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Chronic intensive care‐related pain: Exploratory analysis on predictors and influence on health‐related quality of life
Author(s) -
Baumbach P.,
Götz T.,
Günther A.,
Weiss T.,
Meissner W.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
european journal of pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.305
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1532-2149
pISSN - 1090-3801
DOI - 10.1002/ejp.1129
Subject(s) - exploratory research , chronic pain , quality of life (healthcare) , exploratory analysis , health care , quality (philosophy) , medicine , psychology , physical therapy , nursing , computer science , data science , political science , philosophy , epistemology , sociology , anthropology , law
Background There is growing evidence for the development of chronic pain after intensive care. Nonetheless, there is only limited knowledge about factors leading to chronic intensive care‐related pain ( CIRP ). Thus, the primary objective was the identification of predictors of CIRP . Moreover, we aimed to assess the impact of CIRP on patients’ health‐related quality of Life ( HRQOL ). Methods Comprehensive information on patients’ pain before ICU admission and present pain was collected longitudinally by means of the German Pain Questionnaire 6 and 12 months after ICU discharge ( ICU DC ). In addition, a subsample of patients underwent Quantitative Sensory Testing ( QST ). We used Generalized Estimating Equations to identify predictors of CIRP with logistic regression models. Results In total, 204 patients (197/159 at 6/12 months after ICU DC ) were available for the analyses. In the multivariate models, moderate to severe average pain in the 4 weeks after ICU DC , lower age, female sex, increased inflammation and chronic pain conditions and increased levels of anxiety before ICU admission were predictive for CIRP . In addition, small fibre deficits and lower disease severity were associated with CIRP in the QST subsample (81 patients, 77/55 at 6/12 months after ICU DC ). Patients with CIRP reported significantly lower HRQOL than patients without CIRP . Conclusions Chronic intensive care‐related pain is associated with specific decrements in HRQOL . Knowledge about the identified predictors is of clinical and scientific importance and might help to reduce the incidence of CIRP . Significance Chronic intensive care‐related pain is associated with specific decrements in health‐related quality of life. While most of the identified predictors for CIRP can only be considered as risk factors, especially adequate (post‐) acute pain management should be studied as preventive strategy.