Colored Pain Drawing as a Clinical Tool in Differentiating Neuropathic Pain from Non-Neuropathic Pain.

OBJECTIVES: This is a prospective, blinded, case-control study of patients with chronic pain using body diagrams and colored markers to show the distribution and quality of pain and sensory symptoms (aching, burning, tingling, numbness, and sensitivity to touch) experienced in affected body parts. METHODS: Two pain physicians, blinded to patients' clinical diagnoses, independently reviewed and classified each colored pain drawing (CPD) for presence of neuropathic pain (NeuP) vs. non-neuropathic pain (NoP). A clinical diagnosis (gold standard) of NeuP was made in 151 of 213 (70.9%) enrolled patients. RESULTS: CPD assessment at "first glance" by both examiners resulted in correctly categorizing 137 (64.3% by examiner 1) and 156 (73.2% by examiner 2) CPDs. Next, classification of CPDs by both physicians, using predefined criteria of spatial distribution and quality of pain-sensory symptoms, improved concordance to 212 of 213 CPDs (Kappa = 0.99). The diagnostic ability to correctly identify NeuP and NoP by both examiners increased to 171 (80.2%) CPDs, with 80.1% sensitivity and 80.6% specificity (Kappa = 0.56 [95% confidence interval: 0.44-0.68]). The severity scores for pain and sensory symptoms (burning, tingling, numbness, and sensitivity to touch) on the Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire were significantly elevated in NeuP vs. NoP (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates good performance characteristics of CPDs in identifying patients with NeuP through the use of a simple and easy-to-apply classification scheme. We suggest use of CPDs as a bedside screening tool and as a method for phenotypic profiling of patients by the quality and distribution of pain and sensory symptoms.

AAAPT Diagnostic Criteria for Acute Low Back Pain with and Without Lower Extremity Pain.

OBJECTIVE: Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for which people visit their doctor. Between 12% and 15% of the US population seek care for spine pain each year, with associated costs exceeding $200 billion. Up to 80% of adults will experience acute low back pain at some point in their lives. This staggering prevalence supports the need for increased research to support tailored clinical care of low back pain. This work proposes a multidimensional conceptual taxonomy. METHODS: A multidisciplinary task force of the ACTTION-APS-AAPM Pain Taxonomy (AAAPT) with clinical and research expertise performed a focused review and analysis, applying the AAAPT five-dimensional framework to acute low back pain. RESULTS: Application of the AAAPT framework yielded the following: 1) Core Criteria: location, timing, and severity of acute low back pain were defined; 2) Common Features: character and expected trajectories were established in relevant subgroups, and common pain assessment tools were identified; 3) Modulating Factors: biological, psychological, and social factors that modulate interindividual variability were delineated; 4) Impact/Functional Consequences: domains of impact were outlined and defined; 5) Neurobiological Mechanisms: putative mechanisms were specified including nerve injury, inflammation, peripheral and central sensitization, and affective and social processing of acute low back pain. CONCLUSIONS: The goal of applying the AAAPT taxonomy to acute low back pain is to improve its assessment through a defined evidence and consensus-driven structure. The criteria proposed will enable more rigorous meta-analyses and promote more generalizable studies of interindividual variation in acute low back pain and its potential underlying mechanisms.

Evaluation of the Impact of an Online Opioid Education Program for Acute Pain Management.

OBJECTIVE: The University of Washington instituted a policy requiring all credentialed clinicians who prescribe opioids to complete a one-time education activity about safe and responsible opioid prescribing. A scenario-based, interactive online learning module was developed for opioid management of acute pain in hospitalized adults. This study examined the impact of the education module on learners' knowledge, perceived competence, and use of guideline-adherent practices. METHODS: Clinicians who completed the education module participated in a voluntary de-identified online survey approximately six months after the learning activity. Survey questions were related to 1) the perception of improved knowledge; 2) impact on learner's use of three guideline-adherent practices; and 3) perceived competence in managing opioids for acute pain. Descriptive statistics were generated, and multiple linear regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: Clinicians (N = 167) reported improvement in knowledge and perceived competence. Controlling for other aspects of knowledge evaluated, learning to construct a safe opioid taper plan for acute pain, distinguishing between short- and long-acting opioids, and safely initiating opioids for acute pain were significantly associated with increased self-reported likelihood of incorporating the Washington state Prescription Monitoring Program (P = 0.003), using multimodal analgesia (P = 0.022), and reducing the duration of opioids prescribed (P = 0.016). Only improvement in knowledge of how to construct a safe opioid taper plan was significantly associated with increased perceived competence (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that this online education module about safe opioid prescribing for acute pain management was effective at improving knowledge, increasing the likelihood of using guideline-adherent clinical practices, and increasing perceived competence.

