Multidimensional Pain Characteristics in Older Adults with Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers

Objective: Pain affects wound healing, treatment, and quality of life because it has significant impacts on physical, psychological, and social well-being. Despite the fact that more than half of chronic venous leg ulcer (CVLU) patients experience mild-to-moderate pain, the multidimensional characteristics of CVLU pain are not well documented. The objective of this study was to describe the multidimensional pain characteristics, including the sensory, affective, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions, of CVLU before debridement. Approach: Participants (N = 40) were recruited from a wound clinic. We conducted a descriptive analysis of clinical data, including pain, wound, and demographic characteristics, collected at the first visit. Results: The mean age of participants was 70.8 +/- 9.1 years, 22 (55%) participants were female, and 35 (87.5%) were white. Participants reported mean current pain intensity (2.9 +/- 2.7), least (1.2 +/- 2.2) and worst (4.8 +/- 3.4) pain intensity in 24 h, and tolerable pain level (4.9 +/- 2.64) on a 0-10 scale. They described pain as periodic (66.7%, n = 26) with multiple pain quality descriptors (5.4 +/- 2.9). Their past pain treatments provided some pain relief (65%, n = 25). For 68% (n = 27), their pain was the same as they expected. Nearly all had a tendency not to tell others about their pain (95%, n = 38). Innovation: This study is the first to describe the multidimensional pain characteristics of patients with CVLU as measured with PAINReportIt. Conclusion: Patients with CVLU reported willingness to tolerate a relatively high level of pain and experience the level of pain they anticipate. Multidimensional pain assessment will assist clinicians to select individualized therapies to manage pain and improve quality of life for these patients.

Automated summary

Pain in chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLU) impacts wound healing, quality of life, and treatment. This study aimed to describe the multidimensional pain characteristics of CVLU patients using data collected before debridement. Patients reported tolerating a relatively high level of pain and experiencing pain as expected, while often choosing not to share their pain with others. Multidimensional pain assessment can help clinicians tailor individualized therapies to manage pain and improve quality of life for CVLU patients.