Showing papers on "Pain assessment published in 2012"

Normalization of widespread hyperesthesia and facilitated spatial summation of deep-tissue pain in knee osteoarthritis patients after knee replacement.

Abstract: Objective The modest association between radiographic joint damage and pain in osteoarthritis (OA) has led to the suggestion of facilitated central pain processing. This study evaluated the importance of ongoing tissue pathology in the maintenance of enhanced central pain processing. Methods Pain assessment was performed on 48 patients with symptomatic knee OA and 21 sex- and age-matched pain-free healthy control subjects. Twenty of the OA patients subsequently underwent total knee replacement surgery and were reassessed. Pressure–pain thresholds (PPTs) were recorded using a pressure algometer (both over and distant from the knee) and a double-chamber inflatable cuff mounted around the calf. Spatial summation was assessed by relating PPTs using the dual- and single-chamber cuff. Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) was assessed by recording the increase in PPT in response to experimental arm pain. Results PPTs at the knee and at sites away from the knee were reduced in OA patients as compared with healthy pain-free control subjects (P < 0.0001). Cuff PPTs were decreased in OA patients as compared with the healthy controls (P < 0.05), who also exhibited a greater degree of spatial summation (P < 0.05). Whereas an elevation of PPTs was noted in the healthy controls in response to experimental arm pain (P < 0.0001), no such CPM was observed in the OA patients. Following joint replacement in the OA patients, there was a reduction in the widespread mechanical hyperesthesia, along with normalization of spatial summation ratios and restoration of CPM. Conclusion The widespread hyperesthesia and enhanced spatial summation observed in OA patients imply sensitized central pain mechanisms together with the loss of CPM. Normalization of the results following joint replacement implies that these central pain processes are maintained by peripheral input.

Breastfeeding or breast milk for procedural pain in neonates

Abstract: Background Physiological changes brought about by pain may contribute to the development of morbidity in neonates. Clinical studies have shown reduction in changes in physiological parameters and pain score measurements following pre-emptive analgesic administration in situations where the neonate is experiencing pain or stress. Non-pharmacological measures (such as holding, swaddling and breastfeeding) and pharmacological measures (such as acetaminophen, sucrose and opioids) have been used for this purpose. Objectives The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of breastfeeding or supplemental breast milk in reducing procedural pain in neonates. The secondary objective was to conduct subgroup analyses based on the type of control intervention, gestational age and the amount of supplemental breast milk given. Search methods We performed a literature search using the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 10), MEDLINE (1966 to February 2011), EMBASE (1980 to February 2011), CINAHL (1982 to February 2011), abstracts from the annual meetings of the Society for Pediatric Research (1994 to 2011), and major paediatric pain conference proceedings. We did not apply any language restrictions. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs of breastfeeding or supplemental breast milk versus no treatment/other measures in neonates were eligible for inclusion in this review. The study must have reported on either physiologic markers of pain or validated pain scores. Data collection and analysis We assessed the methodological quality of the trials using the information provided in the studies and by personal communication with the authors. We extracted data on relevant outcomes, estimated the effect size and reported this as a risk ratio (RR), risk difference (RD) and weighted mean difference (MD) as appropriate. Main results Of twenty eligible studies, ten evaluated breastfeeding and ten evaluated supplemental breast milk. Sixteen studies analysed used heel lance and four used venepuncture as procedure. We noted marked heterogeneity in control intervention and pain assessment measures among the studies. Neonates in the breastfeeding group had statistically a significantly lower increase in heart rate, reduced proportion of crying time and reduced duration of first cry and total crying time compared to positioning (swaddled and placed in a crib), holding by mother, placebo, pacifier use, no intervention or oral sucrose group, or both. Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scores were significantly lower in the breastfeeding group compared to positioning, placebo or oral sucrose group, or both. However, there was no statistically significant difference in PIPP scores when compared to no intervention. Douleur Aigue Nouveau-ne scores (DAN) were significantly lower in the breastfeeding group compared to the placebo group and the group held in mother's arms, but not when compared to the glucose group. Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) was significantly lower in the breastfeeding group compared to the no intervention group, but there was no difference when compared to the oral sucrose group. The Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) was significantly lower in the breastfeeding group when compared to oral glucose, pacifier use, holding by mother and no intervention, but no difference was found when compared to formula feeding. Supplemental breast milk yielded variable results. Neonates in the supplemental breast milk group had a significantly lower increase in heart rate, a reduction in duration of crying and a lower NFCS compared to the placebo group. Neonates in the supplemental breast milk group had a significantly higher increase in heart rate changes when compared to the sucrose group. Sucrose (in any concentration, i.e. 12.5%, 20%, 25%) was found to reduce the duration of cry when compared to breast milk, as did glycine, pacifier use, rocking, or no intervention. Breast milk was found not to be effective in reducing validated and non-validated pain scores such as NIPS, NFCS, and DAN; only being significantly better when compared to placebo (water) or massage. We did not identify any study that has evaluated safety/effectiveness of repeated administration of breastfeeding or supplemental breast milk for pain relief. Authors' conclusions If available, breastfeeding or breast milk should be used to alleviate procedural pain in neonates undergoing a single painful procedure rather than placebo, positioning or no intervention. Administration of glucose/sucrose had similar effectiveness as breastfeeding for reducing pain. The effectiveness of breast milk for painful procedure should be studied in the preterm population, as there are currently a limited number of studies in the literature that have assessed it's effectiveness in this population.

Considerations for improving assay sensitivity in chronic pain clinical trials: IMMPACT recommendations.

Abstract: A number of pharmacologic treatments examined in recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have failed to show statistically significant superiority to placebo in conditions in which their efficacy had previously been demonstrated. Assuming the validity of previous evidence of efficacy and the comparability of the patients and outcome measures in these studies, such results may be a consequence of limitations in the ability of these RCTs to demonstrate the benefits of efficacious analgesic treatments vs placebo ("assay sensitivity"). Efforts to improve the assay sensitivity of analgesic trials could reduce the rate of falsely negative trials of efficacious medications and improve the efficiency of analgesic drug development. Therefore, an Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials consensus meeting was convened in which the assay sensitivity of chronic pain trials was reviewed and discussed. On the basis of this meeting and subsequent discussions, the authors recommend consideration of a number of patient, study design, study site, and outcome measurement factors that have the potential to affect the assay sensitivity of RCTs of chronic pain treatments. Increased attention to and research on methodological aspects of clinical trials and their relationships with assay sensitivity have the potential to provide the foundation for an evidence-based approach to the design of analgesic clinical trials and expedite the identification of analgesic treatments with improved efficacy and safety.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of juvenile fibromyalgia: A multisite, single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial

Abstract: Juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain condition that is estimated to affect 2–7% of school-age children (1–3), primarily adolescent girls. As in adult fibromyalgia (FM), juvenile FMS is characterized by persistent and widespread musculoskeletal pain, sleep difficulty, fatigue, and mood disturbances (3). Patients with juvenile FMS experience substantial impairment in physical, school, social, and emotional functioning (4–6), and the majority of them continue to have ongoing symptoms and functional disability into late adolescence and early adulthood (7). Although progress has been made in the understanding and treatment of adult FM (8), there are few studies of juvenile FMS. Two recent meta-analytic reviews of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) clinical trials for FM arrived at slightly different conclusions, with one supporting the effectiveness of CBT (9) and the other reporting no significant effect on pain and function (10). However, both reviews indicated significant improvement in coping and emphasized the need for higher quality trials of CBT. It is unclear whether findings from the 2 meta-analytic reviews, based mainly on adult FM patients, are applicable to pediatric patients. In a recent meta-analysis of psychological therapies for pediatric chronic pain (mostly headache and abdominal pain), Palermo et al (11) reported a large positive effect for pain reduction. It is possible that behavioral interventions found to be promising for adults with FM can be even more effective in juvenile FMS because they are implemented at an early age when pain coping and lifestyle factors are more malleable. There are no rigorously controlled studies of CBT for juvenile FMS at present. Early evidence for possible efficacy of CBT for improving function and decreasing pain and symptoms of depression in children and adolescents with juvenile FMS was shown in 2 small-scale studies (12,13). Unfortunately, neither study controlled for the nonspecific therapeutic effects of attention and support from health professionals, which by themselves could have resulted in improved outcomes. Therefore, the specific effects of CBT that go beyond providing emotional support and include intensive training in behavioral pain coping skills targeted at improving functioning by increasing patients' psychological coping and confidence in pain self-management skills have not yet been tested in a controlled study. We performed a multisite, randomized controlled trial in a sample of children and adolescents with juvenile FMS to rigorously assess the safety and efficacy of an 8-session, individually delivered CBT intervention compared to an 8-session supportive FM education program in reducing functional disability, pain severity, and depressive symptoms. The CBT treatment protocol was developmentally tailored for older school-age children and adolescents and included parental instruction to ensure family support for the behavioral interventions. We hypothesized that 1) CBT would be significantly more effective than FM education in reducing functional disability (primary outcome) in youth with juvenile FMS and 2) CBT would be significantly more effective than FM education in reducing pain severity and symptoms of depression (secondary outcomes). Unlike a “no-treatment” placebo control, the FM education condition was designed to be an “attention control” condition in which the nonspecific psychological benefits of the therapeutic relationship and educational information provided were expected to lead to some improvement in the short term (posttreatment assessment). However, we hypothesized that CBT would lead to sustained benefit and be demonstrably superior to FM education in reducing disability, pain, and symptoms of depression 6 months after the end of active treatment (end-of-study assessment). Selection of the outcome domains of function, pain severity, and symptoms of depression was consistent with the Pediatric Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (PedIMMPACT) guidelines for measurement of outcomes in clinical trials of pediatric chronic pain (14). Functional disability was selected as the primary outcome because the goal of CBT is to reduce pain-related disability by teaching patients both coping and self-management behaviors (and providing parental guidance in behavior management) to improve function, while secondarily reducing pain severity and symptoms of depression. Other outcomes of interest such as tender point sensitivity, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), sleep quality, and physician's global assessment were also measured at each assessment.

