The following is a summary of “Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the french version of the “defense and veterans pain rating scale” for acute and chronic pain: A prospective clinical study,” published in the June 2024 issue of Pain by Safran, et al.

While multidimensional pain assessment, including functional impact, is recommended, a validated French translation of the “Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale” (DVPRS) is currently lacking, hindering its use in a population with speaking French-speaking.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess the validity of the French-translated “Functional Pain Scale” (FPS), derived from the DVPRS, for multidimensional pain evaluation in acute and chronic pain settings.

They recruited 232 patients (February 2022 and January 2023). Patients experiencing acute or chronic pain in various settings completed a paper questionnaire, including the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the FPS, alongside a tailored assessment questionnaire. The analysis encompassed the correlation between FPS and NRS, assessment of psychometric properties, and evaluation of patient preferences.

The results showed that 232 patients and subgroups experienced a high correlation between FPS and NRS. The multi-item FPS scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency. A significant majority of patients, including those aged over 75 years, favored FPS over NRS and found FPS easy to use.

Investigators validated the French DVPRS (FPS) translation as a reliable and patient-friendly tool for assessing acute and chronic pain.

Source: academic.oup.com/painmedicine/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/pm/pnae049/7693050