Pain as a challenge in nursing home residents with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia

INTRODUCTION: In patients with dementia, observational scales are recommended for use in the assessment of pain. Unfortunately, their application is rare, and as a consequence pain is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in these types of subjects. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess analgesic treatment in nursing home residents with cognitive impairment and to delineate the relationship between pain and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research was conducted in 2 nursing home facilities in Wielkopolska, Poland. The analyzed group consisted of 96 residents (78 female) with moderate and severe cognitive impairment in whom pain was assessed with the Abbey Pain Scale (APS) and agitation with the Cohen–Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). Thereafter, medical files related to drug prescriptions were analyzed. RESULTS: Analgesics were consumed by 33 individuals (34%); 24 (25%) received regular pain treatment and 7 individuals (7%) – as when needed pain treatment. A relationship was found between the APS and CMAI (r=0.45, p<0.0001). Subjects with a higher CMAI received sedative drugs more frequently (p<0.001), and despite having a higher APS (p=0.001), this did not correlate with higher analgesia. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that pain can be an important underlying cause of behavioral disturbances in older subjects with dementia. In order to reduce their frequency and to avoid excessive usage of sedatives, proper pain assessment and management are essential.