PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Hans Georg Kress

Publications and source records attributed to Hans Georg Kress.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Chronic pelvic pain treated with gabapentin and amitriptyline: a randomized controlled pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and side effects of gabapentin, amitriptyline, and their combination in women with chronic pelvic pain. METHODS: In this open-label, prospective, randomized trial, 56 women with chronic pelvic pain were investigated with a two-year follow-up at the Vienna Medical University Hospital. If pain intensity assessed by a visual analog scale (VAS) was 5 or more (0, no pain; 10, maximal pain), despite analgesic therapy using the nonopioid drug metamizol together with weak opioids, patients were randomized to receive gabapentin (n = 20), amitriptyline (n = 20), or a combination of both drugs (n = 16). Doses of gabapentin and amitriptyline were increased to maximum daily doses of 3600 mg and 150 mg, respectively, until sufficient pain relief or the occurrence of side effects. VAS and side effects were evaluated before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months afterwards. RESULTS: All patients experienced significant pain relief during the observation period. However, after 6, 12 and 24 months, pain relief was significantly better in patients receiving gabapentin either alone or in combination with amitriptyline than in patients receiving monotherapy with amitriptyline (gabapentin: 0 months, 7.7 +/- 1.5; 6 months, 1.6 +/- 0.9; 12 months, 1.5 +/- 0.9; 24 months, 1.9 +/- 0.9; amitriptyline: 0 months, 7.3 +/- 1.5; 6 months, 2.2 +/- 1.6; 12 months, 2.2 +/- 1.6; 24 months; 3.4 +/- 0.9; amitriptyline-gabapentin: 0 months, 7.6 +/- 0.8; 6 months, 1.3 +/- 0.9; 12 months, 1.7 +/- 1.0; 24 months, 2.3 +/- 0.9). Side effects were lower in the gabapentin group than in the two other groups, the difference reaching statistical significance after three months (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gabapentin alone or in combination with amitriptyline is better than amitriptyline alone in the treatment of female chronic pelvic pain.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

The short- and long-term benefit in chronic low back pain through adjuvant electrical versus manual auricular acupuncture.

UNLABELLED: Acupuncture is an established adjuvant analgesic modality for the treatment of chronic pain. Electrical stimulation of acupuncture points is considered to increase acupuncture analgesia. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study we tested the hypothesis that auricular electroacupuncture (EA) relieves pain more effectively than conventional manual auricular acupuncture (CO) in chronic low back pain patients with insufficient pain relief (visual analogue scale [VAS] > or = 5) treated with standardized analgesic therapy. Disposable acupuncture needles were inserted in the auricular acupuncture points 29, 40, and 55 of the dominant side and connected to a newly developed battery-powered miniaturized stimulator worn behind the ear. Patients were randomized into group EA (n = 31) with continuous low-frequency auricular EA (1 Hz biphasic constant current of 2 mA) and group CO (n = 30) without electrical stimulation (sham-electroacupuncture). Treatment was performed once weekly for 6 wk, and in each group needles were withdrawn 48 h after insertion. During the study period and a 3-mo follow-up, patients were asked to complete the McGill questionnaire. Psychological well being, activity level, quality of sleep, and pain intensity were assessed by means of VAS; moreover, analgesic drug consumption was documented. Pain relief was significantly better in group EA during the study and the follow-up period as compared with group CO. Similarly, psychological well-being, activity, and sleep were significantly improved in group EA versus group CO, the consumption of analgesic rescue medication was less, and more patients returned to full-time employment. Neuropathic pain in particular improved in patients treated with EA. There were no adverse side effects. These results are the first to demonstrate that continuous EA stimulation of auricular acupuncture points improves the treatment of chronic low back pain in an outpatient population. IMPLICATIONS: Continuous electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points using the new point stimulation device P-stim significantly decreases pain intensity and improves psychological well-being, activity, and sleep in chronic low back pain patients.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed2004

The procoagulatory effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in human platelets.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is increasingly used for the long-term treatment of nausea, vomiting, cachexia, and chronic pain. Recent reports, however, have indicated an increased risk of myocardial infarction and thromboangiitis obliterans after THC intake. Blood platelets have an essential role in the pathogenesis of these two diseases, but it is unclear whether platelets are potential target cells for cannabinoids. We investigated the effects of THC on human platelets and the expression of cannabinoid receptors on their cell membranes in this in vitro study. The effects of THC (final concentrations 10(-7) to 10(-5) M) on the expression of activated platelet fibrinogen receptor (glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) and P selectin were characterized by flow cytometry. Western blotting was performed with platelet membrane preparations to determine the surface expression of cannabinoid receptors on human platelets. THC increased the expression of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa and P selectin on human platelets in a concentration-dependent manner. The two known cannabinoid receptors (CB(1) and CB(2)) were both detected on the cell membrane of human platelets. Our functional results may suggest a receptor-dependent pathway of THC-induced platelet activation. However, further in vivo studies are warranted to evaluate the role of cannabinoid receptors in mediating the demonstrated procoagulatory effect of THC.

Blood Coagulation↗
PubMed2003

[Malignant hyperthermia].

Malignant hyperthermia is an autosomal dominant disorder of the skeletal muscle that predisposes affected individuals to a life-threatening hypermetabolic reaction in response to volatile anaesthetics and depolarizing muscle relaxants. The underlying heterogeneous genetic defects are mainly point mutations within the ryanodine receptor gene of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Following the introduction of efficient diagnostic and therapeutic tools--the in vitro contracture test and intravenous treatment with dantrolene--a dramatic decline in mortality rates has been observed. The association of malignant hyperthermia-like reactions with other neuromuscular disorders requires the collaboration of several clinical disciplines to achieve a timely recognition of this still life-threatening disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

No evidence for direct modulatory effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The effects of cannabinoids (CB) that have been reported in various leukocyte populations were mainly immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory. Almost nothing is known, however, about direct interactions of cannabinoids with human polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), although m-RNA for the cannabinoid receptor-2 (CB(2)) was found in human PMN. In order to investigate a potential influence of cannabinoids on human PMN, the migration and phagocytosis of PMN were studied in the presence of Delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) at final concentrations between 10(-10) and 10(-5) M. No effect was detectable on these essential PMN functions; and besides, no CB(2)-receptor expression could be detected using the Western blotting technique. Thus, circulating human PMN from healthy individuals remain unaffected by Delta(9)-THC due to the absence of functional CB(2)-receptor expression.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2002

[Dear colleagues].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Complex Regional Pain Syndromes↗