Preoperative predictors of postoperative pain

Abstract

This study attempted to predict postoperative pain from preoperative level of anxiety and the amount of information patients possessed regarding their surgery. Pain was assessed via the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and a measure of pain complaints--number of analgesics taken. High levels of state anxiety and a high degree of information predicted the Present Pain Intensity measured of the MPQ, but did not predict the Pain Rating Index portion of the MPQ. The number of analgesics taken was predicted from the amount of information but not the level of presurgical anxiety. Biographical variables were unrelated to postoperative pain. The results were discussed in terms of State-Trait Anxiety theory, Janis' curvilinear prediction model and a contextual perspective of information imparting.

Evaluation of the structure of Brazilian State-Trait Anxiety Inventory using a Rasch psychometric approach

“…Thus, it is possible to hypothesize that some controversial findings regarding the association of preoperative anxiety and clinical outcomes [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] cannot be attributed to only sample characteristics or the number of subjects, but it may be partially explained by these psychometric weaknesses. Thus, it makes sense to evaluate its structure using a modern psychometric approach, such as Rasch analysis, to obtain a shorter and more consistent instrument.…”

Treatment anxiety in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Results of a German multi-centre trial

“…Nevertheless, multiple negative effects of such a state of mind accompanying surgical treatment have nearly always been proved by multiple studies within the last 50 years. Moderately to highly anxious patients suffer from significantly more intense postoperative pain (Scott et al, 1983) and show higher psychological co-morbidity and incidence of posttraumatic stress reactions.…”

“…Treatment anxiety is an undesirable psychological phenomenon, whose multiple negative influences on patient compliance (Delfino, 1997) and treatment comfort (Scott et al, 1983;Hampf, 1989;Eli et al, 2003), surgical conditions and postoperative outcome (George et al, 1980;Hampf, 1989) are observable daily. Numerous studies from various surgical disciplines and especially dentistry (Kleinknecht et al, 1973;Meechan and Seymour, 1993;Coulter et al, 1995;Litt, 1996;Joehren and Sartory, 2002;Wolf et al, 2003) have investigated the problem in the past 50 years.…”

A controlled trial on the effect of hypnosis on dental anxiety in tooth removal patients

“…Pre-operative anxiety increases hours or days before the surgery [4] and is associated with higher postoperative pain [5,6]. Dental anxiety is associated with neurophysiologic alterations in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure prior, during and subsequent to dental treatments [7] and with the expectation of pain during and after treatment as well as sleep disturbances before treatment, and cardiac palpitations and transpiration right before and during treatment [8].…”