COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications on Interventional Pain Practice—a Narrative Review

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged and has challenged us to look for alternatives to bring about a paradigm shift in interventional chronic pain management. As the disease lowers the body’s immune system, the use of medications that suppress the immune system are not recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The purpose of this study was to review medications other than steroids used for interventional pain management and the emphasis on mitigation of the untoward consequences of steroid injections on the immune system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Literature Search: The literature was searched for articles in English with key words COVID-19, immunity, steroid for pain management injections with steroid, local anesthetics, dextrose water, normal saline, pain and genetic medicine, pain, and regenerative medicine. The sources of articles were PubMed, Embase, and open Google search. Literature Review: The medications used for interventional pain management include steroids and opioids. The side effects of these medications are well known but have never been looked at as critically as they are now. Many other medications have been used for interventional pain procedures to relieve pain, such as dextrose water, normal saline solution, local anesthetics, and many adjuvants. Regarding regenerative therapy, despite plenty of evidence in literature, we have not yet considered it as a routine therapy for chronic pain injections. It is now time to move on beyond steroids and consider other types of medications and treatment options. The use of these medications in clinical practice is less auspicious, and thus more research is needed on the practical applications. Further areas for research include studies to determine definitive efficacy and safety assessment and determine whether or not the analgesic effects of these drugs are duration or dose-dependent. The optimal identification of candidates, volume, concentration, and intervals of injection are essential for routine application in interventional chronic pain practice. Conclusions: The future of interventional pain practice is trending toward regenerative medicine and genetic research. Numerous scientific studies have been conducted to investigate the genetic basis of phenotypic variability in individuals with different ethnic groups in terms of susceptibility to chronic pain, as well as response to treatment for the personalized medicine model. Despite the preliminary data on genetic variations, there is no evidence for the use of a pharmacogenomicsbased approach to personalized medicine for patients with chronic pain. The field of medicine therefore needs further research in pharmacogenetics, including large-scale prospective studies that focus on pain pathways. However, recent research, including larger studies and larger-scale genomic perspectives, may yield more promising findings in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic proved the need for medications with the most impact and least complications. Key words: COVID-19, steroid, pain injections, chronic pain, immune system, regenerative medicine