Differentiating between heat pain intensities: The combined effect of multiple autonomic parameters

Abstract: Although it is well known that pain induces changes in autonomic parameters, the extent to which these changes correlate with the experience of pain is under debate. The aim of the present study was to compare a combination of multiple autonomic parameters and each parameter alone in their ability to differentiate among 4 categories of pain intensity. Tonic heat stimuli (1 minute) were individually adjusted to induce no pain, low, medium, and high pain in 45 healthy volunteers. Electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram, and galvanic skin response were recorded, and the following parameters were calculated: heart rate; heart rate variability—high frequency (0.15 to 0.4 Hz) spectral power; skin conductance level; number of skin conduction fluctuations; and photoplethysmographic pulse wave amplitude. A combination of parameters was created by fitting an ordinal cumulative logit model to the data and using linear coefficients of the model. Friedman test with post-hoc Wilcoxon test were used to compare between pain intensity categories for every parameter alone and for their linear combination. All of the parameters successfully differentiated between no pain and all other pain categories. However, none of the parameters differentiated between all 3 pain categories (i.e., low and medium; medium and high; low and high). In contrast, the linear combination of parameters significantly differentiated not only between pain and no pain, but also between all pain categories (P < .001 to .02). These results suggest that multiparameter approaches should be further investigated to make progress toward reliable autonomic-based pain assessment.

Critical Care Nurses’ Pain Assessment and Management Practices: A Survey in Canada

Abstract: Background Regular pain assessment can lead to decreased incidence of pain and shorter durations of mechanical ventilation and stays in the intensive care unit. Objectives To document knowledge and perceptions of pain assessment and management practices among Canadian intensive care unit nurses. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 3753 intensive care unit nurses identified through the 12 Canadian provincial/territorial nursing associations responsible for professional regulation. Results A total of 842 nurses (24%) responded, and 802 surveys could be evaluated. Nurses were significantly less likely (P 50% of the time) discussion of pain scores during nursing handover was reported by 492 nurses (61%), and targeting of analgesia to a pain score or other assessment parameters by physicians by 333 nurses (42%). Few nurses (n = 235; 29%) were aware of professional society guidelines for pain assessment and management. Routine use of a behavioral pain tool was associated with awareness of published guidelines (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.7-3.7) and clinical availability of the tool (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6-4.3). Conclusions A substantial proportion of intensive care unit nurses did not use pain assessment tools for patients unable to communicate and were unaware of pain management guidelines published by professional societies.

Themed issue 'Pediatric Regional Anesthesia'- starting 2012 with a bang!

