CAPPPeD - Pain Phenotyping in People Living with Dementia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pain phenotyping in community-dwelling people living with dementia: a cross-sectional study with nested qualitative interviews to evaluate self-reported central aspects of pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia (CAPPPeD).
IRAS ID
326402
Contact name
Jemima Collins
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 30 days
Research summary
Dementia is a common condition as people get older. Around 1 in 2 people living with dementia (PWD) will have issues with pain. Furthermore, many PWD will have mood and behaviour change symptoms throughout their illness which may be linked to pain.
A person who has changes in the part of their brain that processes pain might have worse pain than someone with no changes. These differences may be seen as distinct clinical features and are called “central aspects of pain”.
Central aspects are important because if they are present, pain may be worse and commonly used treatments for pain may not work.PWD sometimes find it difficult to express themselves clearly. So, if they are experiencing pain, sharing this discomfort with carers, family or professionals is sometimes expressed not in words but in a change of mood or behaviour. This study is designed to understand how central aspects of pain, mood and behaviour symptoms are related and affect quality of life, so that ultimately pain that PWD experience can be treated successfully.
We will invite 70 PWD and longstanding pain, and 30 PWD but who do not have longstanding pain (comparison group) to participate in this study together with their caregiver or regular companion. They will complete questionnaires about pain severity and its impact on daily activities. Further questionnaires will find out if central aspects of pain and mood and behaviour change symptoms are present. A smaller group of participants will be invited to tell us how pain affects their lives in more detail.
We anticipate that this study will allow healthcare professionals to better understand the link between pain and related symptoms, in order to develop new approaches to help treat longstanding pain in people living with dementia.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NW/0027
Date of REC Opinion
19 Mar 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion