TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - Chronic pain among the hospitalized patients after the 22 July 2011 terror attacks in Oslo and at Utøya Island JO - Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica A1 - Wisløff-Aase, Kristin A1 - Raeder, Johan A1 - Månum, Grethe A1 - Løvstad, Marianne A1 - Schanke, Anne-Kristine A1 - Dyb, Grete A1 - Ekeberg, Øivind A1 - Stanghelle, Johan Kvalvik SP - 913 EP - 922 VL - 63 IS - 7 N2 - BACKGROUND: On 22 July 2011, 48 people were hospitalized due to physical injuries from gun shots or explosion, following 2 terror attacks in the Oslo area, Norway. In this study, we have investigated the occurrence of chronic pain, the severity and consequences of chronic pain in these patients, 3 to 4 years after the incidents.

METHODS: Totally 43 eligible terror trauma patients were invited to participate in the study, 30 patients were included. They underwent a consultation with a psychologist and a physician; containing psychological assessment, neuropsychological screening, a standardized clinical interview, medical examination, and a pain protocol.

RESULTS: In 18 (60%) the injury was severe, as defined by New Injury Severity Score > 15. Twenty-four patients (80%) reported injury-related chronic pain after the trauma, in 22 with consequences on daily life. Analgesics were used by 20 patients, including 5 in need of opioids. Ten patients had unmet needs of further specialist pain care. In 12 patients, the average pain score last week was above three on a 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale. In these patients, clinical signs of neuropathic pain were evident in 10, as tested by the Douleur Neuropathique score. There were significant correlations (P < 0.05) between severity of chronic pain and presence of post-traumatic stress symptoms, reduced quality of life, reduced psychosocial and physical function; but no correlation with pre-injury patient characteristics or the degree of physical injury.

CONCLUSION: Chronic pain was frequent and significant, irrespective of injury severity, in these patients who obtained their physical injuries under extreme psychological conditions.

© 2019 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0001-5172 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aas.13373 ID - ref1 ER -