Abstract: Every busy clinician and academic is overloaded with dull and uninteresting tasks at times, but every so often you get the chance to do something really important. To have been appointed editor of this themed issue on Pediatric Regional Anesthesia (PRA) is truly fantastic, and I hope that it will be as well appreciated by the readership as the hugely successful issue on the Pediatric Airway in 2009 (1). In this special issue, you may find some minor overlap and perhaps some slightly opposing views, but I sincerely hope that both the novice and the seasoned veteran of PRA will find inspiration, food for thought, new ideas, and enthusiasm for future studies. Often, pediatric practice lags behind adult medicine, and it may well be wise to first try out new treatments in adults and learn about potential dangers and side effects, before subjecting the vulnerable population of infants and children to new medical wonders. However, sometimes our discipline moves fast when it is obvious that new treatments or techniques will definitely benefit our small patients, reducing suffering and mortality. Thus, even some of the initial patients reported in the seminal publication on spinal anesthesia by August Bier in 1899, were children, and it is now just over 100 years since Gray published the first large-scale case series with regard to the successful use of spinal anesthesia in children undergoing various surgical interventions (1909) (2). Against this background, this themed issue starts with an outstanding review of the history of PRA, written by an equally outstanding second-wave pioneer and promoter of this particular facet of pediatric anesthesia, Professor Emeritus Kester Brown (3). When the second and definitive push for PRA was started in the 1980s, concerns were raised (mainly in the United States) and manifested in the slogan ‘double anaesthesia, double the risk!’ Despite being utterly wrong, this outburst of healthy scepticism forced the proponents of PRA to perform scientific studies and provide evidence and consensus that PRA in fact is of great benefit to children. Bösenberg and Wolf (4,5) nicely summarized the positive effects of PRA, in terms of excellent intraand postoperative analgesia, evidence for improved outcome and beneficial effects on the surgical stress response in infants and children. To provide balance in the risk-benefit analysis, Claude Ecoffey demonstrates that PRA is well within reasonable and acceptable safety limits (6). He has been instrumental in conducting two prospective, large-scale French studies focussed on the safety of PRA (7,8). It is certainly very reassuring that in more than 50 000 patients, PRA was associated with a complication rate of only 1 : 1000 and that the complications that occurred did not result in any long-term sequelae. We all know that it is not the needle that blocks the nerves; it is in fact the solution that is injected close and around the nerve structures that produces the desired local anesthetic effect. During the last twenty years, two new long-acting local anesthetics have been introduced and a large number of adjunct drugs have also been suggested to prolong the effect of the local anesthetics. Another French expert, JeanXavier Mazoit, provides a very nice effort to clarify the issue of local anesthetics and their adjuncts from a pediatric perspective (9). My own contribution (10) deals with the potentially lethal complications of inadvertent intravascular injection of local anesthetic and the fairly recent treatment for systemic toxicity of local anesthetic drugs with the infusion of lipid emulsions. This new treatment option has proven very effective in adults, and successful use has also been reported in children during recent years. However, recent animal studies from the Zurich group question whether lipid is more effective than adrenaline in infants and children. Once again, ‘children are not small adults!’ (11). The range of PRA techniques is next described, starting with central neuraxial blocks in children. In three separate reviews, Jöhr, Moriarty and Kokki provide the fundamentals and the cutting edge of caudal, epidural, and spinal blocks in children (12–14). A clear and current trend in the second French study, as well as some other recent publications, indicates a shift from central neuraxial blocks to peripheral nerve blocks, especially in children <3 years of age (8). This fact most surely can be attributed to the recent revolution concerning ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Furthermore, peripheral nerve blocks have been shown to be associated with an even better safety profile than central blocks (8). Thus, the details of various peripheral nerve block techniques are presented by Flack, Anderson, Suresh, and the members of the Marhofer Vienna PRA group (15–18). Prolonging peripheral blocks by continuous peripheral catheter techniques have been helped by ultrasound guidance and equipment development. The Montpeillier group has been in the very forefront of

On the generalised embodiment of pain: how interoceptive sensitivity modulates cutaneous pain perception.

Abstract: Individual differences in interoceptive sensitivity are associated with differences in reported intensity of emotional experience, vulnerability to anxiety and mood disorder and capacity for emotional self-regulation. Enhanced sensitivity to autonomic state is often accompanied by increased autonomic reactivity. Here we tested the hypothesis that healthy people classified as more interoceptively sensitive, by their performance of a heartbeat monitoring task, will demonstrate enhanced perception of pain. We further explored whether this effect is associated with a greater physiological reactivity to the pain stimuli. Using an algometer, cutaneous pressure pain was applied to the thenar eminence in 60 healthy participants. Heart rate variability and respiratory activity were recorded concurrently. We observed significant relationships between heightened interoceptive sensitivity and both enhanced sensitivity and decreased tolerance to pain. These effects were accompanied by a more pronounced parasympathetic decrease and a change in sympathovagal balance during pain assessment in the high, compared to the low, interoceptively sensitive group. Our study provides novel evidence that interoceptive sensitivity is associated with the experience and tolerability of pain in conjunction with reactive changes in autonomic balance.

Clinical usefulness of laser evoked potentials

Abstract: Several papers were published since the first clinical applications of laser evoked potentials (LEPs) in disorders of the nociceptive system. While studies produced until five years ago were mostly addressed at identifying lesions of the nociceptive system, more recent papers used LEPs as an instrumental tool for the diagnosis of neuropathic pain. LEPs have also proved useful in demonstrating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying different types of neuropathic pain (e.g., paroxystic and ongoing neuropathic pain). This is of utmost importance, as pain treatment should take physiopathological mechanisms, rather than etiology into account. Although there are still some limits for the routine use of LEPs as a diagnostic tool, this review of the literature demonstrates that LEP recording has become mandatory for the functional assessment of patients with hypoalgesia or neuropathic pain.

