(openPR) Pain in Europe VII – 7th EFIC Congress, 21 - 24 September 2011, Hamburg
Forty percent of cancer patients in Europe suffer from neuropathic pain, but none of the current medications is registered for this specific condition. Hence, the clinical guidelines of professional societies have a special significance. These are very inconsistent in Europe, however, as a current EFIC-backed comparison shows.
Hamburg, 21 September 2011 - Neuropathic pain is highly prevalent among cancer patients. Nearly 40 percent of them are stricken by this particularly burdensome pain, but help is insufficiently available at this time. “Currently, none of the frequently used analgesics is registered for treating this symptom in this patient group,” noted Prof. DDr. Hans Georg Kress, EFIC President, at the organisation’s European Congress 2011. More than 4,000 experts are currently gathered in Hamburg to discuss the latest developments in pain research and therapy. “That of course creates uncertainty for the practitioner about which substances are best used. So official therapy guidelines, from professional societies for example, are of particularly great importance in ensuring that those affected get adequate care.”
An international research team from five countries has now compiled and compared treatment recommendations of national professional societies specifically regarding neuropathic pain in oncological patients around Europe. In all, the team analysed nine treatment recommendations which included at least one section concerning neuropathic pain treatment in cancer patients and met all inclusion criteria of a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG). These nine CPGs were derived from Scotland, Italy, Norway, France, the Netherlands and Spain and published between 2006 and 2010.
In examining them for their validity, the scientists found large differences in quality as they reported at the EFIC Congress in Hamburg. Mean scores for ‘scope and purpose’ (80%) and ‘clarity of presentation’ (61%) were acceptable; the ‘applicability’ domain had the lowest mean score (39%). Regarding ‘applicability,’ only Norway 2009 received a score that was higher than 60%. For the domain ‘editorial independence,’ five CPGs were rated low. The Norway 2009 CPG received a score of 60% or more for each domain and the Netherlands 2008-1 CPG 80% or more for four domains. Five domains of the Italy 2006 CPG were rated lower than 60%. Seven CPGs received a high score for the domain ‘scope and purpose.’ The four CPGs developed by a guideline development organisation scored higher on all domains. Two of the CPGs with the highest scores (i.e. the Scottish and one Dutch) were developed by institutes that are specialised in guideline development.
“This situation is unsatisfactory. When it comes to alleviation of suffering for seriously ill people, it should not depend upon which European country they live in whether they can count on equitable treatment according to CPGs," Prof. Kress said. “Clinical treatment guidelines in Europe should be developed as part of a structured guidelines program and should be supported methodologically,” he continued. Because such an approach is costly and time consuming, EFIC President Prof. Kress called for a more uniform approach and more international cooperation, e.g. in the framework of a multinational federation like EFIC, in order to “to save patients unnecessary suffering.”
The development of a high quality European CPG for neuropathic pain in cancer is urgently needed, according to Prof. Kress. “Such a high quality CPG would help to pool resources – experts, time, effort and money – and offer countries with a low GDP the opportunity to refer to a high quality CPG without having the respective high costs and efforts for its development.”
About EFIC and "Pain in Europe" - The European Federation of IASP® chapters (EFIC®) is a multidisciplinary professional organisation in the field of pain research and medicine, consisting of the 35 so-called chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP®), which are the IASP approved official National Pain Societies in each country. Established in 1993, EFIC’s constituent chapters represent Pain Societies from 35 European countries and close to 20,000 physicians, basic researchers, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and other healthcare professionals across Europe, who are involved in pain management and pain research. EFIC’s aims are to advance research, education, clinical management and professional practice related to pain, and to serve as an authoritative, scientifically based resource concerning policy issues related to pain and its management. “Pain in Europe VII” in Hamburg (21-24 September 2011) is the 7th EFIC Congress since 1995. EFIC Congresses have become a popular forum in Europe attracting over 4000 participants in 2011. Congress participants are mainly from Europe, but with delegates from more than 75 countries worldwide, the Congress can be considered the major international educational exchange on pain issues of this year 2011.
Source: EFIC Abstract S526 ASSESSMENT WITH AGREE II OF EUROPEAN CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN IN CANCER PATIENT
