Presence of cancer pain, inadequate pain control and psychotropic drug use: A cross-selectional study

• Published in: Revue d'épidémiologie et de santé publique Vol. 66; p. S300
• Main Authors: Parás-Bravo, P., Paz-Zulueta, M., Alonso-Blanco, C., Salvadores-Fuentes, P., Ruiz-Azcona, L., Santibañez, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 01.07.2018
• ISSN: 0398-7620
• DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2018.05.167

Pain is a common symptom in cancer patients, and its control and management are complex. Despite the high concomitant prevalence of psychotropic drugs in these individuals, the association between pain, inadequate pain control and psychotropic drug use is not well determined. This study aims to determine the prevalence of cancer pain, inadequate pain control and its association with psychotropic drug use. Cross-sectional study. A total of 402 medical records obtained by simple random sampling among all oncology patients in a hospital in northern Spain, seen between 2012 and 2014, were reviewed. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated together with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) by unconditional logistic regression for each type of psychotropic drug (anxiolytics, hypnotics and antidepressants). Mean patient age was 61.17 (standard deviation [SD]±13.14) years; 57.5% were women and 42.5% were men. The prevalence of existence of pain was 18.4% and inadequate pain control was 54.2%. A statistically significant association was found between existence of cancer pain and anxiolytic use (adjusted OR: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.49–6.68) and hypnotic use (adjusted OR: 5.19; 95% CI: 1.77–15.25). Inadequate pain control was associated to a greater extent with the use of these drugs: adjusted OR for anxiolytic use 4.74 (95% CI: 1.91–11.80), adjusted OR for hypnotic use 6.09 (95% CI: 1.74–21.32). In contrast, no association was found between pain and antidepressant use (adjusted OR: 0.99). The existence of pain and, to a greater extent, poor pain control, were associated with increased use of certain psychotropic drugs, such as anxiolytics and hypnotics. There appears to be no association between pain and antidepressant use.