J Korean Pain Soc.  2001 Dec;14(2):156-163.

Comparison of Visual Analogue Scale, Categorical Scale and Satisfaction for Postoperative Pain

• Kim YI
• Nam SG
• Hong ST
• Kang KS
• Park W

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The categorical scales and visual analogue scales (VAS) are methods used for evaluating variations of postoperative pain intensity. Several studies have introduced the idea that there is a clear correlation between visual scales and categorical scales. However, when VAS is the only pain measure in the study, we do not know what point on the VAS represents a category on the categorical scale and their degree of correlation with satisfaction for postoperative pain.
METHODS
252 patients who had undergone elective surgery were studied. A 5-point categorical scale (none, mild, moderate, severe, worst possible pain), a 0 100 mm VAS (no pain to worst possible pain) and patient satisfaction score were checked 24 hours after surgery using a pain questionnaire and VAS tool.
RESULTS
The mean VAS score of the 14 patients reporting 'no-pain' was 1.9+/-0.9, 23.9+/-1.0 for the 132 patients reporting 'mild-pain', 47.2+/-1.1 for the 82 patients reporting 'moderate-pain' and 67.5+/-2.8 for the 24 patients reporting 'severe-pain'. Of the patients reporting moderate pain, 85% scored over 45.6 mm on the corresponding VAS, with a mean score 47.2 mm. The mean satisfaction scores were 90.6+/-2.7 for the 'no pain' patients, 75.1+/-1.3 for 'mild pain', 58.3+/-1.5 for 'moderate pain', and 55.1+/-4.0 for 'severe pain' patients. The categorical scale was significantly correlated with VAS (P <0.01). The satisfaction score was significantly inversely correlated with VAS (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that if a patient records a VAS score in excess of 45.6 mm they would probably have recorded at least moderate pain on a 5-point categorical scale. The categorical scale can be used properly for ostoperative pain measurement with VAS. More research is required for the development of suitable pain descriptor for a categorical scale and pain questionnaire in Korean.

Keyword

Measurement techniques; Pain; Postoperative

MeSH Terms

Humans
Pain Measurement
Pain, Postoperative*
Patient Satisfaction
Surveys and Questionnaires
Subject Headings
Weights and Measures