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Query: UMLS:C0002895 (sickle cell disease)
 11,747 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The purpose of this study was to measure the pain intensity of children with sickle cell disease during vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs) and to describe their home pain management techniques. This research was guided by Orem's (1991) Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing. The instruments used were the African American Oucher Scale (Denyes & Villarruel, 1990) and a pain diary. The study's convenience sample consisted of 30 4- to 18-year-old children attending the Sickle Cell Center at a large Midwestern children's hospital. At the onset of the VOE, 43% of the children reported intense pain levels, and 60% of the children reported levels comparable to that of someone experiencing minor surgery or injury. Older children tended to report higher levels of pain than younger children. There was no statistically significant difference according to gender. The most frequently used pain management tools were Tylenol with codeine, fluid, and ibuprofen. Other pain management techniques used fairly often included application of heat, sleeping, reading, and exercising. The only differences in pain levels associated with the management techniques used were that children who used heat (dry and/or moist) reported higher pain intensity prior to its application than those who did not. This study shows the importance of using an ethnic-appropriate scale to quantify the children's sickle cell pain, which was found to range from intense to minor in nature. The study also identifies numerous self-care actions that children use to manage their pain at home. The pain intensity experienced during VOEs may become worse with age. Evaluation of children's self-care behaviors during VOEs in the home is important because being able to remain in their normal environment helps convince the children that they have some control over their disease.
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PMID:Pain intensity and home pain management of children with sickle cell disease. 911 14

Pain can begin in the first year of life for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) and continue in an unpredictably recurrent manner throughout their life span. Sickle vaso-occlusive pain (sickle pain) can also occur simultaneously with pain of other origins, complicating both assessment and management. Aims of this research were to describe the reliability and validity of a daily diary for data collection with children and adolescents with SCD and to describe characteristics of vaso-occlusive sickle pain episodes (VOE) and other pain reported by children and adolescents with SCD along with home pain management strategies. Thirty-nine children and adolescents (mean age, 10.9 +/- 3.6 years) completed diaries twice daily at home for up to 3 years (mean, 417.9 +/- 272.2 diary days) with excellent compliance. Sickle pain alone was reported on 8.4% of days (n = 1515 days), whereas other pain occurred on 2.7% of days (n = 490) and both sickle pain and other pain on 5.7% (n = 1041 days). Other pain only episodes were shorter and involved fewer sites than sickle pain only episodes. Sickle pain occurred in the extremities and hips, whereas most other pain occurred in the head-neck area. Analgesic medication was taken on 85% of days of sickle pain, whereas analgesics were taken on only 60% of days with other pain. The diary used in this study is a valid and reliable self-report tool. The use of home diaries will improve the understanding of sickle pain and its management and assist in identifying other pain syndromes that may require alternative management.
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PMID:Characteristics of pain managed at home in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease by using diary self-reports. 1462 32