Evaluation of an interprofessional active learning session on acute pain and opioid use disorder using the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment scale.

Pain is complex and best managed using an interprofessional approach. A complicating factor is the high prevalence of co-existing opioid use disorder (OUD). Interprofessional education (IPE) may be an important strategy for transforming pain and OUD care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an interactive, case-based IPE session related to acute pain management in persons with OUD on pre-licensure health science students' perceived achievement of core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice. Students completed a self-assessment of competency before and after the IPE session, using the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale. Paired samples t-tests determined differences between pre- and post-session assessments and Cohen's d effect sizes evaluated the magnitude of change. Learners (n = 160) included students from pharmacy (30.9%), social work (21.9%), dentistry (16.3%), nursing (14.4%), medicine (9.4%), and other professional schools (7.4%). Learners showed significant improvement in perceived competency for all items (all p ≤ 0.002). Using a Collaborative Patient-Centered Approach and Team Functioning demonstrated the greatest overall improvement (Cohen's d > 0. 80). Findings suggest that an interactive IPE session is associated with perceived achievement of core interprofessional competencies for acute pain management in persons with OUD.

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Current US Policy to Address Pain.

Pain is a significant public health problem that needs policy at the national and local level to resolve incidents of insufficient, ineffective, and disparate pain treatment while limiting the risk of inadvertently increasing the use of treatment such as opioids that can result in public harm.The National Pain Strategy serves as the first comprehensive approach to address pain and provides a roadmap with substantial broad and specific policy implications. Although much has been accomplished to date, transitions in political power, available data and funding, and the current opioid epidemic continue to have an impact on implementation of the National Pain Strategy.A sustained, coordinated effort with multipronged policies in many forms on both federal and state levels via regulations, laws, and guidelines is warranted. However, research is needed to evaluate the impact and potential unintended consequences of increased legislation and regulation. Nevertheless, policy related to the management of pain may provide the path to new treatments and models of care to reduce the impact of pain as a public health crisis in this country.

American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative-4 Joint Consensus Statement on Persistent Postoperative Opioid Use: Definition, Incidence, Risk Factors, and Health Care System Initiatives.

Persistent postoperative opioid use is thought to contribute to the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States. However, efforts to study and address the issue have been stymied by the lack of a standard definition, which has also hampered efforts to measure the incidence of and risk factors for persistent postoperative opioid use. The objective of this systematic review is to (1) determine a clinically relevant definition of persistent postoperative opioid use, and (2) characterize its incidence and risk factors for several common surgeries. Our approach leveraged a group of international experts from the Perioperative Quality Initiative-4, a consensus-building conference that included representation from anesthesiology, surgery, and nursing. A search of the medical literature yielded 46 articles addressing persistent postoperative opioid use in adults after arthroplasty, abdominopelvic surgery, spine surgery, thoracic surgery, mastectomy, and thoracic surgery. In opioid-naïve patients, the overall incidence ranged from 2% to 6% based on moderate-level evidence. However, patients who use opioids preoperatively had an incidence of >30%. Preoperative opioid use, depression, factors associated with the diagnosis of substance use disorder, preoperative pain, and tobacco use were reported risk factors. In addition, while anxiety, sex, and psychotropic prescription are associated with persistent postoperative opioid use, these reports are based on lower level evidence. While few articles addressed the health policy or prescriber characteristics that influence persistent postoperative opioid use, efforts to modify prescriber behaviors and health system characteristics are likely to have success in reducing persistent postoperative opioid use.

''As-Needed'' Range Orders for Opioid Analgesics in the Management of Pain: A Consensus Statement of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the American Pain Society.

Effective pain management requires careful titration of analgesics and evaluation of individual patient's responses to treatment using valid and reliable pain and pain relief assessment tools, and evidence-based patient monitoring for adverse treatment effects. A registered nurse, competent in pain assessment and analgesic administration, can safely interpret and implement properly written ''as-needed'' or ''PRN'' range orders for analgesic medications. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) and the American Pain Society (APS) support safe medication practices and the appropriate use of PRN range orders for opioid analgesics in the management of pain.

The ACTTION-APS-AAPM Pain Taxonomy (AAAPT) Multidimensional Approach to Classifying Acute Pain Conditions.

