Epidemiological data on pain complaints in emergency orthopedic care

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the pain profile in patients treated at an emergency orthopedic care unit in a private hospital. Methods: This study included adult patients who were seen at the emergency orthopedic care unit. Only patients during their first visit were included. Follow-up visits and patients under 18 years old were excluded from the sample. Results: A total of 138 medical records were consecutively evaluated at the emergency orthopedic care unit. The average age was 48.7 years, ranging from 18 to 98 years old, with 58.5% being female. The average pain score (VAS) was 6.2, with 5.9 for males and 6.4 for females. The most common anatomical site was the spine (27%), followed by the shoulder (16%). Half of the patients reported trauma-related complaints, with 52.2% of these being male. There was a 71.7% prevalence of disability due to painful conditions among patients. Only 71% of the patients reported acute symptoms. Conclusion: One reason for overcrowding in emergency care could be poor outpatient pain management, leading to exacerbation of chronic conditions. Only half of the emergency orthopedic cases were trauma-related, and nearly one-third of the visits were due to chronic pain.