Chronic Pain in "Probable" Vascular Dementia: Preliminary Findings. Issue 3 (19th December 2014) - Scherder, Erik J. A.
Abstract: Background: In a previous study, the levels of pain reported by patients with "possible" vascular dementia (VaD) were higher than those reported by older individuals without dementia. Objective: To examine experienced pain in patients with "probable" VaD, confirmed by brain imaging. Study Design: Observational, cross sectional. Setting: Nursing home. Methods: The participants were 20 nursing home residents (14 females, 6 males) who met the NINDS‐AIREN criteria for "probable" VaD and 22 nursing home residents with a normal mental status (18 females, 4 males). The patients were in a mild to moderate stage of dementia. All of the participants were suffering from arthritis/arthrosis or osteoporosis. Global cognitive functioning was measured by the Mini‐Mental State Examination. Pain was assessed by the Coloured Analogue Scale (CAS: original and modified version) and the Faces Pain Scale. The Geriatric Depression Scale and the Symptom Checklist‐90 were used to assess mood. Results: The main finding was that, after controlling for mood, the pain levels indicated by patients with "probable" VaD (M = 102.32; standard deviation [SD] = 53.42) were significantly higher than those indicated by the control group (M = 59.17; SD = 38.75), only according to the CAS modified version ( F [1, 29]) = 5.62, P = 0.01, η 2 = 0.16). Conclusion: As VaD patients may experience greater pain than controls, it is essential for prescribers to be aware of the presence of this neuropathology if these patients are to receive adequate treatment.