A retrospective multicenter study on long-term prevalence of chronic pain after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on sternotomy as a cause of chronic postsurgical pain, mainly restricted to 1 year after surgery. AIMS: To assess the prevalence of chronic post-sternotomy pain and its interference on daily living. METHODS: In three groups of patients, a standardized telephone interview was obtained at 3 months (n = 313), 1 year (n = 313), and 3 years (n = 319) following the rehabilitation program after cardiac surgery, in 11 rehabilitation centers. Presence, site, and the severity and interference of pain on selected daily living items were assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of pain after cardiac surgery was 35.3% in the 3-month group, 26.8% in the 1-year group, and 19.8% in the 3-year group (P < 0.0001). Pain in the 3-year group was rated as moderate to severe in one-third of the patients. In patients aged above 75 years, the prevalence of pain in the 3-month and the 3-year group was nonsignificantly different [34.2 and 29.3%, respectively (NS)]. In the 3-month group, pain was more frequent in the female (51.4%) than in the male patients (31.3%; P < 0.01); in the remaining groups, a comparable prevalence was documented. CONCLUSION: Results form this large, retrospective, multicenter survey indicated that one out of five patients still complain pain at 3 years after cardiac surgery; persistence of pain was more common in the older patients. The approach to management of chronic pain by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons should be improved.