A Kudoh1, H Ishihara, A Matsuki. 1. Department of Anesthesiology, University of Hirosaki School of Medicine, Aomori, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenic patients may have less sensitivity to pain; however, pain insensitivity in schizophrenia has not been adequately evaluated. We investigated current perception threshold (CPT) and postoperative pain intensity in patients with long-standing and treated schizophrenia and control patients. METHODS: We measured CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz and postoperative pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) in 50 chronic schizophrenic patients who were on chronic phenothiazine derivatives (> 10 years) and for 25 control patients. RESULTS: CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz in schizophrenic patients were 334.2 +/- 112.2, 303.9 +/- 117.1, and 165.0 +/- 72.3, respectively. CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz in schizophrenic patients were significantly higher than those of control patients. VAS pain scores of schizophrenic patients were 4.0 +/- 1.7 at 2 hours post-operatively and 3.8 +/- 1.5 at 5 hours postoperatively, which were significantly (P < .05) lower than those (5.0 +/- 1.6 and 5.1 +/- 1.9) of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic schizophrenic patients have increased current perception threshold and lower VAS pain scores in postoperative pain compared with control patients.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Schizophrenicpatients may have less sensitivity to pain; however, pain insensitivity in schizophrenia has not been adequately evaluated. We investigated current perception threshold (CPT) and postoperative pain intensity in patients with long-standing and treated schizophrenia and control patients. METHODS: We measured CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz and postoperative pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) in 50 chronic schizophrenicpatients who were on chronic phenothiazine derivatives (> 10 years) and for 25 control patients. RESULTS:CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz in schizophrenicpatients were 334.2 +/- 112.2, 303.9 +/- 117.1, and 165.0 +/- 72.3, respectively. CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz in schizophrenicpatients were significantly higher than those of control patients. VAS pain scores of schizophrenicpatients were 4.0 +/- 1.7 at 2 hours post-operatively and 3.8 +/- 1.5 at 5 hours postoperatively, which were significantly (P < .05) lower than those (5.0 +/- 1.6 and 5.1 +/- 1.9) of the control group. CONCLUSIONS:Chronic schizophrenicpatients have increased current perception threshold and lower VAS pain scores in postoperative pain compared with control patients.
Authors: Elizabeth B Torres; Robert W Isenhower; Jillian Nguyen; Caroline Whyatt; John I Nurnberger; Jorge V Jose; Steven M Silverstein; Thomas V Papathomas; Jacob Sage; Jonathan Cole Journal: Front Neurol Date: 2016-02-02 Impact factor: 4.003