Procedure-related pain among adult patients with hematologic malignancies.
BACKGROUND
Cancer patients undergo numerous invasive diagnostic procedures. However, there are only sparse data on the characteristics and determinants for procedure-related pain among adult cancer patients.


METHODS
In this prospective study, we evaluated the characteristics and determinants of procedure-related pain in 235 consecutive hematologic patients (M/F:126/109; median age 62 years, range 20-89 years) undergoing a bone marrow aspiration/biopsy (BMA) under local anesthesia. Questionnaires were used to assess patients before-, 10 min and 1-7 days post BMA. Using logistic regression models, we calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).


RESULTS
165/235 (70%) patients reported pain during BMA; 92 (56%), 53 (32%) and 5 (3%) of these indicated moderate [visual analogue scale (VAS)>or=30 mm], severe (VAS>54 mm) and worst possible pain (VAS=100 mm), respectively. On multivariate analyses, pre-existing pain (OR=2.60 95% CI 1.26-5.36), anxiety about the diagnostic outcome of BMA (OR=3.17 95% CI 1.54-6.52), anxiety about needle-insertion (OR=2.49 95% CI 1.22-5.10) and low employment status (sick-leave/unemployed) (OR=3.14 95% CI 1.31-7.55) were independently associated with an increased risk of pain during BMA. At follow-up 10 min after BMA, 40/235 (17%) patients reported pain. At 1, 3, 6 and 7 days post BMA, pain was present in 137 (64%), 90 (42%), 43 (20%) and 25 (12%) patients, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that 3/4 of hematologic patients who underwent BMA reported procedural pain; one third of these patients indicated severe pain. Pre-existing pain, anxiety about the diagnostic outcome of BMA or needle-insertion, and low employment status were independent risk factors.
Lidén
Y
Y
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. ylva.liden@karolinska.se
Landgren
O
O
Arnér
S
S
Sjölund
K-F
KF
Johansson
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires