Brett Ankawi

Dr. Brett Ankawi


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

11Years (2016-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 April 2016 in The Journal of Pain
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PSP. Maxwell Slepian
P. Maxwell Slepian
BABrett Ankawi
Brett Ankawi
LHLina K. Himawan
Lina K. Himawan
CFChristopher R France
Christopher R France

1 August 2017 in The Journal of Pain
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BABrett Ankawi
Brett Ankawi
PSP. Maxwell Slepian
P. Maxwell Slepian
LHLina K. Himawan
Lina K. Himawan
CFChristopher R France
Christopher R France

6 August 2019 in Current Pain and Headache Reports
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BABrett Ankawi
Brett Ankawi
RKRobert D. Kerns
Robert D. Kerns
SESara N. Edmond
Sara N. Edmond

20 March 2024 in JMIR Research Protocols
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
RMR Ross MacLean
R Ross MacLean
BABrett Ankawi
Brett Ankawi
MDMary A Driscoll
Mary A Driscoll
MGMelissa A Gordon
Melissa A Gordon
TFTami L Frankforter
Tami L Frankforter
AHAlicia A Heapy
Alicia A Heapy
Background: Chronic pain is common among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are maintained on medications for OUD (MOUD; eg, buprenorphine or methadone). Chronic pain is associated with worse retention and higher levels of substance use. Treatment of individuals with chronic pain receiving MOUD can be challenging due to their increased clinical complexity. Given the acute and growing nature of the opioid crisis, MOUD is increasingly offered in a wide range of settings, where high-quality, clinician-delivered, empirically validated behavioral treatment for chronic pain may not be available. Therefore, digital treatments that support patient self-management of chronic pain and OUD have the potential for wider implementation to fill this gap. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Integrating the Management of Pain and Addiction via Collaborative Treatment (IMPACT), an interactive digital treatment program with asynchronous coach feedback, compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in individuals with chronic pain and OUD receiving MOUD. Methods: Adult participants (n=160) receiving MOUD and reporting bothersome or high-impact chronic pain will be recruited from outpatient opioid treatment programs in Connecticut (United States) and randomized 1:1 to either IMPACT+TAU or TAU only. Participants randomized to IMPACT+TAU will complete an interactive digital treatment that includes 9 modules promoting training in pain and addiction coping skills and a progressive walking program. The program is augmented with a weekly personalized voice message from a trained coach based on daily participant-reported pain intensity and interference, craving to use opioids, sleep quality, daily steps, pain self-efficacy, MOUD adherence, and engagement with IMPACT collected through digital surveys. Outcomes will be assessed at 3, 6, and 9 months post randomization. The primary outcome is MOUD retention at 3 months post randomization (ie, post treatment). Secondary outcomes include pain interference, physical functioning, MOUD adherence, substance use, craving, pain intensity, sleep disturbance, pain catastrophizing, and pain self-efficacy. Semistructured qualitative interviews with study participants (n=34) randomized to IMPACT (completers and noncompleters) will be conducted to evaluate the usability and quality of the program and its outcomes. Results: The study has received institutional review board approval and began recruitment at 1 site in July 2022. Recruitment at a second site started in January 2023, with a third and final site anticipated to begin recruitment in January 2024. Data collection is expected to continue through June 2025. Conclusions: Establishing efficacy for a digital treatment for addiction and chronic pain that can be integrated into MOUD clinics will provide options for individuals with OUD, which reduce barriers to behavioral treatment. Participant feedback on the intervention will inform updates or modifications to improve engagement and efficacy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05204576; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05204576 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/54342

15 May 2020 in Psychosomatic Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BABrett Ankawi
Brett Ankawi
PSP. Maxwell Slepian
P. Maxwell Slepian
LHLina Ma Himawan
Lina Ma Himawan
CFChristopher R. France
Christopher R. France
Objective: Pain resilience, one’s ability to maintain behavioral engagement and adaptively regulate cognitions and emotions despite intense or prolonged pain, has been shown to protect against negative pain-related outcomes in experimental settings. A weakness of this research, and much of experimental pain research in general, has been the lack of rationale behind the selection of noxious stimuli, which can activate different nociceptive fibers. The present study sought to determine if the relationship between pain resilience and pain ratings differed across stimuli based on the stimulated nociceptors.Methods: Healthy undergraduate students (N= 100; mean [SD] age = 19.4 [1.2] years; 60% female) completed the Pain Resilience Scale and provided continuous pain ratings during exposure to three different tasks, each selected based on their ability to stimulate specific combinations of nociceptive fibers: pinprick (Aδ fibers), cold water immersion (Aδ and C fibers), and ischemic tourniquet (C fibers).Results: Participants with high pain resilience reported lower pain ratings over time during cold water immersion than did those with low pain resilience (F(1, 39) = 8.526,p= .006); however, there was no relationship between pain resilience and pain ratings during either of the pinprick or ischemic tourniquet stimuli.Conclusions: This study provides further support for the use of multiple pain stimuli for pain assessment given their unique characteristics and concludes that outcome variables aside from pain ratings may provide additional insight into the role of resilience on pain adaptation.

1 April 2022 in Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
BABrett Ankawi
Brett Ankawi
JPJohn D. Piette
John D. Piette
EBEugenia Buta
Eugenia Buta
SESara N. Edmond
Sara N. Edmond
RMR. Ross MacLean
R. Ross MacLean
AHAlicia A. Heapy
Alicia A. Heapy