Objective: With the increasing societal awareness of the prevalence and impact of acute pain, there is a need to develop an acute pain classification system that both reflects contemporary mechanistic insights and helps guide future research and treatment. Existing classifications of acute pain conditions are limiting, with a predominant focus on the sensory experience (e.g., pain intensity) and pharmacologic consumption. Consequently, there is a need to more broadly characterize and classify the multidimensional experience of acute pain. Setting: Consensus report following expert panel involving the Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION), American Pain Society (APS), and American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM). Methods: As a complement to a taxonomy recently developed for chronic pain, the ACTTION public-private partnership with the US Food and Drug Administration, the APS, and the AAPM convened a consensus meeting of experts to develop an acute pain taxonomy using prevailing evidence. Key issues pertaining to the distinct nature of acute pain are presented followed by the agreed-upon taxonomy. The ACTTION-APS-AAPM Acute Pain Taxonomy will include the following dimensions: 1) core criteria, 2) common features, 3) modulating factors, 4) impact/functional consequences, and 5) putative pathophysiologic pain mechanisms. Future efforts will consist of working groups utilizing this taxonomy to develop diagnostic criteria for a comprehensive set of acute pain conditions. Perspective: The ACTTION-APS-AAPM Acute Pain Taxonomy (AAAPT) is a multidimensional acute pain classification system designed to classify acute pain along the following dimensions: 1) core criteria, 2) common features, 3) modulating factors, 4) impact/functional consequences, and 5) putative pathophysiologic pain mechanisms. Conclusions: Significant numbers of patients still suffer from significant acute pain, despite the advent of modern multimodal analgesic strategies. Mismanaged acute pain has a broad societal impact as significant numbers of patients may progress to suffer from chronic pain. An acute pain taxonomy provides a much-needed standardization of clinical diagnostic criteria, which benefits clinical care, research, education, and public policy. For the purposes of the present taxonomy, acute pain is considered to last up to seven days, with prolongation to 30 days being common. The current understanding of acute pain mechanisms poorly differentiates between acute and chronic pain and is often insufficient to distinguish among many types of acute pain conditions. Given the usefulness of the AAPT multidimensional framework, the AAAPT undertook a similar approach to organizing various acute pain conditions.

Evidence-Based Practice Guideline : Acute Pain Management in Older Adults.

Acute pain is a prevalent problem in a growing segment of the older adult population and is often ineffectively managed despite the accumulation of evidence to guide assessment and support interventions in managing pain. Improvements in acute pain management in older adults are needed to provide consistent and quality pain assessment techniques and treatment therapies consistent with patient and/or family preferences. The current article briefly discusses ways to improve the pain experience and outcomes for older patients and families. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(2), 18-27.].

Evaluation of Evidence-based Nursing Pain Management Practice.

It is important to ensure that cancer pain management is based on the best evidence. Nursing evidence-based pain management can be examined through an evaluation of pain documentation. The aim of this study was to modify and test an evaluation tool for nursing cancer pain documentation, and describe the frequency and quality of nursing pain documentation in one oncology unit via the electronic medical system. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study at an oncology unit of an academic medical center in the Pacific Northwest. Medical records were examined for 37 adults hospitalized during April and May 2013. Nursing pain documentations (N = 230) were reviewed using an evaluation tool modified from the Cancer Pain Practice Index to consist of 13 evidence-based pain management indicators, including pain assessment, care plan, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, monitoring and treatment of analgesic side effects, communication with physicians, and patient education. Individual nursing documentation was assigned a score ranging from 0 (worst possible) to 13 (best possible), to reflect the delivery of evidence-based pain management. The participating nurses documented 90% of the recommended evidence-based pain management indicators. Documentation was suboptimal for pain reassessment, pharmacologic interventions, and bowel regimen. The study results provide implications for enhancing electronic medical record design and highlight a need for future research to understand the reasons for suboptimal nursing documentation of cancer pain management. For the future use of the data evaluation tool, we recommend additional modifications according to study settings.

Acute pain assessment tools: let us move beyond simple pain ratings.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights challenges and current trends in tools used to assess acute pain across the lifespan. RECENT FINDINGS: A plethora of similar assessment tools exist for acute pain, most focused on self-report of pain intensity. Attempts to improve the frequency and visibility of pain assessment by prompting pain as 'the fifth vital sign' resulted in unintended consequences, creating a pressing need for a conceptual shift to multidimensional assessment of acute pain. SUMMARY: Valid and pragmatic assessment of pain is essential for effective pain management. Unidimensional scales that capture self-reported pain intensity ratings undervalue to the complexity of the pain experience. Pain is a biopsychosocial experience and assessment is a complex social transaction and an exchange of the meaning of pain that demands a more comprehensive approach.

