European journal of pain : EJP
-
The Nociception Coma Scale is a nociception behaviour observation tool, developed specifically for patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) due to (acquired) brain injury. Over the years, the clinimetric properties of the NCS and its revised version (NCS-R) have been assessed, but no formal summary of these properties has been made. Therefore, we performed a systematic review on the clinimetric properties (i.e. reliability, validity, responsiveness and interpretability) of the NCS(-R). ⋯ Important aspects of reliability, construct validity and responsiveness have been studied in depth and with sufficient methodological quality. The overview of clinimetric properties in this study shows that the NCS and NCS-R are both valid and useful instruments to assess nociceptive behaviour in DOC patients. The studies provide guidance for the choice in NCS-R cut-off value for possible pain treatment and cautions awareness of interprofessional differences in NCS-R measurements.
-
Children with recurrent pain of negative chronic stress origin from different locations have a characteristic pattern of tender points in the temporal, trapezoid, great pectoral and abdominal muscles. We tested the hypothesis that the startle reaction is activated in these children and that some of the startle-activated muscles are related to the tender point pattern and the recurrent pain. ⋯ This study demonstrates in adolescents how recurrent pain of negative stress origin from the head, stomach, back and chest is related to increased startle reaction and increased muscular tension in these regions. This study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the global burden of recurrent pain.
-
This study investigates the prevalence of different types of childhood adversities (CA) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female patients with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Widespread Pain (FM/CWP) compared to patients with Functional Dyspepsia (FD) and achalasia. In FM/CWP, we also investigated the association between CA and PTSD on the one hand and pain severity on the other. ⋯ As expected and has been shown in other functional disorders, we found elevated levels of childhood adversity in FM/CWP patients. Results of this study however suggest that the impact of childhood adversity (i.e. whether such events have led to the development of PTSD symptoms), rather than the mere presence of such adversity, is of crucial importance in FM/CWP patients. Screening for PTSD symptoms should be an essential part of the assessment process in patients suffering from FM/CWP, and both prevention and intervention efforts should take into account PTSD symptoms and their impact on pain severity and general functioning.
-
The timing of diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) 1 remains a challenge due to the large heterogeneity of clinical presentations. We describe the distribution and differences in outcomes and clinical manifestations between time points and patient groups with and without CRPS 1 following an initiating event. ⋯ This prospective cohort study follows patients with complaints most suspected for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) 1. CRPS 1 develops within 8 weeks following a noxious event. Although many CRPS 1 patients reach partial remission within the 3 months, symptoms do not improve significantly at 1 year.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Painful decisions: How classifying sensations can change the experience of pain.
Categorizing perceptual stimuli is a mechanism for facilitating the processing of sensory input from our environment. This facilitation of perception is achieved through generalization (assimilation) of stimulus characteristics within categories and accentuation between categories. These categorization processes have been demonstrated in visual, auditory, tactile and social perception, but never in pain perception. ⋯ Categorization effects in pain perception are demonstrated. Classifying and labelling painful events can modulate early perceptual processes, lead to under- or overestimation of pain symptoms and affect decision-making behaviour related to pain.