Refinement and partial validation of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in horses

Author(s):Show less -

Taffarel, Marilda Onghero ^[1] ; Loureiro Luna, Stelio Pacca ^[2] ; de Oliveira, Flavia Augusta ^[2] ; Cardoso, Guilherme Schiess ^[2] ; Alonso, Juliana de Moura ^[2] ; Pantoja, Jose Carlos ^[2] ; Brondani, Juliana Tabarelli ^[2] ; Love, Emma ^[3] ; Taylor, Polly ^[4] ; White, Kate ^[5] ; Murrell, Joanna C. ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Maringa, Dept Vet Med, Umuarama - Brazil

^[2] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Coll Vet Med & Anim Sci, Dept Vet Surg & Anesthesiol, BR-18618970 Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[3] Sch Vet Sci, Langford - England

^[4] Taylor Monroe, Ely, Cambs - England

^[5] Univ Nottingham, Sch Vet Med & Sci, Nottingham NG7 2RD - England

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BMC Veterinary Research; v. 11, APR 1 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 8

Abstract

Background: Quantification of pain plays a vital role in the diagnosis and management of pain in animals. In order to refine and validate an acute pain scale for horses a prospective, randomized, blinded study was conducted. Twenty-four client owned adult horses were recruited and allocated to one of four following groups: anaesthesia only (GA); pre-emptive analgesia and anaesthesia (GAA,); anaesthesia, castration and postoperative analgesia (GC); or pre-emptive analgesia, anaesthesia and castration (GCA). One investigator, unaware of the treatment group, assessed all horses at time-points before and after intervention and completed the pain scale. Videos were also obtained at these time-points and were evaluated by a further four blinded evaluators who also completed the scale. The data were used to investigate the relevance, specificity, criterion validity and inter-and intra-observer reliability of each item on the pain scale, and to evaluate construct validity and responsiveness of the scale. Results: Construct validity was demonstrated by the observed differences in scores between the groups, four hours after anaesthetic recovery and before administration of systemic analgesia in the GC group. Inter-and intra-observer reliability for the items was only satisfactory. Subsequently the pain scale was refined, based on results for relevance, specificity and total item correlation. Conclusions: Scale refinement and exclusion of items that did not meet predefined requirements generated a selection of relevant pain behaviours in horses. After further validation for reliability, these may be used to evaluate pain under clinical and experimental conditions. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/00786-6 - Validation of clinical criteria for assessing pain in horses
• Grantee: Marilda Onghero Taffarel
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 10/08967-0 - Evaluation of clinical and experimental pain in animals
• Grantee: Stelio Pacca Loureiro Luna
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants