Risk Factors for Acute Postsurgical Pain: A Narrative Review

• Published in: Journal of pain research Vol. 17; pp. 1793 - 1804
• Main Authors: Liu, Qing-Ren, Dai, Yu-Chen, Ji, Mu-Huo, Liu, Pan-Miao, Dong, Yong-Yan, Yang, Jian-Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2024; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: acute postoperative pain; acute postsurgical pain; Care and treatment; Chronic pain; Genetic polymorphisms; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Pain; predictors; Risk factors; Stress (Psychology); predictors; acute postoperative pain; risk factors; acute postsurgical pain
• ISSN: 1178-7090; 1178-7090
• DOI: 10.2147/JPR.S462112

Acute postsurgical pain (APSP) has received growing attention as a surgical outcome. When poorly controlled, APSP can affect short- and long-term outcomes in patients. Despite the steady increase in awareness about postoperative pain and standardization of pain prevention and treatment strategies, moderate-to-severe APSP is frequently reported in clinical practice. This is possibly because pain varies widely among individuals and is influenced by distinct factors, such as demographic, perioperative, psychological, and genetic factors. This review investigates the risk factors for APSP, including gender, age, obesity, smoking history, preoperative pain history, pain sensitivity, preoperative anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, expected postoperative pain, surgical fear, and genetic polymorphisms. By identifying patients having an increased risk of moderate-to-severe APSP at an early stage, clinicians can more effectively manage individualized analgesic treatment protocols with a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This would alleviate the transition from APSP to chronic pain and reduce the severity of APSP-induced chronic physical disability and social psychological distress.