[Classification of XXXX . Quantification and grading with the Mainz Pain Staging System].

@entity1 @entity6100 @entity73 @entity158 @entity1118
INTRODUCTION: @entity1118 is an individually variable experience, incorporating physical, @entity6100 . @entity1118 occurs in a broad spectrum of severity; therefore, a grading procedure is of crucial importance in clinical research and in epidemiologic studies. The Mainz Pain Staging System is an interview-administered, multi-dimensional measure of @entity1118 severity. The system suggests grading @entity1118 in terms of 4 axes: time (persistence), spreading of @entity158 site, medication use, and health care utilization. The whole scale consist of 10 items. The resulting score is used to classify the @entity158 problem in three stages (I, II, III). Analysing the broader validity and parametric properties of the staging system is the purpose of the present study. METHODS: The staging system and psychosocial data were administered to 542 consecutive @entity1 of different diagnoses who attended one of six @entity158 clinics in the year 1995/96. In a time period of 3 months since first contact, treatment procedures were registered. Three months after first contact @entity1 rated the effectiveness of treatment concerning reduction of @entity158 intensity. RESULTS: According to the criteria of the staging system 25% of the sample belonged to each stage I and stage III, whereas 50% were classified to stage II. As a measure of validity, @entity1118 status demonstrated significant correlation with @entity73 , disability and time off work, whereas there was no correlation to @entity158 intensity and persistence of @entity158 . Surprisingly we found no difference in amount and quality of treatment between @entity1 who were graded as severe @entity158 @entity1 (stage III) and the other stages. Furthermore, effectiveness of treatment also did not differ between the three stages. We made several proposals for optimizing the staging system. CONCLUSION: Given the high prevalence of recurrent and @entity1118 as well as the broadness of severity, an important issue on further research is identification of factors which influence the chronification process. For this purpose improved measures of graded classification of @entity158 status are needed.