Pain management in neonates: a survey of nurses and doctors

Abstract: Akuma A.O. & Jordan S. (2012) Pain management in neonates: a survey of nurses and doctors. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1288–1301. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a descriptive survey of nurses’ and doctors’ knowledge and reported practice regarding procedural pain assessment and management in neonatal intensive care units. Background. There are concerns that pain is often unrecognized and under-treated in neonates. Current guidelines advocate administration of analgesia and comfort measures, but may be vulnerable to inter-professional differences in guideline implementation. Methods. All nurses and doctors working in all seven neonatal intensive care units in one area of the United Kingdom were surveyed between January to August 2007. Lead clinicians distributed and collected anonymous questionnaires. Findings. Response rate was 44% (62 doctors, 137 nurses). Internal consistency was high, overall Cronbach’s alpha 0·976. Respondents were knowledgeable, mean score 82% (SD13·3%). They agreed that neonates feel pain and need analgesia. Chest drain insertion was perceived to be the most painful procedure, heel-prick the least. Respondents reported that analgesia and comfort measures were not usually administered for most procedures: nurses were more likely than doctors to report adhering to guidelines advocating administration of analgesia and comfort measures. Statistically significant differences between current and optimal practice were acknowledged. Few (21% and 37%) had received training on neonatal pain and fewer (2·5%) employed recognized pain assessment instruments. Pain management guidelines were available to 29(47%) doctors and 85(62%) nurses; 20(18%) reported that these had been audited. Conclusion. Clinicians were knowledgeable about neonatal pain, but gaps between knowledge and practice remain. This hiatus could be bridged by providing research evidence for the efficacy of guidelines incorporating validated pain assessment instruments.

Pain management in patients with haemophilia: a European survey

Abstract: There are no evidence-based guidelines on pain management in people with haemophilia (PWH), who may suffer acute, disabling pain from haemarthroses and chronic arthropathic pain. To review evidence and to investigate current clinical practice in pain assessment and management in PWH the European Haemophilia Therapy Standardisation Board undertook a literature review and a survey in 22 Haemophilia Treatment Centres (HTC), using a questionnaire and seven clinical scenarios. Consensus was sought on pain assessment and management in PWH. Few clinical studies on pain management in PWH were identified. The HTCs care for 1678 children (47% severe haemophilia, 84% on prophylaxis, 17% with arthropathy and 8% with chronic pain) and 5103 adults (44% severe haemophilia, 40% on prophylaxis, 67% with arthropathy and 35% with chronic pain). Analgesics are prescribed by HTCs in 80% of cases (median; range 0-100%) and in 10% (median; range 0-80%) are bought over the counter. Pain and analgesic use are assessed when reported by patients and at check-ups. Only eight centres use a specific pain scale and/or have specific pain guidelines. Two HTCs arrange regular consultations with pain specialists. For acute pain, the preferred first-line drug is paracetamol for children, and paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for adults. Children with chronic pain are treated with paracetamol or NSAIDs, whereas adults usually receive Cox-2 inhibitors. Second-line therapy is heterogeneous. There is little published evidence to guide pain assessment and management in PWH, and clinical practice varies considerably across Europe. General and specific recommendations are needed.

A Comprehensive Review of Telehealth for Pain Management: Where We Are and The Way Ahead

Abstract: Pain is generally undertreated in the United States, owing to a number of barriers including geographic distance from specialty treatment providers; functional disability that limits mobility; treatment-related stigma; economic limitations; and educational barriers Pain undertreatment exacerbates pain chronicity and emotional disruption that can significantly erode a pain patient's quality of life, and there is widespread agreement that pain care must evolve to address this significant problem The growing field of telehealth (defined for the purposes of this paper as technology that allows for distance interaction between providers and/or patients) offers a novel opportunity to expand pain assessment, consultation, and treatment services beyond the walls of the specialty pain clinic, but there is limited availability of resources describing how to best use this technology to improve access to care A recent literature review (September 2011) using universally endorsed MeSH search criteria revealed only 32 MEDLINE references focusing on telehealth for pain This is surprising in light of the very large number of references covering telehealth (14,164 references) and pain (104,564 references), respectively Of the studies available, there are very few randomized trials of telehealth pain care and only one general overview of e-health and chronic pain, which dedicates just a few paragraphs to telehealth This manuscript represents one of the first comprehensive reviews of the current state of telehealth and pain management research and practice The goals are to provide a rationale for the potential benefit of telehealth-based pain management services; describe the various applications of telehealth technology for pain management; orient the reader to cost models for telehealth; present examples of services in place; and offer recommendations for future research based on the current state of knowledge

EVENDOL, a new behavioral pain scale for children ages 0 to 7 years in the emergency department: design and validation

Abstract: Numerous behavioral pain measures have been validated for young children, but none is appropriate to assess pain in emergency departments (EDs), where caregivers need a simple, easily completed scale. Our objective was to elaborate and validate a tool, relevant in any painful situation, with agitation or prostration, and for any age under 7 years. Five items (scored 0 to 3) were developed by pediatric pain and emergency caregivers. The new scale, called EVENDOL, was tested at children's arrival and after analgesics, at rest, and during mobilization. The validation study included 291 children from birth to 7 years old in 4 French EDs, and independent observations by the ED nurse and a researcher. The Cronbach coefficient was excellent (0.83 to 0.92). Construct validity was demonstrated by a decrease in scores after nalbuphine: 8.14 to 3.62 of 15 at rest (P<.0001), 11.87 to 6.65 at mobilization (P = .0011); by good correlations between EVENDOL and nurse or researcher numerical scores: 0.79 to 0.92 (P<.0001); by good correlations between children's self-assessment scores and EVENDOL in children ages 4 to 7 (0.64 to 0.93). Discriminant validity with tiredness, anxiety, and hunger was good. Interrater reliability was excellent between nurses and researcher (weighted kappa 0.7 to 0.9), and in a group of 6 nurses (simultaneous assessment of 122 videos). The treatment threshold was determined at 4 of 15. EVENDOL has excellent validity and can be used for all children under age 7 in EDs, for any age and any pain, acute as well as more prolonged.

Effect of early stellate ganglion blockade for facial pain from acute herpes zoster and incidence of postherpetic neuralgia.

Abstract: BACKGROUND The incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) has been reported to be 25% among those over the age of 50 years treated with antiviral medication. The role of sympathetic block in its prevention remains questionable. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to determine whether early stellate ganglion blockade for acute herpes zoster of the face will reduce the intensity and duration of acute herpetic pain, and if the blockade has the potential to prevent or reduce the incidence and/or severity of PHN. STUDY DESIGN Randomized, controlled, double blind trial. SETTING Hospital, outpatient setting. METHODS Sixty-four patients over 50 years were assigned to receive a stellate ganglion block using either 8 mL saline (Group 1) or 6 mL bupivacaine 0.125% and 8 mg dexamethasone in a total volume of 8 mL (Group 2). All procedures were performed under fluoroscopy. All patients received pregabalin in a dose of 150 mg twice daily. Acetaminophen was available as needed. Pain assessment using the visual analog scale and amount of analgesic being taken was measured at the initial visit (basal), weekly for 6 weeks after the procedure and after 2, 3, and 6 months. Once a patient reported mild pain during the trial, pregabalin was tapered by 75 mg every other day; the patients who succeeded in this step were recorded in each group. The time of complete resolution of pain and incidence of persistent postherpetic pain was reported. Each patient's satisfaction was evaluated. RESULTS There was a significantly shorter duration of pain noticed in Group 2 (P = 0.002). A significantly lower incidence of PHN was encountered in Group 2 after 3 months (P = 0.043) and 6 months (P = 0.035). Significantly more patient satisfaction was reported in Group 2 after 3 and 6 months. By the fourth week, 29 patients in Group 2 reported no pain. Two patients reported mild pain after 3 months which was resolved by the sixth month. In Group 1, 22 patients reported no pain by the sixth week and 8 patients reported moderate pain after 2 and 3 months; by the sixth month, 4 out of those 8 patients showed spontaneous remission of pain. There was a significant reduction in the total doses of pregabalin and acetaminophen in Group 2 (P < 0.001). No serious adverse effects were reported during the study period. LIMITATIONS The sample size was determined using the incidence of PHN (chronic pain) as a main hypothesis. Meanwhile, this study determined the incidence of acute pain as well, which may lead to bias to the results of acute pain. CONCLUSION Early stellate ganglion blockade, in combination with an antiviral agent, is a very effective treatment modality; it dramatically decreases the intensity of acute pain and shortens its duration and reduces the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia.

