Correlation study between diagnostic opportunity and pain severity in patients with fi bromyalgia who enter the Nononcological Chronic Pain Unit at the San Borja Arriarán Clinical Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective is to determine if there is a correlation between the time elapsed for the diagnosis of fi bromyalgia (FM) and the severity of pain in patients who enter the Non-Oncological Chronic Pain Unit (UDCNO) of the San Borja Arriarán Clinical Hospital. The secondary objectives are to characterize the population that enters with FM diagnosis, and to describe the severity of pain according to intensity and related disability. Materials and methods: correlational study of patients admitted to the UDCNO with a diagnosis of FM, who were evaluated at the time of admission pain through the Numerical Pain Scale (NDT) and the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire (CPGC). Data were obtained for the characterization of the population through the clinical record: schooling, employment status, tobacco consumption, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments indicated at the time of admission to the UDCNO. In addition, data on episodes of falls in the last year were obtained. Results: Of the 38 patients evaluated, 100 % were women, with an average age of 56 years. The average time for diagnosis was 36 months (± 32.2 months), with an evolution time at admission to UDCNO of 53.8 months on average (± 36.4 months). The intensity of the pain measured by NTD was on average 7.29 (± 2.02). There was no association between diagnostic opportunity and pain intensity at the time of admission. 94 % were in grades 3 and 4 of the CPGC, corresponding to high pain intensity and moderate to severe limitation. Conclusions: According to our study, the correlation between the time elapsed at diagnosis and the intensity of pain measured at admission is low and not statistically signifi cant, which we consider is given by the multiple aspects that interfere in the experience of pain, which do not depend only of the evolution time. In this sense, a very high percentage of the population evaluated with high intensity of pain and moderate to severe limitation stands out.