Table 3.
Resource utilization for PTPS NeP, overall, by average pain severity
| Resource use | Overall (n = 100) | Mild (0–3) (n = 14) | Moderate (4–6) (n = 48) | Severe (7–10) (n = 35) | P-value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medication | |||||
| Prescription medications prescribed to subjecta | 0.1404 | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 2.6 (1.47) | 2.1 (1.14) | 2.7 (1.19) | 2.8 (1.89) | |
| Number of NeP medications prescribed to subject, n (%) | 0.1141 | ||||
| 0 | 3 (3.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.1) | 2 (5.7) | |
| 1 | 15 (15.0) | 4 (28.6) | 6 (12.5) | 5 (14.3) | |
| 2 | 36 (36.0) | 8 (57.1) | 15 (31.3) | 11 (31.4) | |
| 3 | 25 (25.0) | 0 (0.0) | 17 (35.4) | 8 (22.9) | |
| 4 | 10 (10.0) | 1 (7.1) | 4 (8.3) | 4 (11.4) | |
| 5 | 8 (8.0) | 1 (7.1) | 5 (10.4) | 2 (5.7) | |
| ≥6 | 3 (3.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (8.6) | |
| Number of nonprescription medications usedb | 0.0267** | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 0.9 (1.22) | 0.4 (1.60) | 1.0 (1.10) | 1.0 (1.21) | |
| Used nonprescription medication in the past 4 weeks, n (%) | 0.0050** | ||||
| No | 55 (55.0) | 13 (92.9) | 22 (45.8) | 18 (51.4) | |
| Yes | 45 (45.0) | 1 (7.1) | 26 (54.2) | 17 (48.6) | |
| Office visita | |||||
| Physician office visits for NeP | 0.0065** | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 5.3 (2.54) | 3.4 (2.50) | 5.9 (2.29) | 5.0 (2.54) | |
| Non-physician office visits for NeP | 0.2333 | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 0.2 (0.70) | 0.0 (0.00) | 0.1 (0.32) | 0.3 (1.07) | |
| Tests and proceduresa | |||||
| Outpatient tests or procedures | 0.5353 | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 1.4 (1.77) | 1.1 (1.64) | 1.2 (1.66) | 1.5 (1.70) | |
| ER visits for NePa | 0.6392 | ||||
| Yes, n (%) | 2 (2.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (4.2) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Hospital outpatient visits for NePa | 0.0981 | ||||
| Yes, n (%) | 3 (3.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (8.6) | |
| Hospitalizations for NePa | 0.7322 | ||||
| Yes, n (%) | 3 (3.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.1) | 2 (5.7) |
Notes:
P-values are from the Kruskal–Wallis test for continuous variables and the Fisher’s exact test for the categorical variables; mild versus moderate versus severe;
statistically significant at the 0.05 level;
over the past 6 months;
over the past 4 weeks. Mild, moderate, and severe classification was based on the BPI-SF average pain severity score. Three subjects did not respond to all required items needed to calculate a BPI-SF average pain severity score, and thus were not included in any analysis by pain severity category.
Abbreviations: PTPS, post-traumatic/post-surgical; NeP, neuropathic pain; n, number; SD, standard deviation; ER, emergency room; BPI-SF, Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form.