Comparison of Deep Learning Algorithms in Predicting Expert Assessments of Pain Scores during Surgical Operations Using Analgesia Nociception Index.

There are many surgical operations performed daily in operation rooms worldwide. Adequate anesthesia is needed during an operation. Besides hypnosis, adequate analgesia is critical to prevent autonomic reactions. Clinical experience and vital signs are usually used to adjust the dosage of analgesics. Analgesia nociception index (ANI), which ranges from 0 to 100, is derived from heart rate variability (HRV) via electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, for pain evaluation in a non-invasive manner. It represents parasympathetic activity. In this study, we compared the performance of multilayer perceptron (MLP) and long short-term memory (LSTM) algorithms in predicting expert assessment of pain score (EAPS) based on patient's HRV during surgery. The objective of this study was to analyze how deep learning models differed from the medical doctors' predictions of EAPS. As the input and output features of the deep learning models, the opposites of ANI and EAPS were used. This study included 80 patients who underwent operations at National Taiwan University Hospital. Using MLP and LSTM, a holdout method was first applied to 60 training patients, 10 validation patients, and 10 testing patients. As compared to the LSTM model, which had a testing mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.633 ± 0.542, the MLP model had a testing MAE of 2.490 ± 0.522, with a more appropriate shape of its prediction curves. The model based on MLP was selected as the best. Using MLP, a seven-fold cross validation method was then applied. The first fold had the lowest testing MAE of 2.460 ± 0.634, while the overall MAE for the seven-fold cross validation method was 2.848 ± 0.308. In conclusion, HRV analysis using MLP algorithm had a good correlation with EAPS; therefore, it can play role as a continuous monitor to predict intraoperative pain levels, to assist physicians in adjusting analgesic agent dosage. Further studies may consider obtaining more input features, such as photoplethysmography (PPG) and other kinds of continuous variable, to improve the prediction performance.

[Pain relief by Ketorol Express after oral surgery procedures]. / Kupirovanie bolevogo sindroma preparatom Ketorol Ekspress posle stomatologicheskikh vmeshatel'stv, soprovozhdayushchikhsya travmoi tkanei.

The aim of the study was providing rationale for using a new form of Ketorol Express for pain relief in outpatient dental practice. The study comprised 85 patients with an average age of 43.2 years, who were prescribed a three-day course of Ketorol Express therapy after a complex traumatic tooth extraction. Three different visual-analog scales were used to assess the severity of pain, the patient's General well-being, and the doctor's General well-being. After treatment with dispersed Ketorol Express tablets, the severity of the pain syndrome decreased from 4 to 1.8 points within three days. Anesthesia occurred on average in 10 minutes. This therapy was safe and well tolerated. There were no one serious adverse events, and no one patient stopped therapy due to side effects.

Update on structured pain assessment for the documentation of diagnosis-independent symptoms and signs associated with pain.

Concerning the diagnosis and therapy of pain syndromes, standardized descriptions similar to those used in the examination of psychopathological findings via the system produced by the AMDP ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Methodik und Dokumentation in der Psychiatrie", i. e., the working group establishing standardized methodology and documentation within psychiatry) are still lacking. Therefore, the authors of this article have founded a working group to establish standardized methodology and documentation for symptoms and signs associated with pain, although not at a diagnosis-specific level, in order to promote standardization in the documentation of pain and rating of the symptoms associated with a given set of medical results. This article presents a system for documenting the symptoms and signs associated with pain globally and independently of the diagnosis (Structured Pain Assessment System) with nomenclature that is inspired by the AMDP system. The objective of this working group is to develop documentation for a uniform multidimensional pain assessment (with defined terminology) that serves as a comparable and unified standard in the field.

An Appraisal of Methods for Measuring Welfare of Grazing Ruminants.

Although disturbances in body function of animals can be measured to determine whether a state of stress may exist, there is growing interest in finding ways to assess their emotional status as an indicator of good or bad welfare status. Generally it is easier to determine poor states of well-being than positive ones. For grazing ruminants some indicators of well-being include absence of illness, good growth and productivity, and longevity. Motion detectors can provide automated remote monitoring of behavior and it is likely that there will be advances in the interpretation software to increase the utility of this technology for assessing well-being. Cortisol levels in body fluids, feces and pelage are prominent as a marker of poor animal welfare, but like many of the other objective measures that are used, are not wholly reliable at the individual animal level. These other measures include: plasma serotonin, heart rate variation, infra-red thermography, cytokines, salivary alpha amylase, and acute phase proteins. Use of automated facial expression recognition may supplement electrophysiological recording as means to quantify the pain experience of animals. Although the measures described in the literature do not necessarily provide the final answer for determination of welfare in grazing ruminants, they all have some merit and deserve further investigation.

Assessment of postoperative pain management and comparison of effectiveness of pain relief treatment involving paravertebral block and thoracic epidural analgesia in patients undergoing posterolateral thoracotomy.

BACKGROUND: TEA (thoracic epidural analgesia) is considered a basic method of analgesia used in thoracic surgeries. PVB (paravertebral block) is an alternative method. The thesis compares effectiveness of both methods in postoperative analgesia with particular focus on assessment of the postoperative pain management quality. METHODS: The study involved 2 groups of patients, each consisting of 30 patients undergoing posterolateral thoracotomy. The study group involved patients anesthetized applying PVB method, while the control group involved patients anesthetized with TEA. Hemodynamic and respiratory parameters as well as severity of pain assessed using NRS (numeric rating scale) during the first 3 days after the surgery, number of days of hospitalization, and the need to use additional pain relievers were taken into account in both groups. Evaluation of postoperative pain management quality was performed applying Clinical Quality Indicators in Postoperative Pain Management. RESULTS: No statistical significance was demonstrated between the groups in respect of hemodynamic and respiratory parameters values, the need to use additional pain relievers and the number of days of hospitalization. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in respect of general assessment of pain management quality, except for the assessment of the lowest level of pain within the last 24 h of measurement. This result in TEA group was statistically significantly lower than the one in PVB group (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: In the assessment of postoperative pain management quality both analyzed methods are statistically significantly different only in the category of "lowest level of pain within the last 24 hours of measurement", to the benefit of TEA group. No statistically significant difference has been observed between the two study groups with respect to the remaining parameters. TRIAL REGISTRATION: KB-0012/71/15. Date of registration 22 June 2015.

Decoding neuropathic pain severity using distinct patterns of corticolimbic metabotropic glutamate receptor 5.

Susceptibility to neuropathic pain and the degree of pain amplification vary among individuals. However, methods for objective evaluation of pain status have not been well established. Using an animal model, we identified the brain signature of neuropathic pain, and developed a method for the objective evaluation of pain degree. We analyzed paw withdrawal thresholds from rats that were subjected to right L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) surgery, and regressed them to the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) availability levels in the brain using [11C] ABP688 PET image data from our previous research. We found clusters with a significant correlation to paw withdrawal threshold localized in brain areas involved in sensory, cognitive, and affective aspects of pain processing. Strikingly, mGluR5 availability levels in the identified brain regions showed distinct patterns in the neuropathic pain group but not in the control group. We successfully elucidated the degree of pain-sensing behavior using the neuropathic pain-specific pattern of the mGluR5 availability. Our study provides new insight into the signature of neuropathic pain in the brain, and offers a novel diagnostic method for objectively decoding the status of individual neuropathic pain.

Persistent Pain in Older Adults: Roy's Adaptation Model.

Persistent pain in older adults is difficult to assess and therefore address consistently. The experience of pain is individual, and therefore a comprehensive way to assess pain is required. Roy's adaptation model offers a systematic way of evaluating pain in the older adult. In this column, the author shares some statistics about persistent pain and a case study using Roy's model as a system for assessment.

Descritores de dor presentes nas narrativas de crianças em tratamento oncológico / Pain descriptors in narratives of children in oncological treatment / Descriptores del dolor en las narraciones de los niños en tratamiento oncológico

A avaliação da dor em crianças necessita de um olhar específico voltado para sua descrição. Considerar aspectos do desenvolvimento cognitivo e linguístico é fundamental na interpretação da experiência dolorosa na população infantil. Trata-se de um estudo de qualitativo que teve como objetivo identificar os descritores de dor presentes nas narrativas de crianças em tratamento oncológico e compará-los aos presentes em um instrumento para adultos. Desenvolvido em um Centro de Oncohepatologia Pediátrico, no período de março a outubro de 2013. A população foi composta por 26 escolares, de ambos os sexos, com idade média de 8 anos e 7 meses. Os resultados apontam que, independentemente da idade, a utilização de reforços figurativos na comunicação oral é bastante presente como apoio na descrição da dor e revelam a necessidade da criação de instrumentos de avaliação de dor adequados às faixas etárias, de forma a facilitar as representações simbólicas em crianças.

