PainCRITICAL: Understanding pain in critical illness
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PainCRITICAL: An investigation of the longitudinal sensory profile and cutaneous markers of neuropathic pain after critical illness
IRAS ID
288422
Contact name
Harriet I Kemp
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
24CX8776
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Survival following severe illness resulting in admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) has increased over the last decade. However, survivors of such severe illness are known to report a high prevalence of long-term physical and psychological problems including chronic pain. One type of chronic pain described is pain resulting from damage to nerve fibres, called neuropathic pain and is known to be particularly intense and disabling. However, it remains an under-researched area and currently little is known about how painful symptoms arise as a result of severe illness or how to treat or prevent it.
This study aims to follow a group of patients during their ICU stay and for twelve months of their recovery to characterise their pain. They will be asked to report how they perceive their pain and the impact on their lives using validated questionnaires. They will also be asked to report how they feel temperature, pressure and vibration changes (so-called sensory changes) tested using laboratory equipment at the bedside to identify patterns of changes that could provide information about what part of the pain system is affected. The will also be asked to provide a very small, superficial piece of skin from their lower leg whilst on ICU, and four months after they have left ICU. This will be used to identify skin and nerve structures and the presence of other markers that could be associated with reported pain symptoms and sensory patterns. In the future these changes could be targeted for future treatments or preventative strategies.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0305
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion