Pilot Investigation of Somatosensory Functioning and Pain Catastrophizing in Pediatric Spinal Fusion Surgery.
Christine B Sieberg, Claire E Lunde, Cindy Wong and 4 others
PMID 36564325WHAT IT FOUND
Adolescents who reported higher pain and helplessness before spinal fusion surgery were significantly more likely to experience chronic post-surgical pain four to six months later.
These preoperative scores may help identify patients needing closer monitoring.
Key findings
01Participants who developed chronic post-surgical pain had significantly higher preoperative back pain intensity scores compared to those who did not.
02Preoperative feelings of helplessness were the most sensitive indicator of chronic post-surgical pain, showing significant differences between groups and correlating with baseline pain scores.
03Quantitative sensory testing showed that patients with postoperative pain had higher pain sensitivity before surgery, though some measures contradicted the initial hypothesis of hyperalgesia after surgery.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (32 participants), preventing sophisticated analyses like predictive modeling. Participants were lost to follow-up or withdrew, reducing the final analysed number. The study used a dichotomous grouping for postoperative pain (pain vs. no pain) rather than analysing varying severity levels. The non-pain control site for QST differed between the two hospital sites. The study did not control for the specific contributions of the various concurrent pain treatments received.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that pain catastrophizing or hyperalgesia are stable, direct causes of chronic pain in this group. The study found that some pain sensitivity measures actually decreased after surgery, and the link between catastrophizing and sensory testing was not significant. The findings highlight preoperative pain and helplessness as predictors, not proven targets for intervention.