Dementia Pilot - Cyprus
The Context
At present, the treatment of pain in individuals with dementia primarily relies on pharmacological analgesics, including peripheral analgesics, NSAIDs, and opioid agents. Studies indicate that individuals with dementia use analgesics at a higher rate compared to older adults without dementia. However, there is a significant gap in evidence supporting the safety of commonly used analgesics in this population, both in terms of long-term opioid use and short-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use.
Consequently, the European Dementia Strategy recommends pharmacological interventions as a last resort, only for complex cases where non-pharmacological treatments have proven ineffective. Therefore, it is crucial to quantitatively assess pain in individuals with dementia to ensure proper pain management.
This task is particularly challenging due to the communication difficulties inherent in dementia’s symptomatology, which limits the ability of individuals to report pain subjectively. The examination of individuals with dementia in pain aims to identify the causal and sustaining factors contributing to pain, whether they are somatic, psychological, or a combination of both.
Our Pilot
In our pilot study, we aim to assess pain using three distinct methods:
- Self-reports: we will utilize specific scales (e.g., Visual Analog Scale) previously employed in the general literature for pain assessment.
- Observational behavior: we will employ specific scales (e.g., Pain Assessment for the Dementing Elderly) that have been consistently used to assess pain in individuals with dementia.
- Physiological responses: continuous monitoring of Electrocardiography signals (ECG) through using wearable medical devices (e.g., Empatica). ECG offers a reliable measure of pain.
All collected data are analyzed and correlated with pain episode responses. This comprehensive approach enables us to develop a predictive algorithm for pain identification. This algorithm aims to provide healthcare practitioners with information about the level of pain experienced by each individual with dementia, based on a combination of physiological and psychological responses.
VELES represents the first program dedicated to providing a dependable tool for assessing pain in individuals with dementia who may have minimal or no capacity to express pain verbally.
Benefits
Through the creation of the Regional Smart Health Data Space, we will enhance access to reliable data, facilitating improved access to dependable data for identifying pain in individuals with dementia. This allows experts to transform data into actionable information and knowledge, enabling precise administration of pharmacological analgesics. Moreover, we will directly impact patients’ quality of life by ensuring appropriate pain management and relief.
