Late Breaking Original Research
Monday, November 13, 2023
01:00 PM–02:30 PM
Abstract
Introduction:
In the intensive care unit (ICU), assessing pain is vital, especially when patients cannot communicate verbally due to factors like sedation and mechanical ventilation (MV). The Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) has proven validity and reliability for monitoring pain in critically ill adults on MV. While it has been validated in several languages, there is currently no validated Arabic version, limiting its utility for native Arabic-speaking healthcare professionals.
Research Question or Hypothesis:
What is the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the BPS?
Study Design:
A prospective cohort study was conducted in mixed adult ICUs.
Methods:
Expert translators performed forward and backward translations to ensure comprehensiveness. A pilot test was conducted on 25 ICU patients by trained healthcare providers. Factor analysis assessed scale validity, while Cronbach's alpha measured internal consistency. The instrument was administered to adult critically ill MV patients with >24 hours of ICU admission who could not self-report pain. Exclusions included those with neurological deficits, were quadriplegic, receiving neuromuscular blockade, had severe brain injuries, were comatose/deep sedation, and were hemodynamically unstable patients.
Results:
Out of 212 screened patients, 80 were included. Median age was 52, 61% were male, and ICU length of stay was 11.5 days. The median APACHE II score was 18 [range: 15-21.5], and the median Charlson comorbidity index stood at 3 [range: 1-6]. The median sedation scale (RASS) was -2 [range: -3 to -1], while the median Glasgow Coma Score was 7 [range: 4-9]. The analysis revealed a single factor with an Eigenvalue of 1.6. Furthermore, the calculated Cronbach's alpha score of 0.57 indicated the scale's moderate reliability and internal consistency.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated moderately acceptable reliability and comprehensibility of the Arabic version of BPS. It represents the first translation of BPS into Arabic. Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to assess the scale's reliability fully.
Presenting Author
Abdullah M. Alhammad BSc, PharmDAuthors
Ghada Alajmi PharmD
King Saud University Medical City
Ghaida Aldajani PharmD
King Saud University Medical City
Yazed Alruthia PhD
King Saud University
Noura Altulahi PharmD
King Saud University