TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence and characteristics of pain in patients with lower-extremity ulcers

T2 - A cross-sectional study

AU - Sabah, Lubna

AU - Burian, Ewa Anna

AU - Kirketerp-Møller, Klaus

AU - Thomsen, Simon Francis

AU - Moltke, Finn Borgbjerg

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Wound Repair and Regeneration published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wound Healing Society.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of pain in different ulcer types and to identify factors associated with pain experience in patients with lower-extremity ulcers. A cross-sectional single-centre study was performed, including 130 newly referred outpatients with lower-extremity ulcers. Pain intensity was measured with a visual analog scale (VAS) and pain characteristics with the short form mcgill pain questionnaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2). The mean pain intensity was 29.5 (SD 31.8) at rest and 35.5 (SD 34.1) during movement (0–100 VAS). 61.5% of the patients experienced pain (VAS > 0) at rest and 70.8% during movement. Moderate to severe pain at rest was seen in 39.2% and in 43.8% of patients during movement. The mean total score on SF-MPQ-2 (range 0–220) was 35.9 (SD 32.6). Most of the patients described pain as intermittent (mean 11.8 SD 13.9). Analgesics were prescribed for 78% of the patients. Ulcer type (i.e., arterial, immunological, pressure and venous) and age were associated with pain severity, and women had a significantly lower well-being score than men. Prevalence of pain in patients with lower-extremity ulcers was high across different ulcer aetiologies. Pain intensity and quality must be assessed to obtain adequate pain management.

AB - The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of pain in different ulcer types and to identify factors associated with pain experience in patients with lower-extremity ulcers. A cross-sectional single-centre study was performed, including 130 newly referred outpatients with lower-extremity ulcers. Pain intensity was measured with a visual analog scale (VAS) and pain characteristics with the short form mcgill pain questionnaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2). The mean pain intensity was 29.5 (SD 31.8) at rest and 35.5 (SD 34.1) during movement (0–100 VAS). 61.5% of the patients experienced pain (VAS > 0) at rest and 70.8% during movement. Moderate to severe pain at rest was seen in 39.2% and in 43.8% of patients during movement. The mean total score on SF-MPQ-2 (range 0–220) was 35.9 (SD 32.6). Most of the patients described pain as intermittent (mean 11.8 SD 13.9). Analgesics were prescribed for 78% of the patients. Ulcer type (i.e., arterial, immunological, pressure and venous) and age were associated with pain severity, and women had a significantly lower well-being score than men. Prevalence of pain in patients with lower-extremity ulcers was high across different ulcer aetiologies. Pain intensity and quality must be assessed to obtain adequate pain management.

KW - analgesics

KW - lower-extremity ulcers

KW - pain

KW - questionnaire

U2 - 10.1111/wrr.13153

DO - 10.1111/wrr.13153

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38263698

AN - SCOPUS:85183053675

VL - 32

SP - 105

EP - 191

JO - Wound Repair and Regeneration

JF - Wound Repair and Regeneration

SN - 1067-1927

IS - 2

ER -