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Review
. 2008 May-Jun;63(5-6):429-37.

[Pain assessment in non-communicative patients]

[Article in French]
C Chatelle  1 , A Vanhaudenhuyse, A N Mergam, M De Val, S Majerus, M Boly, M A Bruno, P Boveroux, A Demertzi, O Gosseries, D Ledoux, P Peigneux, E Salmon, G Moonen, M E Faymonville, S Laureys, C Schnakers
Affiliations
  • PMID: 18669216
Free article
Review

[Pain assessment in non-communicative patients]

[Article in French]
C Chatelle et al. Rev Med Liege. 2008 May-Jun.
Free article

Abstract

Pain is a subjective experience. Its assessment is based on the subject's direct verbal report. This method of assessment is, however, impossible in patients who cannot communicate their feelings. In this context, indirect measurements such as behavioral observations or physiological measurements are needed. To facilitate the assessment of pain in non-communicative patients, numerous standardized behavioral scales have been developed. The aim of this review is to discuss the main validated pain scales employed in end-stage dementia, newborn and preverbal children, and severely brain damaged patients with a disorder of consciousness such as coma, the vegetative state or the minimally conscious state.

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