Self-Reported Pain and Pain Observations in People with Korsakoff's Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychiatry
• Pain Management
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Korsakoff syndrome (KS) is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder frequently accompanied by comorbidities like cardiovascular disease, malignancy, and diabetes.
• Pain assessment in individuals with KS has been largely uninvestigated, despite the high prevalence of comorbid conditions.
• Understanding pain perception and reporting in KS is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-reported pain and observed pain behaviors in individuals diagnosed with Korsakoff syndrome.
• To compare patient pain reports with healthcare professional observations.
• To explore the relationship between neuropsychiatric symptoms and pain in the KS population.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 38 participants with KS residing in a long-term care facility.
• Utilized the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Pain Assessment in Impaired Cognition (PAIC-15), Rotterdam Elderly Pain Observation Scale (REPOS), and McGill Pain Questionnaire-Dutch Language Version (MPQ-DLV).
• Assessed both self-rated pain and observational pain reports from nursing staff.

Main Results:

• Individuals with KS reported significantly lower pain levels compared to assessments by healthcare professionals.
• The PAIC-15, particularly the emotional expression scale, yielded the highest pain scores.
• Patient pain reports did not correlate with healthcare professional reports; however, neuropsychiatric symptoms, especially agitation, strongly correlated with observational pain.

Conclusions:

• People with KS tend to underreport their pain, with healthcare professionals reporting higher levels.
• A significant association exists between neuropsychiatric symptoms and observed pain in KS.
• Pain should be considered as a potential underlying factor in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Korsakoff syndrome.