title: Pain after earthquake.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  On 6 April 2009, at 03:32 local time, an Mw 6.3 earthquake hit the Abruzzi region of central Italy causing widespread damage in the City of L Aquila and its nearby villages. The earthquake caused 308 casualties and over 1,500 injuries, displaced more than 25,000 people and induced significant damage to more than 10,000 buildings in the L'Aquila region.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This observational retrospective study evaluated the prevalence and drug treatment of pain in the five weeks following the L'Aquila earthquake (April 6, 2009).
  
  
  METHODS
  958 triage documents were analysed for patients pain severity, pain type, and treatment efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A third of pain patients reported pain with a prevalence of 34.6%. More than half of pain patients reported severe pain (58.8%). Analgesic agents were limited to available drugs: anti-inflammatory agents, paracetamol, and weak opioids. Reduction in verbal numerical pain scores within the first 24 hours after treatment was achieved with the medications at hand. Pain prevalence and characterization exhibited a biphasic pattern with acute pain syndromes owing to trauma occurring in the first 15 days after the earthquake; traumatic pain then decreased and re-surged at around week five, owing to rebuilding efforts. In the second through fourth week, reports of pain occurred mainly owing to relapses of chronic conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that pain is prevalent during natural disasters, may exhibit a discernible pattern over the weeks following the event, and current drug treatments in this region may be adequate for emergency situations.
authors: Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Angeletti
authors: Cristiana
authors: C
authors: Guetti
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Papola
authors: Emiliano
authors: E
authors: Petrucci
authors: Maria Laura
authors: ML
authors: Ursini
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Ciccozzi
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Masi
authors: Maria Rosaria
authors: MR
authors: Russo
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Squarcione
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Paladini
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Pergolizzi
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Taylor
authors: Giustino
authors: G
authors: Varrassi
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Marinangeli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014218:Triage; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents