Abstract

MONSALVE, V.; SORIANO, J.  and  ANDRES, J. De. The LATTINEN INDEX (IL) for the evaluation of chronic pain: its correlation with coping and quality of life. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.4, pp.216-229. ISSN 1134-8046.

Introduction: Lattinen Index (IL) is an instrument of measurement widely used in the area of the treatment and investigation of the chronic pain. Nevertheless its source is confused, and the reliability and validity criteria for the use of this instrument with all the scientific guarantees, don’t exist. All that has generated the need of studies directed to provide information on the content of IL and its validity to allow the confirmation for the best use. Material and method: A sample of 112 subjects diagnosed of chronic pain was analyzed. On one hand (study 1) the relations between the IL, coping and quality of life were analyzed by means of a correlational analysis. Secondly (study 2) discriminant capacity of IL was analyzed by means of a cluster analysis between different groups of subjects. Finally, and by means of a regression analysis (study 3) the predictive capacity of quality of life of IL was analyzed. All these studies were analyzed by means of the utilization of the IL, the visual analogical scale (EVA) for the intensity of pain, the health questionnaire SF-36 as quality of life criterion and the coping questionnaire CAD-R to evaluate coping strategies. Results: The results show an index of internal consistency of a=0,56. Significant correlations appear fundamentally with quality of life variables (SF-36), as well as with the intensity of the pain (EVA), and with passive coping strategies (CAD-R). As for its discriminat capacity, different values appear depending on the IL items, differences being obtained depending on the symptomatology, pain type, the sex/gender and age. As for the predictive capacity the IL shows its capacity fundamentally of these items: intensity of pain, activity self-sufficiency, frequency of pain and sleep quality. Conclusions: In spite of showing a low index of reliability, the results of the study show the usefulness of the IL for the valuation of chronic pain patient, mainly due to its predictive capacity of different quality of life variables, capacity promoted when other variables of evaluation, as coping strategies, are used.

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