title: Pain treatment and its cost in old people with dementia: a descriptive analysis from the Registry of Dementias of Girona (ReDeGi).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain prevalence is high among elderly people, and equally prevalent in those with dementia. The aim of this study was to describe the use analgesics, as well as the cost of these treatments in old people with dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a cross-sectional design using 1186 cases registered by the Registry of Dementias of Girona from 2007 to 2008. All drugs were categorized following the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification and grouped according to the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder steps. Descriptive statistical methods were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analgesics were prescribed to 78.6% (95% CI, 76.2-81.0) of the registered cases. Of them, 80.6% (95% CI, 78.0-83.2) were treated following step 1 of the WHO analgesic ladder, 16.8% (95% CI, 14.4-19.3) following step 2 and 2.6% (95% CI, 1.5-3.6) following step 3. Pain treatment in old people with dementia had a cost of 42.1 € per patient and year, with no significant differences depending on the subtype of dementia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of analgesics in our sample was not associated to age or to dementia severity, which are themselves risk factors for increased pain. Moreover, no differences were detected depending on the subtype of dementia.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calvó-Perxas
authors.forename: Secundino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López-Pousa
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turró-Garriga
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Eugenio
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linares
authors.forename: Maria Del Mar
authors.initials: Mdel M
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turón-Estrada
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Casadevall
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coromina
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vilalta-Franch
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garre-Olmo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics