title: Pain levels associated with renal colic and primary dysmenorrhea: a prospective controlled study with objective and subjective outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the degree of pain associated with renal colic and primary dysmenorrhea using objective and subjective measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 60 subjects participated in this study. There were 20 subjects in the renal colic group (average age 24.45 ± 2.35 years), 20 subjects in the primary dysmenorrhea group (average age 23.75 ± 1.86 years), and 20 subjects in the control group (average age 24.20 ± 2.57 years). The serum chromogranin A (CgA) values were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the mean pain score was assessed by means of a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for each individual.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum CgA level was 19.83 ± 19.61 ng/ml for the renal colic group, 13.45 ± 8.52 ng/ml for the primary dysmenorrhea group and 12.45 ± 7.76 ng/ml for the control group. The mean VAS score for pain was 7.95 ± 1.54 for the renal colic group and 7.05 ± 1.50 for the primary dysmenorrhea group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary dysmenorrheic pain is as intense as renal colic pain. Emergency room physicians should display the same degree of care and attention for the treatment of patients with primary dysmenorrhea as they do for patients with renal colic, and rapidly initiate an effective treatment for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazıosmanpaşa University, Tokat, Turkey. ayan421975@windowslive.com
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayan
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sogut
authors.forename: Ufuk
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdemir
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suren
authors.forename: Ziya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Fazlı
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirturk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056844:Renal Colic / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053379:Chromogranin A