Pain in Patients Evaluated in Outpatient Orthopaedic Clinics

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We performed this study to assess pain in patients seen in member outpatient orthopaedic clinics of the Korean Knee Society (KKS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We organized a committee for the study of knee joint pain. The committee designed a questionnaire form consisting of 11 items related to pain. One hundred thirty-five regular members of the KKS asked all patients visiting their respective outpatient clinics during May 2007 to complete the questionnaire form. Although 12,418 patients agreed to fill out the questionnaire form, we only analyzed the questionnaire forms of 9,578 patients who answered completely. RESULTS: 1. Approximately 85% of patients visiting outpatient orthopaedic clinics complained of pain. 2. The average degree of pain was more than moderate, and 72% of patients simply desired to be free of pain. 3. Seventeen percent of patients thought their physicians underestimated their pain. 4. Regarding agreement in the assessment of pain between physicians and patients, there was low level of agreement by numeric rating scale, but a high level of agreement based on a mild/moderate/severe grading scale. 5. Approximately one-third (36.2%) of patients had used additional treatments for pain relief on top of their prescribed medications. CONCLUSION: Eighty-five percent of patients complained of pain, and two-thirds of them were primarily focused on its relief in their visit to the outpatient clinic. Hence, we should heed pain management itself as an important goal in treating orthopaedic patients.