Odontostomatologic diseases affecting cats and dogs are frequently painful and pain is often undertreated, mainly due to the difficulties in diagnosing its presence. A 2 parts questionnaire for owner and veterinarian with 8 and 5 categories, respectively, aiming to score the intensity of pain in dogs and cats with odontostomatologic diseases was initially set. After a pilot test aimed to confirm content validity of the tool and slight modifications, it was applied in the clinical setting in 20 dogs and 16 cats. The questionnaire was compiled, along with 3 monoparametric pain scales (NAS, VAS, SDS) used as gold standards for the evaluation of pain, at the first visit and 15 days after the beginning of a medical and/or surgical treatment. Obtained data were tested for psychometric properties such as construct and criterion validity using the Wilcoxon and the Spearman Pearson tests (p ≤ 0.05), respectively. Construct validity was confirmed, due to a statistically significant reduction of pain scores obtained at the follow-up with respect to those obtained at the first visit (p ≤ 0.046) for all the categories but two (owner part). Criterion validity was also ensured by a significant statistical correlation between the total pain scores obtained with the tool and those obtained with the 3 monoparametric scales (p ≤ 0.005). The selected categories seem able to well differentiate animals with and without pain when odontostomatologic disease is present. Further studies are needed in order to confirm obtained data and to identify a cut-off for rescue analgesia.
Development and initial validation of a pain scale for the evaluation of odontostomatologic pain in dogs and cats: preliminary study
DELLA ROCCA, Giorgia;DI SALVO, Alessandra;MARENZONI, Maria Luisa;BELLEZZA, Enrico
2016
Abstract
Odontostomatologic diseases affecting cats and dogs are frequently painful and pain is often undertreated, mainly due to the difficulties in diagnosing its presence. A 2 parts questionnaire for owner and veterinarian with 8 and 5 categories, respectively, aiming to score the intensity of pain in dogs and cats with odontostomatologic diseases was initially set. After a pilot test aimed to confirm content validity of the tool and slight modifications, it was applied in the clinical setting in 20 dogs and 16 cats. The questionnaire was compiled, along with 3 monoparametric pain scales (NAS, VAS, SDS) used as gold standards for the evaluation of pain, at the first visit and 15 days after the beginning of a medical and/or surgical treatment. Obtained data were tested for psychometric properties such as construct and criterion validity using the Wilcoxon and the Spearman Pearson tests (p ≤ 0.05), respectively. Construct validity was confirmed, due to a statistically significant reduction of pain scores obtained at the follow-up with respect to those obtained at the first visit (p ≤ 0.046) for all the categories but two (owner part). Criterion validity was also ensured by a significant statistical correlation between the total pain scores obtained with the tool and those obtained with the 3 monoparametric scales (p ≤ 0.005). The selected categories seem able to well differentiate animals with and without pain when odontostomatologic disease is present. Further studies are needed in order to confirm obtained data and to identify a cut-off for rescue analgesia.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