The Appropriate Treatment of Chronic Pain

Abstract: Chronic pain is a common healthcare problem worldwide that ranks as a predominant reason for consulting a physician, yet effective management of chronic pain remains suboptimal, often resulting in unnecessary suffering and decreased quality of life, lost productivity and excessive healthcare costs. To overcome the challenges associated with the management of chronic pain, increased awareness and both patient and physician education are required. Improving physician knowledge of pain assessment and management guided by recommendations for a comprehensive, multifactorial, personalised treatment approach involving pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches is key to achieving effective pain relief. Guidelines for the management of non-cancer and cancer pain recommend thorough patient assessment before individualized therapy based on the type and intensity of pain. The availability of mechanism-specific analgesics has facilitated improvements in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain, which may be of neuropathic, muscle, inflammatory, mechanical/compressive or mixed origin. Stepwise escalation of analgesic therapy (paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, mild to strong opioids) according to the World Health Organization's three-step pain ladder remains the standard approach for the selection of treatment for chronic cancer pain, although there is now a greater awareness of the requirements for effective administration of opioids including dose titration, use of short versus long-acting opioids, opioid rotation, management of adverse effects, and ongoing monitoring. Selection of an effective, appropriate, personalized analgesic regimen for patients with chronic pain is achievable and is expected to enhance compliance, overall functioning and quality of life.

A comparative investigation of observational pain assessment tools for older adults with dementia.

Abstract: Objectives Pain assessment in patients with dementia and severe limitations in ability to communicate can be challenging. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) encourages the incorporation of 6 behavioral domains (ie, facial expressions, verbalizations/vocalizations, body movements, changes in interpersonal interactions, changes in activity patterns/routines and mental status changes) when conducting pain assessments among seniors with dementia. We investigated 6 observational pain assessment measures (differing with respect to the extent that they cover the AGS-recommended domains) under 2 different pain conditions (ie, influenza vaccination and movement-exacerbated pain) in a sample of long-term care residents with cognitive impairments. Given that a criticism of pain assessment scales is that many of the pain behaviors assessed are highly overlapping with symptoms of delirium, we also investigated the impact of the elimination of delirium-related items. Results Consistent with expectations, all measures were able to differentiate between pain and baseline conditions. Reliability and validity varied across measures. Most measures continued to differentiate between pain and baseline states after items that overlap with delirium were eliminated. Discussion Our results provide much needed psychometric information regarding newly developed pain assessments measures for seniors with dementia. The measures differed with respect to ability to differentiate pain-related from non-pain-related states. Moreover, our findings support the utility of comprehensive coverage of the AGS-recommended pain assessment domains.

Assessing advanced cancer pain in older adults with dementia at the end-of-life.

Abstract: Monroe T., Carter M., Feldt K., Tolley B. & Cowan R.L. (2012) Assessing advanced cancer pain in older adults with dementia at the end-of-life. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(9), 2070–2078. Abstract Aim. To assess advanced cancer pain in older adults with dementia at the end-of-life. Background. Self-report is the gold standard for pain assessment; however, people with Alzheimer’s disease may lose the ability to report pain. Biochemical and neuropathological changes occur in Alzheimer’s disease that impairs the affective, sensory, and motor pain processing regions of the brain. Because people with severe Alzheimer’s disease may lose the ability to report their sensory and emotional response to pain verbally, external motor displays of pain, such as grimacing, have been suggested for use in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. Design. Between groups cross sectional study. Method. Retrospective chart audits of people with Alzheimer’s disease in nine nursing homes in the US in 2009. Participants were nursing home residents (n = 48) with mild to very severe dementia, pain and cognitive measures were collected during the final 3 months of life. The primary outcome variable was the Discomfort Behaviour Scale score (a measure of observed pain behaviour) and the main predictor variable was the Cognitive Performance Scale score (a measure of Alzheimer’s disease severity). Medication administration (opioid, non-narcotic, and psychotropic medications) recorded over the final 2 weeks of life was collected as a covariate of interest. Results. Alzheimer’s disease severity was negatively associated with pain behaviours. Post hoc procedures showed that this difference was due to the difference in pain behaviours between individuals with moderate and very severe Alzheimer’s disease. Total amount of opioid analgesic, total number of doses of non-narcotic medications, and psychotropic medications administered over the last 2 weeks of life were not statistically significantly correlated with pain behaviour. An inverse correlation was found between cognitive ability (Cognitive Performance Scale score) and total amount of opioid medication indicating that individuals with severe Alzheimer’s disease received less opioid. Conclusion. Because people with worsening Alzheimer’s disease have fewer pain behaviours, assessing pain using behavioural indicators can be a challenge. Improving methods to assess for pain in people with Alzheimer’s disease is of critical public health importance. Moreover, future studies are urgently needed to further examine the sensory, emotional, and behavioural responses to pain in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

An exploration of nursing home managers' knowledge of and attitudes towards the management of pain in residents with dementia.

