Updated on 2025/07/02

All information, except for affiliations, is reprinted from the information registered on researchmap.

写真a

 
Masaki Kitahara
 
Organization
YCU Medical Center Pain Management Clinic Associate Professor
Title
Associate Professor
Profile
海外で慢性痛診療の臨床経験がある数少ない医療者として、難治性慢性痛の診療・研究・教育・Public Relationsに携わっている。臨床研究では、学術的痛み治療の有効性の検証、筋筋膜性疼痛の影響、強オピオイドの使用、高齢者における慢性痛診療、医療分野におけるPublic Relationsの重要性などをテーマとしている。
External link

Degree

  • 博士（医学） ( 帝京大学 )

Research Interests

  • 難治性慢性疼痛

  • 認知行動療法

  • 学術的痛み治療

  • 筋筋膜性疼痛

Research Areas

  • Life Science / Anesthesiology

  • Life Science / Pathophysiologic neuroscience

Research History

  • Yokohama City University School of Medicine Medical Course , Anesthesiology   Associate Professor

    　 More details

Papers

  • [Role of Pain Clinics in Chronic Pain Management].

    Masaki Kitahara

    Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo   75 ( 3 )   235 - 241   2023.3

    　More details

    Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

    A pain clinic is a medical care center that specializes in pain management and does not only provide nerve block therapy. Pain specialists diagnose the etiology of pain based on the biopsychosocial model of pain and develop individualized treatment goals for patients at the pain clinic. Appropriate treatment methods are selected and implemented to achieve these goals. The primary goal of treatment is not merely pain relief but improved activities of daily living/quality of life. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is important.

    DOI： 10.11477/mf.1416202313

    PubMed

    researchmap

  • Persistent post-operative pain after breast cancer surgery

    Keiko Y. Kojima, Masaki Kitahara

    Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology   67 ( 3 )   264 - 271   2018.3

    　More details

    Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Kokuseido Publishing Co. Ltd  

    Scopus

    researchmap

  • "Katakori": a Pain Syndrome Specific to the Japanese. International journal

    Masaki Kitahara, Masahiko Shibata

    Current pain and headache reports   20 ( 12 )   64 - 64   2016.12

    　More details

    Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

    PubMed

    researchmap

  • The Effect of Guidance regarding Home Exercise and ADL on Adolescent Females Suffering from Adverse Effects after HPV Vaccination in Japanese Multidisciplinary Pain Centers. International journal

    Takahiro Ushida, Masahiko Shibata, Masaki Kitahara, Shoji Yabuki, Masahiko Sumitani, Takanori Murakami, Masako Iseki, Masako Hosoi, Hiroaki Shiokawa, Tomoko Tetsunaga, Hiroyuki Nishie, Sei Fukui, Motohiro Kawasaki, Sinsuke Inoue, Makoto Nishihara, Shuichi Aono, Tatunori Ikemoto, Takashi Kawai, Young-Chang Arai

    Pain research & management   2016   3689352 - 3689352   2016

    　More details

    Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

    Background. Two prophylactic papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been available for primary prevention of cervical cancer. Although serious adverse effects (AE) were rare, more than 230 women have been suffering from severe AEs such as persistent pain and headache in Japan. Our research group started to treat adolescent females suffering from the AEs. Objective. To survey the characteristics of and the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on adolescent female suffering from the AEs in Japanese multidisciplinary pain centers. Methods. One hundred and forty-five patients suffering from the AEs were reviewed retrospectively and 105 patients of them were provided guidance on home exercise and activities of daily living based partially on a cognitive-behavioral approach. The intensity of pain was rated by the patients using a numerical rating scale (NRS). Furthermore, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) were used. Results. Eighty out of the 105 patients who received the guidance were followed up, 10 displayed a marked improvement, and 43 showed some improvement. Conclusions. Guidance on home exercise and activities of daily living based on a cognitive-behavioral approach alleviated the AEs that women suffered from after HPV vaccination in Japan.

