Predictive Factors for Access-Site Pain Chronicity after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention via Radial Artery Access

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and predictive factors for developing chronic access-site (A-S) pain after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via radial artery access.

Data of selected patients (n = 161) who underwent elective PCI were collected prospectively and analysed in 2020. Verbal analogue scale was used to evaluate pain intensity after 12, 24, and 48 h and 3 months after PCI. The univariate logistic regression analysis was used.

Pain prevalence decreased from 29% straight after PCI and 54% two hours later to 3.7% following 3 months after procedure. The predictors for A-S pain chronicity are diabetes (OR = 5.77 95% CI (1.07-31.08), p = 0.041), hematoma (OR = 6.48, 95% CI (1.06-39.66), p = 0.043), A-S hand neuropathy (OR = 19.93 95% CI (1.27-312.32), p = 0.033), A-S pain immediately after PCI (OR = 14.60 95% CI (1.63-130.27), p = 0.016), after 12 h (OR = 17.2 95% CI (1.60-185.27), p = 0.019), 24 h (OR = 48 95% CI (4.87-487), p = 0.01), and 48 h (OR = 23.46 95% CI (3.81-144.17), p = 0.001), and pain intensity immediately after procedure (OR = 3.30 95% CI (1.65-6.60), p = 0.001), after 2 h (OR = 2.56 95% CI (1.15-5.73), p = 0.022), after 12 h (OR = 3.02 95% CI (1.70-5.39), p < 0.001), after 24 h (OR = 3.58 95% CI (1.90-6.74), p < 0.001), and after 48 h (OR = 2.89 95% CI (1.72-4.87), p < 0.001). Pain control was performed with Ketoprofen and Ibuprofen as most used NSAIDs. 10 mg of Morphine intravenously was the choice from strong opioids if necessary.

The prevalence of chronic A-S pain is 3.7%. Main predictive factors for the A-S pain chronicity are diabetes, hematoma, and persistent pain and pain intensity during 48 h period after PCI.