Clinical Research Directory

Efficacy of a Chronic Pain Treatment Prior to Gender-affirming Surgery

The primary objective of this study is to examine a single-session, 2-hour group intervention provided to a population of transgender or gender-diverse patients with chronic pain prior to gender-affirming surgery, to determine if participants who receive the intervention have less pain-related distress compared to participants randomly assigned to the control group.

Neurobiology of Pain in Burn Survivors

Many burn survivors experience persistent, disabling pain that is strongly influenced by pain catastrophizing, a pattern of negative cognitive and emotional responses to pain involving feelings of helplessness, rumination, and magnification of symptoms. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate whether an 6-week, remotely delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy program reduces pain interference (disruption to daily life) and pain catastrophizing more effectively than an 6-week pain education. Researchers also aim to identify the neurobiological mechanisms through which non-pharmacologic pain management works using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging brain scans.

Association Between Pain Catastrophizing and PONV in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Patients

This study aims to explore whether patients' tendency to exaggerate or focus on pain (pain catastrophizing) is related to experiencing nausea and vomiting after surgery. The study will include patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Before surgery, patients will answer questions measuring pain catastrophizing and rate their pain during intravenous cannulation. Nausea and vomiting will be assessed at various times during the first 24 hours after surgery. The results may help better understand how psychological factors affect postoperative symptoms.

Empowered Relief® for Cancer Survivors With Chronic Pain

This randomized controlled study to examine the efficacy of ER class in cancer survivors with chronic pain. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to a ER class or a waitlist control condition. We will recruit 250 participants with a goal of having 200 completers (20% attrition). Participants in the control condition will be invited to attend ER class after the 3-month observation period.

Music Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Pain in Chronic Pain Patients During Procedures

This study aims to find out whether listening to music before, during, and after pain procedures can help reduce anxiety, pain catastrophising, and acute pain in patients with chronic pain. Music therapy may provide a simple, safe, and non-drug way to help patients relax and feel more comfortable. In this study, adult patients with chronic pain who are scheduled for interventional pain procedures at Singapore General Hospital will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will listen to self-selected music through headphones and speakers before, during, and after the procedure. The other group will receive standard care without music. Researchers will measure anxiety, pain catastrophising, and pain levels before and after the procedure using validated questionnaires. The main outcome will be the level of anxiety after the procedure. Other outcomes include pain catastrophising scores, pain scores during local anaesthetic injection, and overall patient satisfaction. This study will help determine if music therapy can be routinely used to improve comfort and emotional well-being for patients undergoing interventional pain procedures.

Self-Adjusted Nitrous Oxide: A Feasibility Study in the Setting of Vasectomy

This study is being done to see if nitrous oxide during vasectomy decreases pain and anxiety, and also assess whether patients have better satisfaction when they control their own level of nitrous oxide during the procedure. If we find that patients experience less pain or anxiety with nitrous oxide, it could be suggested that self-adjusted nitrous oxide (SANO) may be a useful tool for improving experience of care during vasectomy.

PROCO Neck: The Course and Neuroplasticity in Neck Pain-Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders

Neck pain-associated disorders (NAD) and whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are major health problems. NAD has a lifetime prevalence of 54%. Although the majority of patients recovers within the first three months, a minority develops persistent pain. WAD, in contrast, is reported less frequently, but patients are often suffering more badly. Patients with chronic symptoms represent a considerable burden in terms of pain, suffering, health care needs, and social costs. Findings on the natural course of NAD and WAD reflect the necessity to identify factors besides pain related to the persistence of symptoms. First, alterations of input and processing of multiple sensory modalities causing movement control impairment can result in persistent symptoms and affect the quality of life. Besides, findings of psychosocial factors predictive of pain outcomes support the growing body of research proposing a bidirectional relationship between somatic and psychosocial variables. In particular, there is a pressing need to investigate pain-related activity patterns, besides fear-avoidance behavior in NAD and WAD. Maladaptive activity pattern have an impact on on pain and disability in the long-term prognosis. Mt important, given the high prevalence of NAD and WAD, the cortical representation of the cervical spine has not yet been investigated and, reports on neuroplasticity remain scarce. These shortcomings should be addressed to provide evidence for the temporal aspect of neuroplasticity and its involvement in pain persistence. Hypotheses: We hypothesize I. that impaired sensorimotor abilities, mental health at baseline increase pain intensity and disability during measurement. II. that maladaptive pain-related activity patterns avoidance and overactivity at baseline are prognostic factors for pain persistence and disability. III. that the WAD cohort shows more depression, anxiety and stress compared to the NAD cohort.