    DOI： 10.1155/2016/3689352

    PubMed

    researchmap

  • Preference for different anchor descriptors on visual analogue scales among Japanese patients with chronic pain. International journal

    Junya Yokobe, Masaki Kitahara, Masato Matsushima, Shoichi Uezono

    PloS one   9 ( 6 )   e99891   2014

    　More details

    Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

    CONTEXT: Although many previous studies have examined the preference of patients for different pain measurement scales, preference for anchor descriptors has not been thoroughly discussed. OBJECTIVES: To examine (1) the preferred end-phrases used in the VAS as anchor labels for Japanese patients with chronic pain, and (2) whether the preference differs according to factors such as age, sex, educational level, duration of pain, and pain intensity. METHODS: We performed an observational study in patients suffering from non-cancer chronic pain for more than 3 months at a pain center in Japan. The patients were asked to rate their pain intensity using four types of VAS that used the following different anchor descriptors: "worst pain" ("Worst"), "worst pain bearable" ("Bearable"), "worst pain imaginable" ("Imaginable"), and "worst pain you have ever experienced" ("Experienced"). They were also asked to rank the four scales according to ease of responding, and asked which descriptor best reflected their perceived pain. RESULTS: In total, 183 patients participated in the study. They consisted of 119 (65.0%) women and 64 (35.0%) men aged 18-84 years with the mean age of 56.9 years. "Experienced" was most preferred (69.8%), followed by "Bearable" (66.3%), "Worst" (48.8%), and "Imaginable" (16.9%). Factors such as age, sex, educational background, duration of pain, and pain intensity did not significantly affect the results. In 83.1% of patients, the preferred descriptor corresponded to the descriptor that best reflected patients' perceived pain. CONCLUSION: The frequently used expression "worst pain imaginable" is considered to be difficult to understand for most patients. Widely preferred descriptors, such as "worst pain you have ever experienced" and "worst pain bearable", should be used when evaluating perceived pain. The preference of anchor descriptors was not significantly affected by the factors such as age, sex, educational level, duration of pain, and pain intensity.

    DOI： 10.1371/journal.pone.0099891

    PubMed

    researchmap

  • Survey on recognition of post-mastectomy pain syndrome by breast specialist physician and present status of treatment in Japan

    Keiko Y. Kojima, Masaki Kitahara, Motohiro Matoba, Naohito Shimoyama, Shoichi Uezono

    Breast Cancer   21 ( 2 )   191 - 197   2012.5

    　More details

    Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

    DOI： 10.1007/s12282-012-0376-8

    researchmap

    Other Link： http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12282-012-0376-8/fulltext.html

  • Local anesthetic cream prepared from lidocaine-tetracaine eutectic mixture.

    Keiichi Ohzeki, Masaki Kitahara, Noriko Suzuki, Kyoji Taguchi, Yuki Yamazaki, Shinji Akiyama, Kentaro Takahashi, Yasushi Kanzaki

    Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan   128 ( 4 )   611 - 6   2008.4

    　More details

    Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

    Local anesthetic creams for the clinical treatment of conditions such as postherpetic neuralgia were prepared as an in-house formulation from the eutectic mixture of lidocaine-tetracaine (LT cream) using two eutectic mixtures of local anesthetic (EMLA) type bases. The LT formulation was compared with a lidocaine-prilocaine (LP cream) eutectic mixture formulated using the same base as EMLA. The chemical stability of lidocaine was examined in advance and was found to be stable for more than 3 months either in LT cream or in LP cream. The release rate of lidocaine from the formulated creams was examined using a cellulose ester membrane. The release rate of lidocaine from LT cream was similar to that from LP cream. The release rate of tetracaine was slightly slower than that of lidocaine in LT cream reflecting the larger molecular size of tetracaine. The penetration rate was examined in vitro using a Yucatan micropig skin. The penetration rate of lidocaine was similar between LT and LP creams. Infiltration anesthesia action examined in guinea pigs indicated that the difference between the two creams was statistically insignificant. The present study suggests the equivalence of the LT and LP creams as a local anesthetic and the potential of LT cream for clinical use either in the easy formulation or in the low-cost formulation.

