Sex-specific differences observed for efficacy of high-frequency, low-frequency spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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TUESDAY, May 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — High-frequency spinal cord stimulation (HF-SCS) shows longer lasting pain relief than low-frequency (LF) SCS but with some sex-specific differences in effectiveness for treating chronic pain, according to a study published online April 28 in Bioelectronic Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Rosalynn R.Z. Conic, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of California in San Diego, and colleagues evaluated sex\u00e2\u0080\u0091specific differences in the efficacy of traditional LF-SCS versus HF-SCS for chronic pain. Analysis included 94 patients with HF-SCS (10 kHz) and 143 with LF-SCS (50 Hz) receiving implants between 2004 and 2020.<\/p>\n The researchers found that at three months and six months, HF-SCS and LF-SCS patients had lower visual analog scores versus baseline, with no differences across groups. For HF-SCS, perceived pain reduction (PPR) improved for both genders at post-implantation and at three months, versus baseline and persisted to six and 12 months. Compared to LF-SCS, male PPR was significantly better for HF-SCS at three and six months, while improvement for women was only seen at the six-month time point. For opioid use, there were no differences from baseline for either modality; however, LF-SCS patients used more opioids at every time point versus HF-SCS. <\/p>\n “Our work was sparked by a growing literature that demonstrate sex-specific immune pathways differentially contribute to chronic pain processes,” a coauthor said in a statement. “The observed parameter-specific (high versus low frequency) sex-based differences in spinal cord stimulation efficacy and opiate use are definitely intriguing.”<\/p>\n One author disclosed financial ties to the medical technology industry.<\/p>\n