The international CHANGE PAIN physician survey: does specialism influence the perception of pain and its treatment?

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Overall ranking of treatment goals for patients with severe, chronic non-cancer pain.

Figure 2.  Factors determining the choice of analgesic agent.

Figure 3.  Factors limiting treatment with opioids cited by the different physician groups.

Figure 4.  Pharmacological agents used to treat severe, chronic low back pain.

Table 1.  The ten most frequently reported drug combinations for severe chronic low back pain.

	Pain specialists	Primary care	Other specialists
1	NSAIDs, paracetamol, classical weak opioids	NSAIDs, paracetamol, classical weak opioids	NSAIDs, paracetamol, classical weak opioids
2	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, fixed-combination weak opioids	Anticonvulsants, paracetamol, classical weak opioids	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, fixed-combination weak opioids
3	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, classical weak opioids	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, classical weak opioids	Anticonvulsants, fixed-combination weak opioids, NSAIDs
4	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, classical weak opioids	Fixed-combination weak opioids, NSAIDs, paracetamol	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, NSAIDs
5	Anticonvulsants, fixed-combination weak opioids, NSAIDs	Anticonvulsants, fixed-combination weak opioids, NSAIDs	Fixed-combination weak opioids, NSAIDs, paracetamol
6	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, classical strong transdermal opioids	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, paracetamol	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, classical strong oral opioids
7	Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, classical strong oral opioids	NSAIDs, classical weak opioids	Anticonvulsants, paracetamol, classical weak opioids
8	Anticonvulsants, paracetamol, classical weak opioids	Anticonvulsants, paracetamol, classical strong oral opioids	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, classical weak opioids
9	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, Paracetamol	Anticonvulsants, fixed combination weak opioids, paracetamol	Antidepressants, paracetamol, classical weak opioids
10	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, classical strong transdermal opioids	NSAIDs, paracetamol, classical strong oral opioids	Anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, classical strong oral opioids

Table

• Anticonvulsants

• Antidepressants

• Fixed-combinations strong opioids

• Fixed-combinations weak opioids

• NSAIDS

• Paracetamol

• Classical strong oral opioids

• Classical strong transdermal opioids

• Topical analgesics

• Classical weak opioids