Disease relevance of Pain Measurement

• Both drugs improved constipation as assessed by the patient by means of a visual analogue scale, but cisapride did so to a larger extent than placebo [1].
• Dyspnea was assessed by Borg and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), plotted against the percent fall in FEV1, and expressed as the slope of the regression line (Slope-Borg and Slope-VAS) [2].
• In a double-blind controlled trial in nine patients with tinnitus we measured the lidocaine plasma concentrations during and after intravenous administration of lidocaine or placebo and scored the level of tinnitus on a visual analog scale [3].
• IENF density was compared with neuropathic pain intensity (measured with the Gracely Pain Scale), patient and physician global pain assessments, quantitative sensory testing, CD4 counts, and plasma HIV RNA levels both at baseline and at conclusion of the placebo-controlled phase [4].
• Retrospective analysis of another study revealed that mexiletine recipients (225 to 675 mg/day) who described their pain as stabbing, burning or formication on the pain-rating-index-total instrument of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, experienced statistically significant reductions in VAS pain scores after 5 weeks, compared with placebo recipients [5].

Psychiatry related information on Pain Measurement

• Compared with placebo, paroxetine treatment significantly (P<.001) improved the symptoms of social anxiety as shown on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Phobia Inventory, Sheehan Disability Scale, Symptom Checklist-90 score, and EuroQol visual analogue scale, indicating decreased disability and increased well-being [6].
• Secondary endpoints included body image evaluation (determined by ABCD questionnaire), facial aesthetic satisfaction (determined by Visual Analogue Scale), and aesthetic pre- and post-picture comparisons by independent reviewers [7].
• The primary endpoints were the physical and mental health summary scores (PHS; MHS) of the MOS-HIV as well as a global visual analogue scale (VAS) score [8].
• At regular time intervals hunger feelings were measured using visual analogue scales and food selection lists and plasma CCK was measured by radioimmunoassay [9].
• The level of vigilance was first determined by assessing drowsiness using visual analogue scales and/or by several psychometric tests in four pharmacoclinical studies in healthy subjects or in hypertensive patients: three studies with single administration of rilmenidine (0.5 to 3.0 mg) and one study with repeated administration for three days [10].

High impact information on Pain Measurement

• We measured serum steroid hormones, insulin-like growth factor I, lipids, and sex hormone-binding globulin, and we evaluated well-being and sexuality with the use of validated psychological questionnaires and visual-analogue scales, respectively [11].
• Fluoxetine at a dose of 20 or 60 mg per day was significantly superior to placebo in reducing symptoms of tension, irritability, and dysphoria, as measured by the visual-analogue scales (P < 0.001) [12].
• At the six-month evaluation, the patients treated with methylprednisolone reported more improvement, less pain on the visual-analogue scale, and less physical disability [13].
• Ondansetron was also more effective in controlling acute nausea, as assessed with a visual-analogue scale (P = 0.019) or a graded scale (P = 0.024) [14].
• In addition, using a visual analogue scale, subjects rated themselves more intoxicated at their peak of intoxication while receiving cimetidine [15].

Chemical compound and disease context of Pain Measurement

• Assessments were made at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 hours postdosing with use of validated measures of subjective sedation and mood (visual analogue scales, Tufts University Benzodiazepine scale) and psychomotor performance (manual tracking and digit symbol substitution tests) [16].
• D-cycloserine was well tolerated and did not induce side-effects according to the Visual Analog Scales (VAS), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Adverse Events Checklist (AEC) & codes [17].
• A sub-anesthetic dose of sodium pentobarbital (20 mg/kg) suppressed IC stimulation-produced generalized seizures and catalepsy, and attenuated, but did not eliminate, tail flick test analgesia [18].
• A visual analog scale (VAS) method of assessing headache pain was compared with a standard categorical four-grade scale (4GS) in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial involving 792 treated migraine outpatients who received oral rizatriptan 5 mg, sumatriptan 50 mg, or placebo for a moderate or severe headache [19].
• Fentanyl effects were measured by dark-adapted pupil diameter and subjective self-assessments using visual analog scales [20].

Biological context of Pain Measurement

• Energy intake and meal duration were measured, as were hunger ratings (using visual analogue scales), and plasma cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY concentrations over time [21].
• Subjective measures (Cole/Addiction Research Center Inventory [ARCI] scales and visual analog scale [VAS] items such as "High" and "Good Effects") and physiologic variables (blood pressure, O2 saturation, pupil diameter) were recorded [22].
• Main outcome measures were the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and plasma concentration of the prostaglandin F2alpha metabolite, 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-prostaglandin F2alpha (KDPGF2alpha), measured 15 min before treatment and 60 min after treatment on day 1 of four consecutive menstrual cycles [23].
• Pain measurement with evoked potentials: combination of subjective ratings, randomized intensities, and long interstimulus intervals produces a P300-like confound [24].
• Here, a structured questionnaire that included the McGill Pain Questionnaire (total pain intensity index, TPI) and visual analog scales (VAS) was used to evaluate the intensity, location, referred tenderness (hyperalgesia), descriptor, and temporal characteristics of pain during breast feeding up to three days after uncomplicated vaginal delivery [25].

Anatomical context of Pain Measurement

• Outcome measures were a daily cough visual analogue scale and induced sputum concentrations of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), myeloperoxidase, leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), leukotrienes C(4)/D(4)/E(4) (cysteinyl leukotrienes [Cys-LTs]), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), IL-8, and TNF-alpha [26].
• Variables assessed included stiffness, pain (visual analogue scale), grip strength, articular index, full blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, urea, creatinine, C reactive protein, complement breakdown products (C3dg), rheumatoid factor titre, immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), functional capacity, and patient and observer global opinions [27].
• Subjective symptoms of asthma were recorded by visual analogue scale, BHR was estimated by methacholine bronchial provocation tests, bronchial variability PEFR and circulating mediators of inflammation, i.e. eosinophil cationic protein, eosinophil protein X, myeloperoxidase and tryptase in serum [28].
• Patient 100-mm visual analog pain scale (VAS) scores, fetal heart rate (FHR), blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded at 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 min after administration of sufentanil and then again when the patient requested additional analgesia [29].
• CONCLUSION: This study shows that the PPT of the TMJ in RA patients is lower than in healthy individuals and that it can be used for pain assessment [30].

Associations of Pain Measurement with chemical compounds

• Craving and anxiety were measured before and after cues with visual analogue scales for desire to use cocaine now and for mood changes [31].
• Of twenty-eight visual analogue scales rating mood and arousal, the subjects' ratings in the tyrosine treatment (9 g daily) and placebo periods differed significantly for only three (less tired, less drowsy, more alert) [32].
• FINDINGS: L-NMMA reduced pain intensity on the visual analogue scale significantly more than placebo: 120 min after start of treatment, the mean pain score was decreased from 49 to 33 with L-NMMA and from 44 to 40 with placebo (p=0.01) [33].
• Plasma prolactin and cortisol levels were used as neuroendocrine measures, whereas subjective responses were measured using a visual analog scale of 10 different mood states [34].
• Ethanollike subjective effects were assessed using the Sensation Scale and visual analog scales to measure the degree of similarity to the effects of ethanol, cocaine, and marijuana [35].

Gene context of Pain Measurement

• RA patients were clinically evaluated with a modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (M-HAQ), joint score, face scale, and visual analog scale (VAS) assessing pain and disease activity [36].
• Patients received anti-TNF therapy, and changes in scores on the Short Form 36 (SF-36), SF-6D, modified Health Assessment Questionnaire, and visual analog scales for patients' assessments of pain, fatigue, and global status from baseline to followup examinations at 3 and 6 months were compared [37].
• In the course of treatment IL6 and MMP-3 levels decreased significantly, accompanied by a drop in serological markers (C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and clinical disease activity (visual analogue scale and Thompson joint score) [38].
• In addition, the global assessment of disease activity by both physicians and patients, duration of morning stiffness, pain visual analog scale score, and Health Assessment Questionnaire were all improved by etanercept plus MTX therapy [39].
• No association between the MRI or US estimates of inflammation and values on the visual analog scale for pain, Health Assessment Questionnaire, duration of morning stiffness, ESR, or CRP was found [40].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Pain Measurement

• Secondary measures of efficacy were TWSTRS-Severity, -Disability, and -Pain subscale scores, and Analog Pain Assessment, Investigator Global Assessment, Patient Global Assessment, and Sickness Impact Profile scores [41].
• Seven hundred sixty-five patients, living in France and suffering from allergic rhinitis (eg, with positive skin tests to various antigens), agreed to self-rate (visual analog scales), four times daily, symptoms such as sneezing, stuffy or blocked nose, runny nose, itchy nose, itchy eyes, wheeze, or cough [42].
• C3aR and C5aR expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and a semiquantitative analysis of the intensity of staining was performed according to a visual analogue scale (score, 0-3) [43].
• Pethidine dosage by staff-controlled analgesia increased under study conditions, suggesting that mere pain-assessment and a 'competing' analgesic method motivated the BMT-unit staff to administer higher pethidine doses [44].
• Subjective itch ratings were assessed on a visual analogue scale (VAS) for 8-min periods after 10-sec histamine application, while changes of skin blood flow were simultaneously measured using two Laser Doppler flowmeters [45].

References