The impact of pain frequency, pain localization and perceived cause of pain on quality of life after cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Further research is needed to understand how pain frequency, localization of pain and the patient's conviction of the cause of pain effects long-term outcome after gallstone surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort study was conducted based on patients evaluated with SF-36 along with three single-items focusing on gallstone specific symptoms. The physical component summary (PCS) and bodily pain (BP) of SF-36 were used as main outcome measures. To assess the improvement from the procedure, the differences between the preoperative and postoperative ratings were tested with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The ratings on the single-items regarding pain frequency, pain localization and patient's conviction of the cause of pain were used as predictors. In the multivariate analysis, adjustment was made for age, gender and approach. The study was approved by the Swedish Ethics Committee, Dnr 2015/115. RESULTS: The study group was based on 4021 patients who responded to the questionnaire SF-36 and the three gallstone specific items preoperatively. A total of 2216 (55.1%) patients also responded postoperatively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis the frequency of the pain attacks and the patient's conviction of the origin of pain significantly predicted postoperative pain as well as PCS of SF-36 (all p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative frequency of pain attacks and the patient's conviction of the cause of pain can predict the outcome regarding PCS and the subscale BP of SF-36 with significantly better ratings in patients with a pain frequency exceeding once per month and in patients convinced of having pain related to gallstones.

Association between uterine artery Doppler blood flow changes and arterial wall elasticity in pregnant women.

INTRODUCTION: Uterine artery (UtA) Doppler velocimetry changes and increased arterial stiffness are associated with preeclampsia. We aimed to investigate the relation between UtA velocimetry changes and arterial stiffness in pregnant women. METHODS: Doppler velocimetry and photoplethysmographic digital pulse wave analysis (DPA) were performed in 173 pregnant women in the second or the third trimester, where UtA Doppler pulsatility index (PI), diastolic notching, and UtA score (UAS) combining notching and high PI were calculated. DPA stiffness parameters representing large arteries were ejection elasticity index (EEI) and b/a, small arteries dicrotic index (DI) and d/a, and global stiffness the aging index (AI). RESULTS: One hundred and thirty women had normal Doppler and 43 had diastolic notching, of whom nine had high PI. DI indicated increased stiffness in small arteries when notching was present (p = 0.044) and showed a significant but weak correlation to UAS (p = 0.025, tau 0.12). EEI and b/a indicated increased large artery stiffness (p ≤0.014), d/a small artery stiffness (p = 0.023), and AI a systemic stiffness (p = 0.040) when high PI. CONCLUSION: High UtA PI was associated with increased systemic arterial stiffness, whereas notching was related to increased stiffness in small arteries only. This indicates pathophysiological differences between the two Doppler parameters.