The Clinical journal of pain
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To investigate whether maternal satisfaction (MS) is taken into consideration as an outcome criterion in clinical research on analgesia for labor. ⋯ A standard and validated tool to assess MS in clinical research on analgesia for labor is still to be developed. Power should be improved by acting on sample sizes or sensitivity of the outcome.
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Mindfulness and pain catastrophizing are important constructs in pain research, and there are theoretical reasons for suspecting that measures of the 2 constructs should be related in predictable ways. The present study investigated the association of pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale) with mindfulness (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire). The Penn State Worry Questionnaire was included to control for confounding of worry; the influence of demographics was explored. ⋯ These findings suggest that it is important to assess more general cognitive-emotional constructs, such as worry, when making inferences about the influence of mindfulness or changes in mindfulness upon catastrophic thinking in response to pain.
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Assessing pain in young children requires astute judgment by observers. Multidimensional observational scales for pediatric pain contribute by providing behavioral cues believed to characterize pain in children; yet, few measurement items have undergone rigorous psychometric evaluation. This is the case with facial expression, which has been widely recognized as the most sensitive and specific nonverbal indicator of pain. The criteria for identifying facial expressions of pain differ substantially across scales and are frequently inconsistent with empirical descriptions. ⋯ The facial items varied considerably in coder judgment reliability as well as criterion (empirical and convergent), content, and face validity. Observational scales should provide behavioral cues that correspond to empirical descriptions of the facial expression of pain.
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Evidence of unrelieved childhood pain, adverse drug events (ADE), and deaths suggest that parents may inadequately respond to pain and opioid-related ADE signals. This study examined parents' recognition and response to pain and ADE signals using both dynamic hypothetical scenarios and real at-home opioid decisions. ⋯ Findings demonstrated that many parents failed to withhold a prescribed opioid dose for oversedation, suggesting a lack of awareness regarding this potentially serious ADE. Strategies to improve parents' recognition of oversedation and its potential consequences are warranted to improve opioid safety.
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Multicenter Study
Italian Oncological Pain Survey (IOPS): A Multicentre Italian Study of Breakthrough Pain Performed in Different Settings.
A survey of breakthrough pain (BTP) was performed in five palliative care units (PCU), seven oncology departments (ONC), and nine pain clinics (OPC). ⋯ This survey performed by an Italian observatory expert review group, has confirmed that the BTP represents a clinically relevant condition with a negative impact on the patient's quality of life. BTP was detected in all settings involved. A number of factors are associated with the BTP. Also factors regarding the course of disease and setting of care have been assessed. This information may help in stratifying patients or predicting the risk of development of BTP with specific characteristics.