Minerva Anestesiologica 2020 Dec 15

DOI: 10.23736/S0375-9393.20.15029-6

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Chronic Pain and COVID-19: pathophysiological, clinical and organizational issues

Franco MARINANGELI ¹ ✉, Antonino GIARRATANO ², Flavia PETRINI ³

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Treatment and Palliative Care, University of L’Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; ² Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Science (Di.Chir.On.S.), Section of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Policlinico Paolo Giaccone, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; ³ Presidente SIAARTI - Delegato Nazionale EBA UEMS, Direttore U.O.C. Anestesia e Rianimazione-Terapia Intensiva P.O. SS.Annunziata, Resp. C.S. Medicina Perioperatoria, Terapia del Dolore, Emergenza Intraospedaliera e Terapia Intensiva DEA ASL 2, Lanciano-Vasto-Chieti, Coordinatore Blocchi Operatori ASL2, Scuola di Specializzazione Anestesia, Rianimazione, Terapia Intensiva e del Dolore. Università Chieti-Pescara, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologi

During the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, a call not to neglect the continuum of care of patients who present with chronic diseases, including pain, was made. In the field of pain, COVID-19 had an impact both from a clinical (i.e., the influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pain) and organizational (i.e., how patients with chronic pain should be managed in the post-COVID-19 era) perspective. Furthermore, patients with chronic pain are also frequently frail subjects, affected from multiple comorbidities and hence are at increased risk of infection. On these bases, how the necessity to continue pain therapy will be pursued in the post-COVID-19 era? In this paper, we comment on the above-mentioned topics, on the basis of available data and our experience as pain therapists.

KEY WORDS: COVID-19; Pain; Organization