The difficulty in assessing pain in children indicates the need for a specific look at the description of the pain. Considering aspects of cognitive and linguistic development is crucial for the interpretation of pain experience in children. The main point of this study was to identify pain descriptors present in the children's narratives which are undergoing cancer treatment and compare them with those present in an instrument for adults. This was a qualitative study conducted in an Oncohepatology Pediatric Center, from March to October of 2013. The sample consisted on 26 students, of both sexes, with an average age of 8 years and 7 months. The results indicate that regardless of age, the use of figurative reinforcements in oral communication is founded as a support in the description of the pain and shows the needing of the creation of assessment pain tools appropriated to each age, in order to facilitate the symbolic representations in children.

La dificultad en la evaluación del dolor en los niños indica la necesidad de una mirada específica en la descripción del dolor. Considerar los aspectos del desarrollo cognitivo y lingüístico es fundamental para la interpretación de la experiencia del dolor en los niños. El objetivo del estudio fue identificar los descriptores del dolor presentes en las narrativas de los niños sometidos a tratamiento contra el cáncer y compararlos con los presentes en un instrumento para los adultos. Este fue un estudio cualitativo realizado en un Centro Pediátrico de Oncohepatologia, de marzo a octubre de 2013. La muestra estuvo conformada por 26 estudiantes, de ambos sexos, con una edad promedio de 8 años y 7 meses. Los resultados indican que, independientemente de la edad, el uso de refuerzos figurativos en la comunicación oral es suficiente para mantener a esta en la descripción del dolor y revelar la necesidad de la creación de herramientas de evaluación del dolor apropiadas para cada edad, con el fin de facilitar las representaciones simbólicas en los niños.

Descritores de dor presentes nas narrativas de crianças em tratamento oncológico / Pain descriptors in narratives of children in oncological treatment / Descriptores del dolor en las narraciones de los niños en tratamiento oncológico

Resumo A avaliação da dor em crianças necessita de um olhar específico voltado para sua descrição. Considerar aspectos do desenvolvimento cognitivo e linguístico é fundamental na interpretação da experiência dolorosa na população infantil. Trata-se de um estudo de qualitativo que teve como objetivo identificar os descritores de dor presentes nas narrativas de crianças em tratamento oncológico e compará-los aos presentes em um instrumento para adultos. Desenvolvido em um Centro de Oncohepatologia Pediátrico, no período de março a outubro de 2013. A população foi composta por 26 escolares, de ambos os sexos, com idade média de 8 anos e 7 meses. Os resultados apontam que, independentemente da idade, a utilização de reforços figurativos na comunicação oral é bastante presente como apoio na descrição da dor e revelam a necessidade da criação de instrumentos de avaliação de dor adequados às faixas etárias, de forma a facilitar as representações simbólicas em crianças.(AU)

Abstract The difficulty in assessing pain in children indicates the need for a specific look at the description of the pain. Considering aspects of cognitive and linguistic development is crucial for the interpretation of pain experience in children. The main point of this study was to identify pain descriptors present in the children's narratives which are undergoing cancer treatment and compare them with those present in an instrument for adults. This was a qualitative study conducted in an Oncohepatology Pediatric Center, from March to October of 2013. The sample consisted on 26 students, of both sexes, with an average age of 8 years and 7 months. The results indicate that regardless of age, the use of figurative reinforcements in oral communication is founded as a support in the description of the pain and shows the needing of the creation of assessment pain tools appropriated to each age, in order to facilitate the symbolic representations in children.(AU)

Resumen La dificultad en la evaluación del dolor en los niños indica la necesidad de una mirada específica en la descripción del dolor. Considerar los aspectos del desarrollo cognitivo y lingüístico es fundamental para la interpretación de la experiencia del dolor en los niños. El objetivo del estudio fue identificar los descriptores del dolor presentes en las narrativas de los niños sometidos a tratamiento contra el cáncer y compararlos con los presentes en un instrumento para los adultos. Este fue un estudio cualitativo realizado en un Centro Pediátrico de Oncohepatologia, de marzo a octubre de 2013. La muestra estuvo conformada por 26 estudiantes, de ambos sexos, con una edad promedio de 8 años y 7 meses. Los resultados indican que, independientemente de la edad, el uso de refuerzos figurativos en la comunicación oral es suficiente para mantener a esta en la descripción del dolor y revelar la necesidad de la creación de herramientas de evaluación del dolor apropiadas para cada edad, con el fin de facilitar las representaciones simbólicas en los niños.(AU)

Opioids, adjuvants, and interventional options for pain management of symptomatic metastases.

Cancer pain is a complex issue that unfortunately affects a majority of cancer patients, the assessment and treatment of which are equally essential in alleviating many facets of this pain. The objective of this section is to address the many facets of cancer pain: its assessment, management, and its varied treatment modalities. We will discuss characteristics of pain, essential aspects of the patient interview, and management using opioids, adjuvants, and interventional and invasive strategies as well as side effects of these techniques. Many of these modalities are used for palliation but may and should be used in cancer patients who experience side effects from both their cancer and their chemotherapeutics.

Mechanistic, translational, quantitative pain assessment tools in profiling of pain patients and for development of new analgesic compounds.

Background Mechanistic, translational, human experimental pain assessment technologies (pain bio markers) can be used for: (1) profiling the responsiveness of various pain mechanisms and pathways in healthy volunteers and pain patients, and (2) profiling the effect of new or existing analgesic drugs or pain management procedures. Translational models, which may link mechanisms in animals to humans, are important to understand pain mechanisms involved in pain patients and as tools for drug development. This is urgently needed as many drugs which are effective in animal models fail to be efficient in patients as neither the mechanisms involved in patients nor the drugs' mechanistic actions are known. Aim The aim of the present topical review is to provide the basis for how to use mechanistic human experimental pain assessment tools (pain bio markers) in the development of new analgesics and to characterise and diagnose pain patients. The future aim will be to develop such approaches into individualised pain management regimes. Method Experimental pain bio markers can tease out mechanistically which pain pathways and mechanisms are modulated in a given patient, and how a given compound modulates them. In addition, pain bio markers may be used to assess pain from different structures (skin, muscle and viscera) and provoke semi-pathophysiological conditions (e.g. hyperalgesia, allodynia and after-sensation) in healthy volunteers using surrogate pain models. Results With this multi-modal, multi-tissue, multi-mechanism pain assessment regime approach, new opportunities have emerged for profiling pain patients and optimising drug development. In this context these technologies may help to validate targets (proof-of-concept), provide dose-response relationships, predicting which patient population/characteristics will respond to a given treatment (individualised pain management), and hence provide better understanding of the underlying cause for responders versus non-responders to a given treatment. Conclusion In recent years, pain bio markers have been substantially developed to have now a role to play in early drug development, providing valuable mechanistic understanding of the drug action and used to characterise/profile pain patients. In drug development phase I safety volunteer studies, pain bio marker scan provide indication of efficacy and later if feasible be included in clinical phase II, III, and IV studies to substantiate mode-of-action. Implications Refining and optimizing the drug development process ensures a higher success rate, i.e. not discarding drugs that may be efficient and not push non-efficient drugs too far in the costly development process. Mechanism-based pain bio markers can help to qualify the development programmes and at the same time help qualifying them by pain profiling (phenotyping) and recognising the right patients for specific trials. The success rate from preclinical data to clinical outcome may be further facilitated by using specific translational pain bio-markers. As human pain bio markers are getting more and more advanced it could be expected that FDA and EMA in the future will pay more attention to such mechanism-related measures in the approval phase as proof-of-action.

Effect of cryotherapy on arteriovenous fistula puncture-related pain in hemodialysis patients.

Pain during areteriovenous fistula (AVF) cannulation remains a common problem in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of cryotherapy on pain due to arteriovenous fistula puncture in hemodialysis patients. A convenience sample of 60 patients (30 each in experimental and control groups) who were undergoing hemodialysis by using AVF, was assessed in a randomized control trial. Hemodialysis patients who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups using a randomization table. Objective and subjective pain scoring was done on two consecutive days of HD treatment (with cryotherapy for the experimental and without cryotherapy for the control group). The tools used were a questionnaire examining demographic and clinical characteristics, an observation checklist for assessing objective pain behavior, and a numerical rating scale for subjective pain assessment. Descriptive statistics were used as deemed appropriate. Chi square, two-sample and paired t-tests, the Mann Whitney test, Wilcoxon's signed rank test, the Kruskal Wallis test, and Spearman's and Pearson's correlations were used for inferential statistics. We found that the objective and subjective pain scores were found to be significantly (P = 0.001) reduced within the experimental group with the application of cryotherapy. This study highlights the need for adopting alternative therapies such as cryotherapy for effective pain management in hospital settings.