Background & Aims

Patients of all ages, from children to those in their 90s, come to our center, and we approach them by adapting the biological, social, and psychological models. When treating children, who are in the process of mental and physical development, it is questionable whether the same treatment as adults is appropriate. In this study, we examine and discuss the characteristics of pain and treatment of children who visited our center from November 2013 to December 2020.

Methods

From November 2016 to March 2022, 3702 chronic pain patients (1479 males and 2223 females, aged 6-91 years) attending Aichi Medical University Pain Center were included in the study. Of the 3702 patients, 228 were under 20 years old (6.16%, 75 males and 153 females, mean age 14.7 years) . The male-to-female ratio was 40.0% for males and 60.0% for females throughout all generations. In the younger age groups, 32.9% were male and 67.1% were female. In Japan, the proportion of females was significantly higher than that of males, even among those under 20 years of age. However, the chief complaint among those under 20 differed from the others, with headache accounting for 34.3% and pain in the legs or knees for 22.9%. These two chief complaints accounted for more than 50% of the cases.

Results

Patients in the younger age group and those in the 19-year-old age group had a higher incidence of pain. The number of patients in the younger age group and those aged 19 years or older was about twice as large as that in the male group. All pain assessment items were significantly lower in the younger age group, and headache and knee joint pain were the most common chief complaints in the younger age group, in that order. About a quarter of the patients used antipsychotics and antidepressants, about 10% used narcotics, and some patients received invasive treatments such as laser therapy and joint injections. The characteristics of patients younger than 19 years old referred to our center showed that although their pain index was significantly lower, they were treated as aggressively as adults, including invasive treatments, narcotics, and psychotropic drugs.

Conclusions

The psychological, social, and biological factors of young patients with chronic incurable diseases must be very different from those of other age groups. In addition, invasive treatments and pharmacotherapy should be reduced as much as possible to account for advancing age. This study found that reducing the type and frequency of pharmacotherapy and invasive treatments may result in lower Numerical Rating Scale and other measures. Pain in children differs significantly from that in adults.

References

none

Presenting Author

Keiko Owari

Poster Authors

Keiko OWARI

Pain Relief Surgery and Multidisciplinary Pain Center, Aichi Medical University Hospital

Lead Author

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Topics

  • Pain in Special Populations: Infants/Children