Canadian Journal of Pain (Jan 2019)

Validation of the Adolescent Pediatric Pain Tool for the Multidimensional Measurement of Pain in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

  • Madalina Boitor,
  • Céline Gélinas,
  • Frank Rauch,
  • Eufemia Jacob,
  • Sylvie LeMay,
  • Jaimie Isabel Carrier,
  • Claudette Bilodeau,
  • Argerie Tsimicalis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2019.1626705
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 148 – 156

Abstract

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Background The Adolescent Pediatric Pain Tool (APPT) is a self-reported, multidimensional assessment of pain location, intensity, and quality in children and adolescents. Yet, it has not been validated for use in children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Aims This study aimed to validate and evaluate the feasibility of the APPT for pain assessment in children and adolescents with OI. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted at a university-affiliated pediatric hospital in Canada. Thirty-three children and adolescents with OI participated by completing the APPT pre-bisphosphonate intravenous infusion and 1 week post-bisphosphonate intravenous infusion. Main outcomes were internal consistency, convergent and discriminative validity, and feasibility. Results The Kuder-Richardson test of internal consistency was 0.863, 0.661, and 0.729 for the Sensory, Affective, and Evaluative subscales, respectively. For the entire pain quality scale, the Cronbach’s alpha was 0.835. Regarding convergent validity, a moderate correlation was observed between the ratings on the pain intensity scale and the Faces Pain Scale–Revised (Spearman’s rho = 0.711). Patients for whom pain was a problem reported higher pain intensity (Mann Whitney U = 41.50, P = 0.032) and more pain quality descriptors (Mann Whitney U = 45.50, P = 0.020) and painful body areas (Mann-Whitney U = 25.50, P = 0.001) than those for whom it was not (Mann-Whitney U, P < 0.05). In terms of feasibility, completing the tool may require a considerable time commitment and assistance from a clinician or parent, especially if the patient is experiencing pain and provides detailed pain location and quality information by completing the APPT. Conclusions This study suggests that the APPT is valid for the multidimensional assessment of pain in children and adolescents with OI, but feasibility needs to be enhanced.

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