Multidimensional pain assessment in patients with dementia

It is well known that patients with dementia complain less about pain and receive fewer analgesics than other patients. The question arises of whether disorders associated with dementia change the processing of pain. A total of 20 patients with dementia and 40 patients with mild cognitive impairment...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2007-11, Vol.21 (6), p.529-538
Main Authors: Lautenbacher, S, Kunz, M, Mylius, V, Scharmann, S, Hemmeter, U, Schepelmann, K
Format: Article
Language:ger
Subjects:
Aged
Analgesics - therapeutic use
Cognition
Dementia - physiopathology
Electric Stimulation
Female
Fibromyalgia - physiopathology
Humans
Male
Pain - drug therapy
Pain - physiopathology
Pain Measurement
Physical Stimulation
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Summary:It is well known that patients with dementia complain less about pain and receive fewer analgesics than other patients. The question arises of whether disorders associated with dementia change the processing of pain. A total of 20 patients with dementia and 40 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as well as 40 healthy control subjects were investigated for their subjective (category scale), facial (FACS) and motor (R-III reflex) pain responses to mechanical and electrical stimuli. Patients with dementia did not rate the intensity of the stimuli differently; however, they were less frequently capable of providing ratings. At equal levels of stimulus intensity, demented patients showed stronger facial responses. The R-III reflex thresholds were lowered in demented patients. MCI patients appeared only slightly changed. Our findings suggest that the processing of acute noxious stimuli is intensified in patients with dementia. Against the background of a reduced prescription of analgesics, an under-treatment of pain in patients with dementia might be the consequence.
ISSN:0932-433X
DOI:10.1007/s00482-007-0545-4