Core competencies for pain management: results of an interprofessional consensus summit.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project was to develop core competencies in pain assessment and management for prelicensure health professional education. Such core pain competencies common to all prelicensure health professionals have not been previously reported. METHODS: An interprofessional executive committee led a consensus-building process to develop the core competencies. An in-depth literature review was conducted followed by engagement of an interprofessional Competency Advisory Committee to critique competencies through an iterative process. A 2-day summit was held so that consensus could be reached. RESULTS: The consensus-derived competencies were categorized within four domains: multidimensional nature of pain, pain assessment and measurement, management of pain, and context of pain management. These domains address the fundamental concepts and complexity of pain; how pain is observed and assessed; collaborative approaches to treatment options; and application of competencies across the life span in the context of various settings, populations, and care team models. A set of values and guiding principles are embedded within each domain. CONCLUSIONS: These competencies can serve as a foundation for developing, defining, and revising curricula and as a resource for the creation of learning activities across health professions designed to advance care that effectively responds to pain.

The impact of early postoperative pain on health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: To examine how the severity of postoperative pain affects patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 1 week following surgery and to compare two generic validated HRQoL instruments. METHODS: Patients undergoing general or orthopaedic surgery at the Royal London Hospital were randomly sampled. The following patient outcome data were collected EQ-5D (EuroQoL) pre-operatively and the Revised American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire (APS-POQ-R) at 24 hours postoperation; and EQ-5D, Short-Form-12 (SF-12) and APS-POQ-R at 7 days postoperation. The degree of association between pain and HRQoL was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multivariate generalized linear regression models. RESULTS: Of the 228 patients included, 166 patients provided data at 7 days. Sixteen percent reported severe pain ≥ 50% of the day at 7 days. The severity of pain on both the APS-POQ-R pain severity and interference and affective impairment domains at 7 days was highly correlated with a decrease in HRQoL as assessed by the SF-12 Physical Component Score (PCS), SF-12 Mental Component Score (MCS), and EQ-5D scores (r = -0.34 to -0.61, P < 0.0001). Multivariate regression analyses showed that irrespective of confounding factors (eg, age, gender, and pre-operative HRQoL) patients with severe postoperative pain experience important reductions in both physical and mental well-being domains of their HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: A proportion of patients continue to experience severe pain at 7 days postoperatively, even after minor surgery. HRQoL is strongly associated with the level of pain and provides additional data on the impact of postsurgery pain on patient's function and well-being. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the interaction between pain severity and HRQoL during the peri-operative period.

Lessons from the implementation of a trauma center-based program to support primary care providers in managing opioids and pain after trauma hospitalization.

Background: Decreasing exposure to prescription opioids is critical to lowering risk of opioid misuse, overdose and opioid use disorder. This study reports a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial implementing an opioid taper support program directed to primary care providers (PCPs) of patients discharged from a level I trauma center to their homes distant from the center, and shares lessons for trauma centers in supporting these patients. Methods: This longitudinal descriptive mixed-methods study uses quantitative/qualitative data from trial intervention arm patients to examine implementation challenges and outcomes: adoption, acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity. In the intervention, a physician assistant (PA) contacted patients after discharge to review their discharge instructions and pain management plan, confirm their PCP's identity and encourage PCP follow-up. The PA reached out to the PCP to review the discharge instructions and offer ongoing opioid taper and pain management support. Results: The PA reached 32 of 37 patients randomized to the program. Of these 32, 81% discussed topics not targeted by the intervention (eg, social/financial). The PA identified and reached a PCP's office for only 51% of patients. Of these, all PCP offices (100% adoption) received one to four consults (mean 1.9) per patient (fidelity). Few consults were with PCPs (22%); most were with medical assistants (56%) or nurses (22%). The PA reported that it was not routinely clear to patients or PCPs who was responsible for post-trauma care and opioid taper, and what the taper instructions were. Conclusions: This level I trauma center successfully implemented a telephonic opioid taper support program during COVID-19 but adapted the program to allow nurses and medical assistants to receive it. This study demonstrates a critical need to improve care transition from hospitalization to home for patients discharged after trauma. Level of evidence: Level IV.

