Clinical Utility of the Numerical Verbal Scale (NVS) and the Pain and Functional Activity Scale (PFAS) in the Management of Rescue Analgesia in Acute Postoperative Pain. Randomized Study.

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Group A: Rescue analgesia if NVS>4: Rescue analgesia will be self-administered by the patient, when post-surgical pain is moderate to severe, using morphine PCA at a dose of 0.075 mg/kg maximum every 15 minutes, up to a maximum of 3 times per hour, provided they meet the criteria described for the group to which they have been assigned.

Group B: Rescue analgesia if NVSm > 4 + FAS C: Rescue analgesia will be self-administered by the patient, when post-surgical pain is moderate to severe and this pain interferes with and limits functional activity, using morphine PCA at a dose of 0.075 mg/kg maximum every 15 minutes, up to a maximum of 3 times per hour, provided they meet the criteria described for the group to which they have been assigned.

Study summary

Adequate postoperative pain management, along with mobilization and early oral nutrition, is the foundation for optimal recovery after surgery.

Unidimensional pain scales (Numerical Verbal Rating Scale - NRS, Visual Analogue Scale - VAS, Categorical Scale - CRS, Facial Pain Scale - FPS) do not adequately reflect a patient's actual analgesic needs. Basing analgesic treatment on the classic algorithm of administering opioids if pain is greater than 4 on the NRS, without considering functional impairment, has been shown to be a cause of overtreatment in surgical wards.

The Functional Activity Score (FAS) is the simplest scale, designed for bedside application and geared toward therapeutic decision-making. R: Able to perform any activity; B: Pain prevents some activity; C: Unable to perform any activity.

Given the need to standardize functional limitation when measuring postoperative pain, we propose the Pain and Functional Activity Scale (PFAS), which combines the NVA (Non-Visual Analogue Scale) with the Functional Activity Scale. Specifically, pain on movement would be recorded using the NVA in motion (NVAm), along with functional limitation (A, B, or C). The rescue analgesia treatment algorithm adapted to the PFAS would involve treating patients with pain greater than 4 on the NVA whenever it represents a severe limitation of their functional activity (C).

In this study, we aim to evaluate whether there are significant differences in the proportion of patients who meet the criteria for needing rescue analgesia according to the NVA compared to the proportion of patients who meet the criteria for needing rescue analgesia established by the PFAS, during the 2-day postoperative period.

To this end, an experimental, longitudinal, prospective, randomized, single-blind study for the data analyzer will be carried out, where a group that will receive rescue analgesia if VNS\>4 and another if VNSm\>4 + FAS C will be compared in the first two days of postoperative surgical patients of the surgeries selected in the EOXI of Vigo.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• NVS — Day 0 (before the surgical intervention), at 24 and 48 hours and in case rescue analgesia is requested.
  Resting Numerical Verbal Scale (NVS), indicate one of the following options (0 = no pain 10 = the worst pain imaginable): 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• mNVS — Day 0 (before the surgical intervention), at 24 and 48 hours and in case rescue analgesia is requested.
  Moving Numerical Verbal Scale (mNVS), indicate one of the following options (0 = no pain 10 = the worst pain imaginable): 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• FAS — Day 0 (before the surgical intervention), at 24 and 48 hours and in case rescue analgesia is requested.
  Functional Activity Score (FAS): After evaluating the following activities: Sitting, Walking, Rehabilitation, Respiratory Physiotherapy; indicate how pain interferes with your functional activity and rank them from best to worst: * A: Able to perform any activity (performs all 4 activities without limitation) * B: Pain prevents some activity (unable to perform between 1 and 3 of the activities) * C: Unable to perform any activity (is unable to perform any of the activities)

Trial sites (1)

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