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Role of Perfusion Index as a Tool for Acute Post-operative Pain Assessment: An Observational Study
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Why is it important?
Background: A painful stimulus can produce vasoconstriction and a decrease in perfusion index (PI). The visual analog scale (VAS) is the most common pain assessment scale. However, it is affected by psychometric instability. This study was designed to evaluate the correlation between VAS as a subjective indicator of pain and PI as an objective indicator of pain. Materials and Methods: At the post-anesthesia care unit, the perfusion index was checked to 50 adult patients of ASA-I who underwent laparoscopic surgery. At the time of the first request for analgesia (T1) VAS was recorded together with the PI, heart rate (HR), Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP), peripheral oxygen saturation and following which analgesia was given. Thirty minutes thereafter, (T2) second measurements for the mentioned parameters were taken. Results: The PI was significantly higher at T2 than at T1 (mean increase % = 90% vs 81.4%). This increase was associated with a statistically significant decrease in VAS, HR, and MAP. This means that the PI increases with adequate relief from pain, as indicated by a decrease in VAS, HR, and MAP. A decrease in VAS was associated with an increase in PI, but the correlation was not statistically significant as the degree of the increase in PI in relation to the decrease in VAS was variable among patients. Conclusion: PI can be added to other indicators of pain assessment in the post-anesthesia care unit.
Perspectives
Background: A painful stimulus can produce vasoconstriction and a decrease in perfusion index (PI). The visual analog scale (VAS) is the most common pain assessment scale. However, it is affected by psychometric instability. This study was designed to evaluate the correlation between VAS as a subjective indicator of pain and PI as an objective indicator of pain. Materials and Methods: At the post-anesthesia care unit, the perfusion index was checked to 50 adult patients of ASA-I who underwent laparoscopic surgery. At the time of the first request for analgesia (T1) VAS was recorded together with the PI, heart rate (HR), Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP), peripheral oxygen saturation and following which analgesia was given. Thirty minutes thereafter, (T2) second measurements for the mentioned parameters were taken. Results: The PI was significantly higher at T2 than at T1 (mean increase % = 90% vs 81.4%). This increase was associated with a statistically significant decrease in VAS, HR, and MAP. This means that the PI increases with adequate relief from pain, as indicated by a decrease in VAS, HR, and MAP. A decrease in VAS was associated with an increase in PI, but the correlation was not statistically significant as the degree of the increase in PI in relation to the decrease in VAS was variable among patients. Conclusion: PI can be added to other indicators of pain assessment in the post-anesthesia care unit.
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This page is a summary of: Role of Perfusion Index as a Tool for Acute Post-operative Pain Assessment: An Observational Study, Indian Journal of Anaesthesia and Analgesia, January 2019, Red Flower Publication Private, Ltd.,
DOI: 10.21088/ijaa.2349.8471.6519.20.
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