Electroacupuncture for Pain Outcomes in a Trauma Center's Acute Pain Service: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Evidence for acupuncture to treat pain is growing. Electrostimulation of acupuncture needles (electroacupuncture) is common for pain and is thought to augment the therapeutic effect. Objectives: To examine the association of pain outcomes after a single acupuncture session with electrostimulation included (EA) compared with no electrostimulation included (NEA). Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using electronic health records of acupuncture sessions for adults with acute pain under the care of an acute pain service. Paired t-test and linear regression were used to report pain intensity changes after a single acupuncture session and by including EA. Ordered logistic regression was used to report categorical pain relief. Logistic regression was used to explore the odds of adding EA and the patient's age, gender, and pretreatment pain. Results: From July 24, 2017, through November 9, 2020, 465 acupuncture sessions recorded EA (n = 194), or NEA (n = 271). Acupuncture, independent of EA status, reduced pain intensity by a mean 2.5 points. EA was associated with a mean 0.38-point reduction in pain intensity more than NEA (confidence interval [95% CI]: -0.75 to -0.01). Among sessions reporting categorical pain relief (n = 415), higher relief was more likely with EA (odds ratio = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.52-3.08). There was no association between EA and the patient's age, gender, and pretreatment pain intensity. Conclusions: After a single acupuncture session, both EA and NEA reduced pain intensity. Higher categorical pain relief was reported with EA, though the clinical meaning is uncertain. Future research should focus on well-defined populations for electroacupuncture and factors for including electrostimulation.

Integration of Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) Students in a Trauma Center's Acute Pain Service: In-Person and Remote Training and Patient Care.

Objective: Evidence of effectiveness and demand for acupuncture to treat acute pain conditions is growing, as is the need for acupuncturists trained to deliver patient care in a hospital setting. This articles describes collaboration between Bastyr University and Harborview Medical Center to incorporate Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) students into a trauma hospital setting. Materials and Methods: A model was developed to integrate DAOM students into an Anesthesiology Acute Pain Service to provide acupuncture to postoperative inpatients. That in-person model pivoted to remote student education and patient self-care education during the COVID 19 outbreak. A review was conducted of 323 consecutive patients who received acupuncture while they were hospitalized. Results: The review of 323 consecutive patients who received acupuncture for pain during their hospital admission indicated that as few as one acupuncture treatment resulted in clinically significant benefits. No serious complications or safety concerns were reported. Conclusions: Collaboration between academic and clinical programs can provide the structure to integrate acupuncture into hospital settings safely and with benefit to patients and students.

Association Between Statewide Medicaid Opioid Policy and Postoperative Opioid Prescribing among Surgeons at a Large Safety-Net Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Restrictive state and payer policies may be effective in reducing opioid prescribing by surgeons, but their impact has not been well studied. In 2017, Washington Medicaid implemented an opiod prescribing limit of 42 pills, prompting a large regional safety-net hospital to implement a decision support intervention in response. We aimed to evaluate the effects on surgeons' prescribing. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively studied postoperative opioid prescribing (quantity of pills prescribed at discharge) to opioid-naïve surgical patients at a regional safety-net hospital from 2016 to 2020. We investigated associations between the policy and opioid prescribing by using interrupted time series analysis, adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: A total of 12,799 surgical encounters involving opioid-naïve patients (59% male, mean age 52) were analyzed. Opioids were prescribed for 75%. From 2016 to 2020, the mean prescribed opioid quantity decreased from 36 pills to 17 pills. In interrupted time series analysis, the Medicaid policy implementation was associated with an immediate change of -8.4 pills (95% CI -12 to -4.7; p < 0.001) per prescription and a subsequent rate of decrease similar to that prepolicy. In a comparison of changes between patients insured through Medicaid vs Medicare, Medicaid patients had an immediate change of -9.8 pills (95% CI -19 to -0.76; p = 0.03) after policy implementation and continued decreases similar to those prepolicy. No immediate or subsequent policy-related changes were observed among Medicare patients. CONCLUSION: In a large regional safety-net institution, postoperative opioid prescriptions decreased in size over time, with immediate changes associated with a state Medicaid policy and corresponding decision support intervention. These findings pose implications for surgeons, hospital leaders, and payers seeking to address opioid use via judicious prescribing.

Functional implications of long-term pain following outpatient inguinal herniorrhaphy--a prospective evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study is to assess pain and functional outcomes at 1 y following inguinal herniorrhaphy in which patients were randomized to receive a continuous wound infusion of bupivacaine to receiving a saline infusion. METHODS: Patients received saline or bupivacaine prior to incision and then for 60 h postoperatively. The incidence, severity, and functional interference of pain were assessed for five postoperative days, and at 1 y. RESULTS: Seventy patients completed a survey 1 y following herniorrhaphy. Four percent (3/72) of patients were in moderate to severe pain "almost always" or "often". Twenty-one percent (15/72) of patients experienced pain with ambulation. There was no difference between groups at 1 y. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of moderate or severe pain is concerning 1 y following surgery. Functional aberrations associated with pain should be assessed in all studies evaluating long-term pain after herniorrhaphy.