    PubMed

    researchmap

  • Efficacy of interdisciplinary treatment for chronic nonmalignant pain patients in Japan. International journal

    Masaki Kitahara, Kei Ko Kojima, Akito Ohmura

    The Clinical journal of pain   22 ( 7 )   647 - 55   2006.9

    　More details

    Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

    OBJECTIVES: The implementation of interdisciplinary pain management is a relatively new concept in Japan. Although there are more than 4200 pain specialists in Japan at present, no multidisciplinary pain center has yet to be established. This prospective study is, to our knowledge, the first published evaluation of the effectiveness of multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary pain treatment in Japanese patients with chronic noncancer pain. METHODS: Ninety-nine patients with chronic noncancer pain were treated by an interdisciplinary approach in a Japanese outpatient pain clinic. Treatment was on the basis of the biopsychosocial model of pain and consisted of the following components: (1) education; (2) exercise and stretch; (3) long-term and short-term goal setting; (4) medication management; and (5) cognitive and behavioral techniques for problem solving and changing maladaptive behaviors. Each treatment session was 30 minutes and was held once every 1 to 3 weeks for 8 to 12 times according to the patients' progress and availability. The patients were assessed before and 2 to 4 weeks after the treatment. RESULTS: Results showed (1) 68.9% of patients reported a significant decrease in pain, (2) 92.0% stopped using inappropriate medication including nonsteroidal anti-inflammation drugs, benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants, (3) 51.4% underwent their usual daily activities without being disturbed by pain, and (4) 75.0% who had been unemployed because of pain returned to work. Overall, the treatment succeeded in 56.8% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that an interdisciplinary treatment based upon the biopsychosocial model of pain was associated with significant improvement in multiple outcomes in this sample of Japanese patients with chronic pain.

    PubMed

    researchmap

  • Causes of airway obstruction during cuffed oropharyngeal airway use

    N. Yahagi, M. Kono, M. Kitahara, K. Watanabe, Y. Fujiwara, Y. Asakawa, J. Katagiri, M. Sha, A. Ohmura

    Resuscitation   48 ( 3 )   275 - 278   2001.3

    　More details

    Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

    DOI： 10.1016/s0300-9572(00)00258-6

    researchmap

  • Effect of Electrolyzed Water on Wound Healing

    Naoki Yahagi, Masashi Kono, Masaki Kitahara, Akito Ohmura, Osao Sumita, Toshimasa Hashimoto, Katsuaki Hori, Chen Ning‐Juan, Paul Woodson, Shoji Kubota, Arata Murakami, Shinichi Takamoto

    Artificial Organs   24 ( 12 )   984 - 987   2000.12

    　More details

    Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Wiley  

    Abstract: Electrolyzed water accelerated the healing of full‐thickness cutaneous wounds in rats, but only anode chamber water (acid pH or neutralized) was effective. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), also produced by electrolysis, was ineffective, suggesting that these types of electrolyzed water enhance wound healing by a mechanism unrelated to the well‐known antibacterial action of HOCl. One possibility is that reactive oxygen species, shown to be electron spin resonance spectra present in anode chamber water, might trigger early wound healing through fibroblast migration and proliferation.

    DOI： 10.1046/j.1525-1594.2000.06557-3.x

    researchmap

    Other Link： https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1046/j.1525-1594.2000.06557-3.x

▼display all

MISC

▼display all

Research Projects

  • Proposal of a new pathological model of chronic pain from a viewpoint of dysfunction.

    Grant number：26560285  2014.4 - 2018.3

    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research  Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research

    KITAHARA Masaki, KOJIMA Keiko, TOMINAGA Yousuke, HAMAGUCHI Takayuki, TAIRAKO Yukino, SUGAWARA Shoko, UBA Osamu

    　 More details

    Grant amount：\3900000 （ Direct Cost: \3000000 、 Indirect Cost：\900000 ）

    As is the case with other developed countries, chronic pain has significant negative effects on Japanese society. At least, a few trillion yen was lost because of the chronic pain every year. In this study, we tried to propose a new pathological model of chronic pain from a viewpoint of dysfunction. We also tried to investigate effectiveness of educational approach and physical therapy based on theory of cognitive-behavioral treatment.
    During our preliminary study, we happened to find out that MMSE, a test usually used for screening cognitive impairment, was not effective enough to discriminate mild cognitive impairment. We investigated relation between cognitive function and age, income, a history of alcohol use, educational background, and medication, by using brain MRI, EEG, and a series of cognitive function tests.

    researchmap