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Inadequate pain relief in ambulatory patients with human immunodeficiency virus disease in Port Harcourt

Authors Ebirim LN, Otokwala JG

Received 13 March 2013

Accepted for publication 3 May 2013

Published 13 August 2013 Volume 2013:5 Pages 199—203

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/HIV.S45150

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



Longinus Ndubuisi Ebirim, Job Gogo Otokwala

Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of pain in ambulatory patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Port Harcourt and to determine the type, site, severity, and adequacy of the treatment of pain in these patients.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out at two antiretroviral therapy centers in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. A data sheet, the brief pain inventory, and the short form of the McGill pain questionnaire were used and 157 patients in various stages of HIV/AIDS participated in the study.
Results: About 83.7% (129/157) of the ambulatory patients with HIV/AIDS complained of pains. Of the patients who reported pain 61.24% (79/129) reported nociceptive pain while 38.76% (50/129) reported neuropathic pain. Chest pain was the most frequent site of pain followed by headache. About 82% (106/129) of those who complained of pain received some form of analgesic, but only 23.58% (25/106) of these obtained adequate pain relief. The majority of the participants had significant impairment of their quality of life due to the severity of their pain.
Conclusion: Pain associated with significant impairment of quality of life is common in ambulatory patients with HIV/AIDS in Port Harcourt. Whereas the majority of the patients used various pain relief methods, analgesia was inadequate.

Keywords: ambulatory HIV/AIDS patients, pain, inadequate relief


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