Application of CPOT on pain evaluation in ICU critical patients: a Meta-analysis

Objective To evaluate pain of critical patients by Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) comprehensively in order to provide evidences in choosing pain assessment tool for critically patients. Methods We performed PubMed, MEDLINE and CNKI for randomized controlled trial, quasi-experimental studies and cohort studies which kind of articles applied CPOT to assess pain in ICU. Results There was no statistical difference in the CPOT scores before nociceptive between conscious and unconscious patients (P=0.06), while significant difference for conscious (P<0.01) and unconscious (P<0.01) patients existed between before and during nociceptive for discriminant analysis. That was pain could be noticed by the CPOT no matter whether patients were conscious or not. No significant differences existed in the score of the CPOT and self-report for communicative critically ill patients (P=0.06) for validity analysis, which means the socore of CPOT could instead of pain compliment from patients theoretically. Conclusions We hold the view that behavioral score is as a cue to find pain. What we should do next step is expanding samples to validate whether CPOT score could instead of self-report score of patients. Key words: Pain; Critical-Care Pain Observational Tool; Pain assessment; Meta-analysis