ASSESSMENT OF PAIN INTENSITY IN THE EARLY POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD AFTER CAESAREAN SECTION ACCORDING TO TWO DIFFERENT SCALES
Objective: To compare the efficiency of the use of a linear visual analogue scale (L-VAS) and colour visual analogue scale (C-VAS) to assess pain intensity in postpartum women in the early postoperative period after caesarean section. Materials: The study involved 105 postpartum women aged 18 to 42 years old who underwent caesarean section under spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine and morphine for subarachnoid administration as adjuvant. In the early postoperative period (first 24 hours after surgery) patients were assessed every hour for pain intensity according to the two analogue scales L-VAS and C-VAS. Results:Both used scales had a high degree of correlation and can be used equally effectively to assess the intensity of pain in the early postoperative period. Thus C-VAS is more accurate (Se - 86,4 %; Sp - 100 %) in comparison with L-VAS (Se - 86 %; Sp - 93,5 %). 27,6 % examinees of all examined patients had increased pain sensitivity that required the administration of additional analgesics in the postoperative period. Conclusions: The quantitative evaluation and registration of pain intensity with the use of L-VAS and C-VAS allows timely prescribe analgesia to patients in need, while C-VAS in their sensitivity and specificity is superior to L-VAS.