Pain in the elderly: Prospective study of hyperbaric CO2 cryotherapy (neurocryostimulation).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the analgesic effects of hyperbaric CO(2) cryotherapy in elderly inpatients.


METHODS
An open-label prospective study was conducted in two geriatrics departments in patients with a broad range of pain characteristics. Each patient underwent a physical evaluation followed by hyperbaric CO(2) cryotherapy sessions, whose spacing and number were at the discretion of the physiotherapist. Patients completed a 100-mm visual analog scale for pain severity before and after the sessions.


RESULTS
We included 51 patients, who were treated between May 2 and June 30, 2005. Mean age was 83.7years, and the female-to-male ratio was 4/1. The patients had acute or chronic pain whose origin was usually musculoskeletal (80.3%) or neurological (18.6%). Pain scores decreased significantly after four sessions, from 52mm to 13mm (P<0.001) in patients with acute pain and from 45mm to 13mm (P<0.001) in those with chronic pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperbaric CO(2) cryotherapy is an innovative tool that should be incorporated within the non-pharmacological armamentarium for achieving pain relief in older patients.
Chatap
Guy
G
Geriatrics Department 4, Emile Roux Hospital, Limeil-Brévannes 94450, France. chatap.guy@wanadoo.fr
De Sousa
Annabelle
A
Giraud
Karine
K
Vincent
Jean-Pierre
JP
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002245:Carbon Dioxide