Abstract: Background The aims of this study were to explore the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs that nursing home managers hold with regard to the assessment and management of pain in residents with dementia and to determine how these may be affected by the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Methods A questionnaire comprising six sections was mailed, on two occasions during March and April 2010, to 244 nursing home managers in Northern Ireland (representing 96% of the nursing homes in Northern Ireland). Results The response rate was 39%. Nearly all respondents (96%) provided care to residents with dementia, yet only 60% of managers claimed to use pain treatment guidelines within their nursing home. Respondents demonstrated good knowledge about pain in residents with dementia and acknowledged the difficulties surrounding accurate pain assessment. Nursing home managers were uncertain about how to manage pain in residents with dementia, demonstrating similar concerns about the use of opioid analgesics to those reported in previous studies about pain in older people. Managers who had received recent training (p = 0.044) were less likely to have concerns about the use of opioid analgesia than those who had not received training. Respondents' beliefs about painkillers were largely ambivalent and were influenced by the country in which they had received their nursing education. Conclusions The study has revealed that accurate pain assessment, training of nursing staff and a standardised approach to pain management (the use of pain management guidelines) within nursing homes all have a significant part to play in the successful management of pain in residents with dementia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characteristics of referred muscle pain to the head from active trigger points in women with myofascial temporomandibular pain and fibromyalgia syndrome.

Abstract: Our aim was to compare the differences in the prevalence and the anatomical localization of referred pain areas of active trigger points (TrPs) between women with myofascial temporomandibular disorder (TMD) or fibromyalgia (FMS). Twenty women (age 46 ± 8 years) with TMD and 20 (age 48 ± 6 years) with FMS were recruited from specialized clinic. Bilateral temporalis, masseter, sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, and suboccipital muscles were examined for TrPs. TrPs were identified by palpation and considered active when the pain reproduced familiar pain symptom experienced by the patient. The referred pain areas were drawn on anatomical maps, digitalized and also measured. A new analysis technique based on a center of gravity (COG) method was used to quantitative estimate of the localization of the TrP referred pain areas. Women with FMS exhibited larger areas of usual pain symptoms than women with myofascial TMD (P < 0.001). The COG coordinates of the usual pain on the frontal and posterior pain maps were located more superior in TMD than in FMS. The number of active TrPs was significantly higher in TMD (mean ± SD 6 ± 1) than in FMS (4 ± 1) (P = 0.002). Women with TMD exhibited more active TrPs in the temporalis and masseter muscles than FMS (P < 0.01). Women with FMS had larger referred pain areas than those with TMD for sternocleidomastoid and suboccipital muscles (P < 0.001). Significant differences within COG coordinates of TrP referred pain areas were found in TMD, the referred pain was more pronounced in the orofacial region, whereas the referred pain in FMS was more pronounced in the cervical spine. This study showed that the referred pain elicited from active TrPs shared similar patterns as usual pain symptoms in women with TMD or FMS, but that distinct differences in TrP prevalence and location of the referred pain areas could be observed. Differences in location of referred pain areas may help clinicians to determine the most relevant TrPs for each pain syndrome in spite of overlaps in pain areas.

Pain and psychological well-being of older persons living in nursing homes: an exploratory study in planning patient-centred intervention

Abstract: tse m., leung r. & ho s. (2012) Pain and psychological well-being of older persons living in nursing homes: an exploratory study in planning patient-centred intervention. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(2), 312–321. Abstract Aim. This article is a report on a study to examine the pain situation, the use of oral analgesics and non-pharmacological strategies and the psychological well-being of older patients living in nursing homes; the relationships between pain and psychological well-being were also explored. Background. Pain is common among older adults world-wide, and tends to be under-treated. Indeed, the high prevalence of pain may further hinder the fulfilment of psychological needs in a Maslow hierarchy of needs model. Method. It was a quantitative cross-sectional study; older adults from six nursing homes were invited to join the study in 2007–2009, with a response rate of 100%. Pain was measured using the Geriatric Pain Assessment, happiness using the Subjective Happiness Scale, life satisfaction using the Life Satisfaction Index – A Form, loneliness using the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and depression was measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results. A convenience sample of 302 older patients (213 females and 89 males aged from 60 to 101, mean age of 84·99) joined the study. The majority of them had experienced pain in the previous 3 months, with a pain intensity of 4·51 on a 10-point scale. Pain sites were mainly the knee, back, shoulder and musculoskeletal areas. Only 50% of them took oral analgesics, and 70% used non-pharmacological measures for pain relief. The pain group reported significantly more loneliness and depression when compared with their no-pain counterparts. Conclusions. As the number of older patients increases, so does the need for alternative accommodation; thus, pain management education is urgently needed for staff and nursing home residents.

Myofascial pain in patients waitlisted for total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Knee pain is one of the major sources of pain and disability in developed countries, particularly in aging populations, and is the primary indication for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA).