The following is a summary of “Pain trajectories and neuropathic pain symptoms following lung cancer surgery: A prospective cohort study,” published in the March 2024 issue of Pain by Danielsen et al.
Researchers started a retrospective study to investigate the transition from acute to chronic persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) following lung cancer surgery.
They examined pain intensities bi-monthly over 12 months in an explorative study involving 85 patients who had undergone surgery for presumptive or confirmed lung cancer. Utilizing group-based trajectory modeling, they analyzed pain trajectories during recovery. Additionally, they investigated associations with potential risk factors for PPSP, such as clinical variables and scores for anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – HADS).
The results showed that a trajectory model comprising three 12-month pain recovery groups was generated. Within two to three months, 50% of individuals fully recovered without PPSP. About 37% of participants with mild-intensity PPSP experienced a prolonged recovery trajectory, while 13% showed incomplete recovery. Factors such as acute postoperative pain and younger age were linked to a less favorable recovery trajectory. Patients with incomplete recovery exhibited more neuropathic pain symptoms.
Investigators concluded that analyzing comprehensive pain tracking data revealed three distinct recovery paths, with higher initial pain intensity linked to a poorer pain recovery trajectory.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.2265
