Frailty and Persistent Pain in Oncological Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Oncology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Pain Management

Background:

• Persistent pain significantly impacts cancer patients' quality of life.
• Oncological rehabilitation aims to improve functional status and well-being.
• Frailty and polypharmacy are common in older cancer patients and may influence pain outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between frailty and polypharmacy with persistent pain in oncological patients undergoing rehabilitation.
• To evaluate the impact of frailty on pain presence and intensity during rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• An observational, prospective, longitudinal study was conducted.
• Data were collected from 45 oncological patients admitted to an Oncological Rehabilitation Unit.
• Pain was assessed at admission and after 7 days. A Frailty Index (FI) was calculated using Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) data.

Main Results:

• Pain was present in 44% of patients at admission, decreasing to 20% after 7 days.
• The study population was characterized as frail (mean FI of 0.44) and commonly used polypharmacy (92% taking >5 drugs).
• The Frailty Index was significantly associated with the presence of pain (OR 2.66) and its intensity after 7 days (β 4.24), even after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• Frailty is a significant factor associated with persistent pain in cancer patients undergoing rehabilitation.
• Assessing frailty in this population is crucial for developing targeted pain management strategies.
• Implementing multidisciplinary approaches that consider frailty could improve persistent pain outcomes in cancer patients.