Premium
Pain characteristics and management of inpatients admitted to a comprehensive cancer centre: a cross‐sectional study
Author(s) -
KURITA G. P.,
TANGE U. B.,
FARHOLT H.,
SONNE N. M.,
STRÖMGREN A. S.,
ANKERSEN L.,
KRISTENSEN L.,
BENDIXEN L.,
GRØNVOLD M.,
PETERSEN M. A.,
NORDLY M.,
CHRISTRUP L.,
NIEMANN C.,
SJØGREN P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/aas.12068
Subject(s) - medicine , analgesic , quality of life (healthcare) , cancer pain , opioid , cancer , cross sectional study , physical therapy , pain medicine , cancer stage , demographics , anesthesia , anesthesiology , demography , sociology , receptor , nursing , pathology
Aims This prospective, cross‐sectional study aimed to assess cancer pain and its management in an inpatient setting at a comprehensive cancer centre in D enmark. Methods One hundred and eighty‐eight inpatients with cancer were invited to participate ( M ay/ J une 2011). Demographics, diagnoses, W orld H ealth O rganization performance status, health‐related quality of life, pain and data regarding analgesic treatment were registered. Results One hundred and thirty‐four (71.3%) patients agreed to participate in the study. Most frequent diagnoses were leukaemia (27.6%) and lung cancer (14.2%). A high prevalence of pain was observed, 65.7%. Thirty‐two per cent reported moderate to severe pain when it was at its worst, 96% reported no or mild pain when it was at its least. Nearly 22% reported moderate to severe pain when the pain was categorised as average. Breakthrough pain episodes were reported by 30.5%. Adjuvant medication was sparsely used and not always correctly indicated. Out of 88 patients with pain, 62.5% were left untreated according to the E lectronic M edication S ystem. Higher health‐related quality of life was associated with lower pain intensity. The use of opioids with or without adjuvants was associated with higher pain intensity and higher number of breakthrough pain episodes. Conclusions Approximately two thirds of inpatients reported pain and one third had breakthrough pain. A substantial number of patients with pain were left untreated. Opioid‐treated patients reported highest pain intensity and number of breakthrough episodes; however, analgesic medication seemed to be underused. Measures to improve pain assessment and management are highly required.