 10 March 2017 and 30 November 2018 for adult patients with chronic cancer and non-cancer pain.

Results: All statutory health insurance pain physicians participated in the survey and 13 out of 20 reported having prescribed cannabis-based medicines.

Pain in tones - Is it possible to hear the pain quality? A pilot trial.

Objective: The adequate treatment of chronic pain also calls for measuring its quality not only its intensity. For this reason, this pilot study investigated the non-verbal description of pain quality based on tones, distinguishing between nociceptive and neuropathic pain.

Methods: A nociceptive and a neuropathic pain stimulus were applied to 80 chronic pain patients and 80 healthy subjects.

Photobiomodulation therapy in breast cancer-related lymphedema: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: The aim of our study was to examine the effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in the treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema using a compactly designed treatment regime consisting of eight therapy sessions in combination with a cluster laser device covering a total area size of 78.54 cm² over the axillary.

Methods: Forty patients with unilateral lymphedema were enrolled in this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in order to evaluate effects of PBMT on lymphedema-related pain, quality of life, grip strength and limb volume difference.

Topiramate-induced nephrolithiasis.

Nephrolithiasis is a less common side effect of the antiepileptic drug topiramate. We report the case of a 3-year-old boy who presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain; examinations revealed a large calcification in the left kidney. Regular ultrasound examinations are recommended in children using topiramate.

Severe cyanide poisoning from an alternative medicine treatment with amygdalin and apricot kernels in a 4-year-old child.

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread in children with cancer and is poorly regulated.

Patients And Methods: Case report.

Results: We describe a case of severe cyanide poisoning arising from CAM use.

Differences in use of complementary and alternative medicine between children and adolescents with cancer in Germany: a population based survey.

Background: Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children with cancer is common and probably increasing. However, data concerning differences between children and adolescents focusing on prevalence, reasons for use/non-use, costs, adverse effects, and socio-demographic factors are lacking.

Procedure: A population-based survey over a 1 year period with 497 participants was conducted.

Complementary and alternative medicine in paediatrics: a systematic overview/synthesis of Cochrane Collaboration reviews.

Background: A high prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has been documented in children with chronic illnesses. Conversely, evidence-based medicine is considered an important contributor in providing the best quality of care.

Methods: We performed a systematic overview/synthesis of all Cochrane reviews published between 1995 and 2012 in paediatrics that assessed the efficacy, and clinical implications and limitations of CAM use in children.

The role of developing countries in generating Cochrane meta-analyses in the field of pediatrics (neonatology and neuropediatrics): a systematic analysis.

Background: There is a lack of up-to-date, systematic reviews that critically assess the role and potential limitations of evidence-based medicine and systematic Cochrane reviews originating in developing countries.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature review of all Cochrane reviews published between 1997 and 2010 by the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group (CNRG) in the field of neuropediatrics. The main outcome parameter of our review was the assessment of the percentage of reviews that originated in developing countries and the number of reviews that provided conclusive/ inconclusive data.

Systematic Cochrane reviews in neonatology: a critical appraisal.

Background: There is a lack of up-to-date, systematic reviews that critically assess the role and potential limitations of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and systematic reviews in neonatology.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature review of all Cochrane reviews published between 1996 and 2010 by the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group (CNRG). Main outcome parameter: assessment of the percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention provides a benefit, the percentage of reviews that concluded that no benefit was seen, and the percentage of studies that concluded that the current level of evidence is inconclusive.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in healthy children and children with chronic medical conditions in Germany.

Objectives: Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children is common and probably increasing. However little is known about differences between healthy and chronically ill children with a focus on prevalence, reasons for use/non-use, costs, adverse effects and socio-demographic factors.

Design: A questionnaire-based survey with 500 participants visiting the outpatient clinic of the University Children's Hospital Homburg, Germany was conducted over a 4-week period in 2004.

Headache in children: update on complementary treatments.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used by both physicians and patients with primary headache syndromes. Despite a considerable number of articles addressing CAM in primary headache syndromes, the overall evidence for CAM is still poor. The aim of this review was to give an overview of the current evidence of the main alternative therapies used in the treatment of primary headache syndromes of childhood.